Jul. 29th, 2005

shewhomust: (Default)
Every summer, Sail Training International organises a race in which sailing ships from around the world compete over a series of stages, and dock at different cities en route. It is a slightly artificial event, a massive promotional opportunity for the participating cities, for the commercial sponsors and for an alleged good cause which exists only to perpetuate itself. With that disclaimer, it also provides people with a great deal of enjoyment. And the ships are very beautiful.

Tall Ships moored at Newcastle

This year, the race returned to Tyneside. All week the ships have been arriving and mooring along both sides of the Tyne. On Wednesday morning we braved the crowds and the ballyhoo to walk along the Quayside and admire the city in this new adornment, the perspectives of the bridges seen through tangles of rigging, the Millennium Bridge opening and closing, blinking its great eye - and the ships themselves, and all the irresistible details of figurehead and brass and canvas.

And yesterday they left on a grey, rainy morning, sailing down the Tyne and out to sea, to start the final stage of the race to Fredrikstad.
The Old Ships )

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