Tall Ships Challenge 2017

and they skip the sixth boro….  They were in New London some years back and here too . . ., but 2017 has gone from Charleston to Bermuda, and from there to Boston, Quebec City and Halifax . . .   All these photos come compliments of Sean McQuilken…

And in order, it’s Libertad, who once long ago in 1969 called at South Street Seaport, here (and scroll) to deliver some original spars for Wavertree  ,

Oosterschelde, the 99-year-old,

Alexander von Humboldt II,  (the oldster of this set, albeit one with a major reinvention),

El Galeon, whom I first saw in San Juan, 

Spirit of South Carolina, 

Lynx,

Pride of Baltimore II, and

When and If, who traveled the Erie Canal a few years back to get worked on on Seneca Lake, all great ships . . .  Maybe one of these years, Wavertree and Peking will join in the fun . . . just maybe…  And Peking has its share of adventure awaiting it this summer, with loading anticipated now early in the second week of July.

But I won’t be in Boston, because this weekend is also the mermaid’s conclave . . .  and I head to the heartland and off the grid right after that . . .

Again, many thanks to Sean for these photos.

 

Old Trade Routes Retraced

These vessels recently left a trading post that was starting up around the same decade the sixth boro replaced the initials N. A. for N. Y.

As of this writing, these three vessels are entering the Indian Ocean on a historic re-enactment.

Earlier this month, Colin Syndercombe visited the three vessel at the docks in Cape Town.  Oosterschelde, Europa, and Tecla have an amzing combined age of 295 years!!  Tecla was built in my father’s hometown of Vlaardingen, nine years before my father’s birth.

Preparing to get under way.

Departing on this leg of the trip are some cadets of the South African Navy.

Fair winds . . . bon voyage.

Click here for fares and schedules.  Of note, in August 2013, there’s a sail from Perth to Houtman Abrolhos archipelago and back to Perth.  This picturesque Indian Ocean island chain saw the mutiny and wreck of the VOC ship Batavia on her maiden voyage and the subsequent murders of over 200 survivors by a band of other survivors.  This Lord of the Flies tale serves as basis for the Mike Dash’s compelling account Batavia’s Graveyard, if you’re looking for summer reading.

For an upbeat parting shot, here.

Many thanks to Colin, who has previously sent lots of interesting fotos from 8000 miles away in Cape Town.