Kajama

Kajama was built at Nobiskrug shipyard in Rendsburg, Germany and launched on July 26th, 1930 under the name Wilfred. She was a three-masted cargo schooner as you see her now. Captain Wilhem Wilckens was her owner and master and he operated from the homeport of Hamburg from 1930 until 1960.

In 1960 she was purchased by Captain Karl Asmussen of Egersund, Denmark. Captain Asmussen renamed the ship Kajama after his two sons and his wife Kaywe, Jan and Maria. The ship continued to work under sail until the mid 1970's, at which time the Asmussens converted her to a strictly motor-driven vessel. In the spring of 1998 Captain Asmussen suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while at the helm. As he was the only crew on watch at the time the ship went up on a beach near Malmo, Sweden. Drydocking determined that little damage had been suffered.

Throughout the years from 1930 until 1998 Kajama traded general cargo. Her voyages went as far south as Bilboa in Northwest Spain, throughout western Europe, and Scandinavia, and above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway.

In January 1999 she was purchased by Great Lakes Schooner Company [http://www.greatlakesschooner.com of Toronto. After preparation for sea she steamed to England, Azores and on to Toronto. Kajama underwent a major overhaul and restoration to her original profile in just over ten months. She is now operating on Lake Ontario, taking pride of place in Toronto Harbour. She offers public daysails[http://www.tallshipcruisestoronto.com, educational programs and corporate charters.