One-Tank Trip
for June 22/19
(c) By Jim Fox
Ahoy matey, ready
for a “mari-good time?”
The tall ships are
‘a comin’ to the Great Lakes this summer.
They’ll drop anchor
on the Canada Day weekend, June 29 to July 1, for the Redpath Waterfront
Festival on Toronto’s waterfront.
 |
| The return of the Bluenose II will be a highlight of the Redpath Waterfront Festival in Toronto. |
Along with a
weekend of mostly free entertainment, there’s a chance for visitors to jump on
board (with tickets) the fleet of 12 vessels some of which offer evening
sailings.
They’ll be
participating in the Tall Ships Challenge Race Series, visiting ports in Canada
and the United States.
Among the
highlights will be a visit by Bluenose II, Nova Scotia’s sailing
ambassador, available for tours on deck, after a 10-year absence from Toronto.
Called the “Queen
of the North Atlantic,” you can recognize her image from our dime and is a replica
of the original tall ship.
Other vessels
include the historic Picton Castle, a 1928 three-masted tall ship.
 |
| The Playfair, a
Toronto-based sail-training vessel, will give tours during the festival.
|
She’s known for her
sail-training adventures around the world and is named after a castle in Wales.
The U.S Brig
Niagara played an important role in the War of 1812, helping to defeat the British
at the Battle of Lake Erie.
Pride of Baltimore
II, built to the lines of an 1812-era Baltimore clipper, represents Maryland’s
rich natural resources and the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.
Other ships include
the Denis Sullivan, the most-modern tall ship from Mikwaukee built in 2000,
along with the Fair Jeanne, a former private yacht now a sail-training vessel.
The Playfair, owned
by Toronto Brigantine, was designed and built as a sail-training vessel and
launched in Kingston in 1973 during a Royal visit.
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| This map shows the ports in Canada and the U.S. where the tall ships will drop anchor over the summer. |
Take the helm and
hoist the sails aboard St. Lawrence II, which along with the Playfair was
designed by naval architect Francis A. McLachlan as youth training vessels.
The Empire Sandy is
a permanent attraction on Toronto’s waterfront and was built as a deep-sea tug
in the UK in 1943.
She’s now Canada’s
largest passenger sailing ship launched in 1982 in Toronto.
The exotic sounding
Kajama is also a permanent attraction in Toronto.
The three-masted
schooner, built in 1930 as a cargo vessel, offers sailings from May to
September.
The Royal Canadian
Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard will also join the parade.
The navy will be
sailing in on their oldest commissioned ship, the HMCS Oriole, while the Coast
Guard will bring the Griffon, one of the massive ice-breaking vessels.
Organizers say
there will be “shiploads of nautical fun to be had ashore with live
entertainment, food vendors and activities for you and your whole crew.”
 |
Pros will
show their talents in an oyster shucking showdown, presented by Rodney’s Oyster
House, at the waterfront festival.
|
Parks Canada is teaming
up with the Royal Canadian Navy to celebrate Home Port Heroes from the Second
World War.
Visitors can dig
through old photographs and artifacts and play nautical games.
Don’t miss the boat
Watch the ships sail in as the fleet
musters in the Eastern Gap at 10 a.m. on June 28.
They will then sail
in around 11 a.m. for the opening of the event, presented by Billy Bishop
Airport, the next day.
The best place to
see the ships and for photos is the east end of the waterfront as this is the
only opportunity to see them in full sail. Details: towaterfrontfest.com
Other Canadian
ports for the ship visits are Sarnia-Lambton and Midland, Aug. 9-11;
Kingsville, Aug. 16-18; and Brockville, Aug. 30-Sept. 1. tallshipschallenge.com
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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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