Im Feeling Proud - Finland sending Help to U.S.A.

[Classic Finn]

Dear friends!

I thought to share this with you all.. With tears but at the same time Im very proud..We in Finland are sending help and assistance to you. Benefit concerts, and Red Cross Donations all over Finland have been going on.. and are still. For the People caught up in the Hurricane.

Tonight on the news our time (Finnish Time) I was watching the evening news and I found out that our small Country of Finland is sending a ship
that I used to work on, to the U.S.A. to Baton Rouge. It will be leaving here the 20th of September and arriving there 9 to 10 days after..

The ships name is "The GTS Finnjet" owned by the Company Silja Line.. For years it has set sail from Helsinki, Finland to Travemunde, Germany and back again.
This ship will assist in housing, and hospital arrangements.Here are some technical data on this ship.

32490grt - 212.96m long - 1686 passengers - 1550 berths - 390 cars


I remember many times of old war veterans here and in the U.S.A.
speaking of a Northern Country of Finland that was the only Country
during them days that ever paid back the Loans that The U.S.A. provided
for our Country..And now its our turn to reach out the helping hand to you. Im not a man of politics but Im proud to be a part of this small country way up in Scandinavia who is sending this much needed help. There are other countries sending help as well however in this case
on the news its our own country of Finland and I thought to share this with you all.

If anyof you near Baton Rouge see this long blue and white ship in your
local waters and you have a chance to take a photo or 2 send some my way..to me this ship has also been a place of work and filled with fond memories. And now setting sail for a mission of assistance. I sure wish
I was onboard on this voyage.

May God Bless You All
We are praying for you each and every night.

Best wishes
Classic Finn and Family

I have also enlisted on a Red Cross Reserve here - to come and help
if im asked to do so.

It will be stopping over in Estonia, then over to Germany for supplies and then the long journey across the Atlantic over to Louisiana..

It will be used for Housing plus a Hospital for some time..
There is also supplies onboard...

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Finnjet.html#anchor73852 here you can see what the ship looks like..

Here are more on the Silja Line Ships These ships also travel between Finland and Sweden if you ever come and visit Scandinavia

http://www.silja.fi/LAIVAT/Finnjet/

[Classic Finn]

Of all the years Ive worked onboard different ships I havent gotten seasick but try putting me on a surf board..... Wouldnt know what to do
or say....


Clasic Finn

[TomS]

Hi Finn.

I'm happy to hear that you and your countrymen are helping. On behalf of everyone here in the U.S.A. Thank you.

You might be interested to know this. My brother's wife is a Finn. Her maiden (prior to marrage) is Nurmi. She told me one time that she is related to Paavo Nurmi, the famous Finnish runner known as the "Flying Finn". I don't remember exact relationship. I'll have to ask her the next time I see her.

[Stephen G.]

Thank you Finn

You and your countrymen's kindness is gratefully appreciated

[angib]

OK, so now I'm drifting way off topic, but I still have the poster of Finnjet that I got in the 70s through a friend's Finnish-born wife - I've just been trying to photograph it where it hangs on my bedroom wall, but it's got so much blue that my camera can't handle it.

Finnjet was one of the wonders of the modern world when built - you guys may have wanted a Mustang, well, I wanted a Finnjet! Sadly it was completed just as the early-70s oil crisis hit and its all-gas-turbine propulsion system became a fuel economy liability. It got re-engined many years ago with a mix of diesels and gas turbines.

But boy, was it cool originally! The ship had to go slow for some hours in shallow water at one end of its journey and only needed 2 of its 4 gas turbines for that time - during this period one of the idle gas turbines could be swapped for a spare that had been ashore for maintenance. To this day, I suspect this is the only ship that could replace one of its own engines, while underway! Even Thunderbird 2 couldn't do that!!!

Andrew

[asianflava]

This Finnjet?
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Finnjet.html

[madjack]

...on behalf of the people of Louisiana I say Thank You , Thank You very much
Jack