Tall Ships visit Channel Islands Harbor, Los Angeles, Dana Point and San Diego.
Magnificent tall ships from all over the West are heading to West Coast ports — starting from Victoria, British Columbia and ending at San Diego — with each destination offering visitors a chance to celebrate maritime history and the West Coast’s seagoing culture.
 | | | Photo by: Courtesy of The Ocean Institute | | Majestic Sails — Boaters, history buffs and families looking for nautical entertainment will want to attend at least one of the many summer tall ship festivals scheduled at Southern California harbors — including this one, the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival at Dana Point. | | |
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In Southern California, the vessels will dock at Channel Islands Harbor Aug. 7-10. The Tall Ships Festival will offer pirates and a variety of swashbuckling attractions to entertain children and adults alike. The Ventura County Maritime Museum will offer even more maritime history for festival-goers.
The Festival of Sail in Los Angeles, Aug. 15-17, will feature numerous vessels, including the tall ship HMS Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate that was used in the movie “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” with Russell Crowe.
At the San Diego Festival of Sail, Aug. 20-24, the highlight will be a massive on-the-water parade.
“We have the Parade of Sail into the harbor — and, typically, 100,000 people line the shore to watch the ships arrive,” said Robyn Gallant, director of public events at the San Diego Maritime Museum.
All of the tall ship festivals are family oriented, with all-day activities including concerts, arts and crafts fairs and kid-friendly movie showings. There will be guided tours, simulated cannon battles and plenty of food and trinket vendors to capture memories of sailing’s past.
While many of the tall ships will make their last stop at San Diego, quite a few will head to the Toshiba Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point, Sept. 5-7, before heading to their homeports, said communications coordinator Jim Graves. The Ocean Institute hosts this event each year, to celebrate the region’s nautical history.
“It’s the biggest gathering of tall ships in one place,” Graves said.
This article first appeared in the August 2008 issue of The Log Newspaper. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
