What is a Tall Ship®?
A Tall Ship® is a large sailing vessel. Tall Ships® encompass, among others, barques, barquentines, sloops, and schooners. There are several classes, depending upon their size and sail.
What are their missions?
According to photographer and historian Thad Koza, Tall Ships® are historic reproductions that function as interpretive museum exhibits conducting voyages of outreach to the public. There are also reproductions and restorations of ships representative of each of America's naval conflicts. Two ships from the War of 1812 will return to Cleveland next summer in 2010, the U.S. Brig Niagara and The Pride of Baltimore II. There is not a chapter in our history that does not have a waterborne link. Other ships sail ambassadorial missions for the public they serve, issuing invitations of hospitality and promoting opportunities for economic development. The Pride of Baltimore II is a good example of this.
What about sail training?
Throughout the world there are sail training vessels which serve as laboratories and classrooms at sea and more are being built each year. In addition to Naval cadets, college and high school students regularly embark on semester-long voyages of offshore discovery, while younger children explore local waters on grade school field trips.
Will the ships sail when they are here in Cleveland?
Yes, three ships will be providing 1.5 hour sails during the day. Children under 6 are not permitted to sail. Advance purchase of individual sail away tickets is not available at this time. For information on chartering a ship for a private sail or event, please call 216-236-8467 and leave a message.
When do the ships arrive for the "Cleveland Tall Ships® Festival" Parade of Sail?
They are scheduled to be in the harbor to start the "Cleveland Tall Ships® Festival" Parade of Sail at 4pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. You may see some in the distance just past the Cleveland Harbor lighthouse and breakwall. Actual times are weather and wind dependent. The public is invited to view the "Cleveland Tall Ships® Festival" Parade of Sail free of charge - final details will be available at a later date in the Schedule of Events on the website.
Are the ships handicapped accessible?
Ship crews will accommodate any visitor as best as possible, within the constraints of ships built in the 1800's. For wheelchairs, the ships are available for viewing from dockside, not on-deck.
When do the ships depart and where is the best place to see them?
The ships will begin their departure around 11am, Monday, July 12th. This requires a choreographed separation from the dock and guidance through the harbor by the U.S. Coast Guard. The best place to see them depart will also be in the Schedule of Events.
Where do the words Tall Ships® come from?
The words Tall Ships® were first referenced in Shakespeare's The Tempest. They were referenced again in Sea Fever, a poem by John Masefield in the 1800's:
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and the gray dawn breaking.