They are the most majestic vessels ever built, harking back to a different era in maritime exploration, and they are on their way here.
On Thursday, a fleet of 43 tall ships will sail up the Liffey as Dublin hosts the final stop for the Tall Ships Races 2012. The huge masts will line up on either side of the river east of the Sean O’Casey Bridge, followed by a four-day festival with tours of the ships, food stalls, street theatre, concerts and other events taking place all around the Docklands.
The race, an annual event that began in 1956 and which is organised by Sail Training International, began at St Malo in France on July 5th before landing in Lisbon and Cádiz. The final leg of the race saw the fleet leave A Coruña in northern Spain on Thursday; the atrocious weather delayed the race. At the time of writing, the Mexican vessel Cuauhtemoc was in the lead, with the Alexander Von Humbolt II from Germany not far behind.
Organisers expect up to a million visitors for the festival, and have recruited 1,400 volunteers to help the event run smoothly. The highlight of the festival takes place at 11am on Sunday, August 26th, when the Parade of Sail will see all the ships leave together, hoisting their masts in what promises to be a spectacular farewell. See dublintallships.ie.
