Monday, July 23, 2012

yo ho


This is the Bounty, a copy of the original, one of theTall Ships which have come and gone from Halifax. One afternoon last week we walked down to the harbor to see them and although it was nice getting to see some close-up details, the only really good way to see wooden ships is in full sail. That happened today when they all tittled off to wherever tall ships usually hang their canvas.


We got down to the park about an hour after the parade was due to start and I thought I'd missed the whole show when the only one in sight was The USCG Eagle already far out to sea.




Happily, there were soon more of them sailing through the narrower channel from the city and lots of people were gathered to watch them pass. There goes the Peacemaker.


Next, the Pride of Baltimore - a lovely schooner.


We were especially looking forward the seeing the Bounty under sail and weren't disappointed when she sailed her stately way out of the inner harbor. Much heavier than some of the other boats, she took time to get up some speed but that just meant we could watch her for longer.

The last I saw of Crow was when he flew over and perched on one of her spars as she was heading out to sea. He said he couldn't resist but would be back soon. Me too.


32 comments:

  1. Oh, they are marvelous and these are wonderful photos! I have never seen a Tall Ship and realize I have missed something most exciting. Thank you for sharing.

    Has Crow gone to London for the opening ceremony of the Olympics? Is Canada particularly excited for the London games, I wonder...... and guess perhaps only mildly so since there have been such wonderful Olympics there.

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    1. There are a couple of good sized ships berthed at the waterfront in the summer but I'd never seen so many at once before. I'm glad the pictures of them sailing turned out as well as they did because it really was thrilling to see them that way.

      Crow is boycotting the Olympics as he's decided it all got too crazy when it was decided only McDonald's could sell chips there.

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  2. "I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
    And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by."

    "Sea-Fever," John Masefield (1878-1967 — English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967.)

    Those tall ships have a certain mystique to them, don't they? A kind of "run away to sea" that many of us feel from time to time.

    Glad you saw the ships. And that Crow was having a ride on one. I hope he does end up Omnes ad marem (all at sea).

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    1. There is something mystical about seeing wooden ships in full sail - like there really is some magical land just over the horizon. I'm still hoping there is.

      Crow has already proven himself quite capable of decamping from ships at sea when he's bored. He'll be fine.

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  3. They are such wonderful ships. No wonder people flock to see them

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  4. Dread piratical buccaneerism hath flung its cutlasses everywhere!

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  5. Oh, so beautiful, and awesome - evoking the romanticism of a past era. The Bounty is the most beautiful I think, perhaps because of its rich wood colours and shapes of the sails. How wonderful that you saw these and got such great photos. I've missed the Tall Ships fests we used to have south of us in Richmond, BC, partly because we disliked the long lineups and costs (which caused the event to finally fail). Crow must be having a grand time!

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    1. Oh yes, they were really nice to see and thankfully, looking at them was free - at least from dockside. We got to explore the Simon Bolivar, a very beautiful barque, when there were no crowds around in the spring. That was enough for me. I was very happy my photographs turned out as well as they did on such a perfect day for sailing. Crow is sure to be having a fine old time drinking grog and singing sea chanties :-)

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  6. I have always loved the pictures and models of sailing ships - but never wanted to sail on one. 22 years in the Navy and never went to sea - by choice.
    the Ol'Buzzard

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    1. Sailing ships are very beautiful and very individual too. There aren't many around anymore so I wonder if you might have sailed had you been given a chance for a ride on one of them - without, of course, having to climb up the rigging.

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  7. such a breathtaking beautiful sight, love the sea and love boats.

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    1. They are inspiring - I'm glad you came to see them.

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  8. "Water, water, every where,
    Nor any drop to drink. "

    .....why I will NOT go to sea....see!

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    1. I do believe that nowadays they're good at storing beer on board.

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  9. Very cool. I love big wooden ships in full sail. I had the great good fortune to be able to sail on one in Hawaii in the late 70's. I even was able to lie in the big net under the bow of the ship as it sailed back and forth in Waikiki. My friend knew one of the owners of the ship, which had been refurbished by a bunch of college kids and sailed from the mainland to Hawaii. I often wonder if they sailed it back or continued on an even greater adventure.

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    1. I'm happy to know you had the great good luck to experience such a thrilling ride. Maybe they're participating in the slow freight movement now.. a very cool business plan if you have a sailboat.

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  10. I have never seen anything like these out on the water. They really are magnificent and I can see why you wanted to witness them at sea. They make me dream of another time when travel was slow and had magic within the sometimes dismal conditions. So direct in experience...

    i have a friend who has been at sea for 10 days and he uses that exact word "magic" to describe the experience of being on the open ocean. i wanted to be a seasick stowaway but husband would probably protest as would friend about seasick stowaway business so...

    anyway ..lovely photos, lovely day, beautiful place where you have found yourself in summer. much love xoxoxo

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    1. I'd never seen them before either so it was a real delight. Naturally, some locals we know tell us it used to be much bigger and better years ago. Wasn't everything?

      I do know that being at sea can also be boring - maybe not on a sailboat which would probably be equal amounts of boring and terrified :-)
      xoxoxo

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  11. I'm so glad you didn't miss them as they sailed by. They are something to see on the open water. I imagine the creaking of the wood, the sound of the wind.

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  12. OK, i am here to inform you, you are the proud beneficiary of an award. Take your pick... No obligations, of course. Just because I care. xox ;)

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  13. nice of blogger to now make my photo that! sigh...

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    1. How very sweet of you to think of me :-) even though it takes me longer than ever to come up with a post these days.

      What on earth do they mean with that bizarre symbol? Geez.
      xoxo

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    2. i have a theory or two...
      i made all my blogs private and deleted them...except vpm for a little longer ... then i took every single photo out of picassa since i keep finding "me" on images... with that +You proudly displayed. so i deleted all of them. then i removed most everything left on my profile which was not much. it already has my faked name even tho when i changed that, it said "most people don't often change their REAL names. Are you sure?"

      i guess in picassa, i must have deleted the profile photo but i don't think i did because i removed all my art months ago. strange, isn't it? but they aren't paying any attention, hahaha... i don't believe in coincidences... :)

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    3. You're probably quite right that deleting all you did took care of whatever profile photo blogger had in file for you. Maybe you could post a little something that would be acceptable to you to use as a blogger avatar? I mean, I don't really look like this (he's more attractive) but I've never used another. Sometimes my pic will show up as a bland design but I'm not bothered either way. It's always nice to see you've been to visit and I know you don't look like a circle with a bar.
      :-)
      xoxo

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  14. Some lovely shots there, Susan! It must have been an enjoyable time!

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    1. Would you believe it took me five years to discover the viewfinder so I could see what I was trying to take a picture of outdoors? It was a great scene.

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    2. i am sure you won't believe this but the other day when i was trying to photograph that balloon, my camera died so i grabbed husband's and it was so hard to see anything on the little screen. i did NOT figure out about a view finder until the next day! :) xox

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    3. Of course I'd believe it :-). I've had this camera for a long time and would always just point in the direction of what I wanted to photograph and hope it turned out. Strangely enough, it usually did.
      I'm such an idiot.
      xoxo

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  15. Lucky Crow. So wish I could take an excursion within him. Full flight, landing on the spars. I get goosebumps seeing these photos. I am jealous that you were there. I love the tall ships. They bring me dreams of a prior existence. Thanks for sharing these.

    Peace

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    1. I'm glad you got to see them. Crow and I had a wonderful time and I too felt sad I had to stay ashore. I'm sure one day our ships will come.

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