Historic Vessel Vega

This historic humanitarian relief vessel spends her time delivering educational and medical supplies to isolated island communities in South East Asia.

Vessel Name: Historic Vessel Vega
Vessel Make/Model: Built at Olve Hardanger Norway winter of 1893-94
About: Most of Vega's crew are volunteers who join us for a month or so to help us deliver medical and educational supplies to isolated island communities in East Asia.
Home Page: www.sailvega.com
Recent Blog Posts
25 July 2015

The Vega Adventures A rip roaring good sea tale and its all true

Early in 1892, one of Norway's finest boat builders launched a sailing legend.

17 January 2011

Vega answers a call for help from the midwives of East Timor

In rural East Timor where health services are few and far between it is often the local midwife who not only brings babies into the world but also assists with child & woman's health - doing stand in duty as the community health worker. These are usually unpaid dedicated people whose main concern is [...]

22 December 2010

Latest Historic Vessel Vega website updates posted

Merry Christmas and all that. We just posted the latest updates to our website with lots of new pictures and information that people were always asking for. Hope you like it and would love to have your comments. www.sailvega.com

10 December 2010 | Banda Besar

Vega Delivers Educational Materials to Banda Besar

Thanks to Jotun Paints (Singapore) we were able to provide many of Banda Besar's elementary school children with exercise books, and other supplies they need, but many cannot afford.

06 December 2010 | South East Asia

September - October Vega newsletter

Well at last we have the September - October newsletter out. We do not get so far behind from being lazy but due to the complete lack of network connections on the isolated islands we deliver our medical and educational supplies to. This time of year is when we get a chance to catch up.

The Vega Adventures A rip roaring good sea tale and its all true

25 July 2015
Early in 1892, one of Norway's finest boat builders launched a sailing legend.

Over 100 years later Shane Granger and Meggi Macoun were peacefully enjoying a siesta when the great tsunami of 2004 changed their lives forever. With thousands of people desperately in need, they loaded their boat with donated food and medical supplies then set sail for Sumatra.

That voyage was the beginning of a rip-roaring real life sea tale complete with storms, adventures, exotic tropical islands, and heart-rending drama. Check this Amazon link for more details The Vega Adventures

Come feel the wind, smell the riggers tar, and taste the salt in this tale of a century old wooden sailing boat and her crew of intrepid adventurers as they take up their yearly 7,500-mile journey to deliver over 25 tons of educational and medical supplies to some of our world's most remote island communities. The Vega Adventures is a rousing rascallian recount of the incredible journeys of Captain Shane Granger and Meggi on board their fine conveyance, The Vega, a 120+ year old Norwegian sailing vessel. In 2004, Captain Shane and Meggi navigated The Vega to deliver disaster relief supplies desperately needed in the wake of the Great Tsunami. They stayed, continuing their humanitarian mission that donates education and health care supplies to the region's remotest islands. In between fund-raising, packing and delivering life-giving supplies, Captain Shane kept meticulous track of so many fascinating moments and experiences. In the wee hours of the night, or the first light of dawn, Meggi would find Captain Shane pouring out a new anecdote, capitalizing on his awesome talent for turning a phrase as smartly as he can rig a sail. What makes The Vega Adventures so darn irresistible is its never-a-dull-moment pace and intriguing diversity of content. Whether it's an intimate look at Norway's storied history in sailboat building or a heart pounding monsoon of a monsoon encounter, The Vega Adventures is a gourmet feast - literally as well. Captain Shane liberally seasons his tale with insider information about the spice trade and spices of the islands that he and Meggi have navigated to, around and near for many years. At 300 pages, the Vega Adventure never gets tired. Captain Shane accomplishes this challenging feat (in our 30-second attention span world) with fast-flowing vignettes, one after another after another. Another plus for purchasers of The Vega Adventures is that you will be supporting one of the most effective humanitarian missions on earth. I loved this book and I can't wait to read it (especially the really salty dog parts) to my dear Uncle. While he is now of an age for armchair sailing only, he'll love every moment, including realism rich enough to put the tangy taste of salt on his lips! Check this Amazon link for more details The Vega Adventures

Thanks to our friends in Singapore

21 April 2011


We would like to thank several of our company friends in Singapore without whom our work would simply not be possible. The private individuals who are such an important of making our work a success we do not mention to avoid them being inundated by free bank accounts and the winning of lotteries they never entered &:o)

Special thanks to Moduspec ( one of the Lloyds Register Companies) for their great assistance with the vocational training center in East Timor as well as with educational and medical supplies. To Jotun Paints of Singapore who are providing important support in the form of educational and medical supplies as well as paint for the schools in Oecussi district of East Timor, to Viking life Rafts of Singapore who have provided major support for the midwives kits as well and medical supplies for East timor, and the Banda Islands, and to Scandanavian Bunkering for their assistance with fuel so we can deliver these supplies. We would also like to thank the very kind members and staff at Raffles Marina without which we would not be able to make this important stop over in Singapore. Apple computers and Micro2000 for their kind assistance keeping us “online” . A big thank you from the crew on Vega and the people you are assisting.

Vega answers a call for help from the midwives of East Timor

17 January 2011
In rural East Timor where health services are few and far between it is often the local midwife who not only brings babies into the world but also assists with child & woman's health - doing stand in duty as the community health worker. These are usually unpaid dedicated people whose main concern is the welfare of their community. The realities of their working conditions and what they have to work with are frightening. Try and imagine delivering a baby by candle light without even the most basic implements and medications.

Recently we were ask by Dr. Dan Murphy of Barrio Pite Free Clinic if Vega and our friends could help with this situation. Dr. Dan regularly provides free medical training for rural midwives, as well as health workers, and tries his best to provide them with what basic equipment he can manage. His work is a model of grass roots community health development. That he does all this on almost nonexistent budgets and still sees an average of 300 patients a day - for free - speaks wonders for his dedication. We not only agreed at once to assist, but have set a very ambitious goal of providing all 50 of East Timors midwives with complete professional "Call Out" kits based on Dr. DAns request list. Last year, thanks to a charity sail we did in Dili, we managed to provide him with some of the solar rechargeable lamps needed but many are still lacking.

Together we can do this and make a big change in the rural woman's health services of East Timor. All of what a properly equipped midwife needs will fit in a medium sized shoulder bag or back pack. Here is Dr. Dans list. If you would like to help out you can donate directly through our PayPal account on the www.sailvega.com website marking the donation as "For Midwives" and we will use your donation to purchase outstanding requirements for these kits. If you are in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, or Indonesia and have equipment that will help complete this list please contact us through the "Contact" form on our website and we will send you the appropriate details. Fortunately we have friends in those countries who are willing to accept and store supplies for us until it is time to load them on board.

Now here is the list:

"A book for Midwives: Care for pregnancy, birth, and women's health"
Mobile hand phone for consultations with doctor or to call for help in case of emergency maybe used but should be "unlocked", have a good battery, and be complete with charger.
Solar rechargeable Lamp (15 already delivered 35 more units still needed)
Hemostats
Blunt ended scissors
Episiotomy scissors
Bisturi Tang
Artery forceps
Disinfectant hand soap (Local Purchase)
Umbilical cord clamps (total estimate for 2 years all midwives 5,000 sets)
Lots of gauze and cotton etc (Local Purchase)
1 bulb syringe
Disposable syringes various sizes (5, 10, 15 ml)
1 fetoscope
1 ultra sonic doppler fetal heart beat monitor (small portable battery powered type)
Absorbable suture sets (50 per kit per year)
Needle Holder
Stitch Scissors
Ocitocin injectable
Antibiotic eye ointment
Disposable latex gloves (1 box of 50 pairs per kit per year)
MUAC Tape (LILA)
ARI Timer or Watch
BP set w/ Stethoscope
Thermometer
1 Sturdy water resistant "call out" bag with strap to carry the kit on foot and on motor bike. Ballistic Nylon type with large plastic zippers preferred.

Latest Historic Vessel Vega website updates posted

22 December 2010
Merry Christmas and all that. We just posted the latest updates to our website with lots of new pictures and information that people were always asking for. Hope you like it and would love to have your comments. www.sailvega.com

Vega Delivers Educational Materials to Banda Besar

10 December 2010 | Banda Besar
Thanks to Jotun Paints (Singapore) we were able to provide many of Banda Besar's elementary school children with exercise books, and other supplies they need, but many cannot afford.

When you make the equal of only a dollar a day it is often hard for rural families in isolated places to provide their children with the basic materials they need for learning. Often just the cost of transportation to and from school can be prohibitive for some. On the island of Banda Besar people do not have a bad life. Almost everything grows there and there are fish in plenty available at no great effort. The problem is procuring things that need to be purchased with money. Everything must be imported by sea and transportation costs are high. School exercise books, pencils, pens, erasers, and the like are 3-4 times more expensive than they would be in Jakarta. This means many children from poor families often go without.

This year the children of at least one elementary school on Banda Besar have been well provided for Thanks to Jotun Paints (Singapore) who not only donated materials for the students, but also other basics educational materials needed by the teachers as well. Vega was proud to deliver those badly needed educational supplies along with about 1/2 ton of additional educational supplies and 1/2 ton of medical supplies for the health posts and clinics.

September - October Vega newsletter

06 December 2010 | South East Asia
Well at last we have the September - October newsletter out. We do not get so far behind from being lazy but due to the complete lack of network connections on the isolated islands we deliver our medical and educational supplies to. This time of year is when we get a chance to catch up.

Link for those who are not subscribed to the Vega Newsletter is:

http://www.sailvega.com/newsletters/september2010/september2.html

Hope you enjoy it and as always we woulld appreciate your comments and suggestions on how to make it better.

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