Painting: Sinking of Barquentine the Uljas

The vessel was the last pine-wood sailing ship built in Rauma that sailed in the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean and in North and South America. The Uljas often carried Finnish timber abroad and salt back to Finland. From the year of construction until 1950, the ship sailed under the flag of John Nurminen Shipowners.

The Uljas experienced many and varied situations over its history. She collided with SS the Lucia in December 1910. In 1925, the Uljas drifted ashore during a storm near Ykspihlaja; she had several leaks, but was repaired in Uusikaupunki docks. The ship sunk during her last winter, in December 1949, in Rauma. She was lifted in the spring.

Sunday, June 4th, 1950 was the date of the ship’s last voyage. She was cremated in a dignified way, respecting its long history. Painter and sailor Adolf Bock, who was of German origin, painted this historical moment. The weather is calm and the Bothnian Sea is tranquil. SS Inkeri Nurminen and numerous other small and large vessels have gathered to watch the ceremony. The masts of the Uljas are already blown and flames rage on the deck, raising smoke high in the air. People watch as the era of wooden ships in Rauma is ending. The Uljas sailed the seas for 59 years, and now her wreck rests 40 metres deep in the sea.

Video of the Uljas being sunk in Rauma city YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/T8SpAsvVrL8