The “Midwinter” is a clipper built to the so-called “Rotterdam size. Such a type of clipper has an extra low cruising line. The “creep line” is the maximum height of the vessel above the waterline. Thus, the lower the creep line, the lower the ship rises above the water. This allowed it to pass under all sorts of low bridges and other things.

The ‘Midwinter’ could sail via the Oude Haven through the tunnel under the former company building ‘Plan C’ to the Binnenrotte. Typical features of a ship that was built to that Rotterdam size also include the bow windlass and the deeply recessed deckhouse (the living quarters on a ship) – all to get the creep line as low as possible.

The original name of this clipper was “Celia,” and the ship was owned by the barge captain families Van der Kaai and Van der Pol, among others. It sailed the Zeeland and South Holland waters from Rotterdam. Today it is a restoration project and the ship is being made suitable for private use.