Tall Ships Discover Bermuda 2009

by Talbot Wilson on 26 Jan 2009 In 1609, the sailing vessel Sea Venture separated from her eight companion ships heading for Jamestown in the new world, and floundering in a storm, sought refuge on the reefs to the east of Bermuda. Her skipper, Sir George Somers, and 150 sailors, settlers and one dog were saved from the beached ship and built the first settlement on Bermuda’s sunny isles.

Now, four hundred years later, an armada of some 30 to 50 tall ships will make the voyage from Europe to Bermuda as the second leg of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009. The main fleet will sail from the Canary Islands on May18, rediscover Bermuda and gather for the Bermuda Tall Ships Festival June 12-15th in Hamilton Harbor.

The second largest sail training tall ship on the seas will compete in this Atlantic Challenge. The 375 foot, four-masted Kruzenshtern from Russia will join vessels from Europe, the U.S., Canada and Latin America. The Kruzenshtern will join the fleet in Vigo, Spain where the race to Bermuda begins on May 3. Bermuda’s sail training vessel Spirit of Bermuda, although small by comparison at 86 feet on deck (112 feet overall), will be a highlight for locals and visitors alike. See http://www.tallshipsbermuda.com/index.asp

The Bermuda Tall Ships Festival is one of the biggest tourist events of Bermuda 2009, the official celebration of Bermuda’s 400th birthday. The Tall Ships start arriving around June 1st and stay in Bermuda until June 15th. Mini-festival events are planned from June 6-10 with the main event in Hamilton scheduled for the 12th through 15th. To book accommodations or airline travel for the Bermuda Tall Ships Festival, please click on one of the links below.
Airlines: http://www.bermudatourism.com/air_travel.aspx
Accomodations: http://www.bermudatourism.com/accomodation_types.aspx

Following the Bermuda Tall Ships Festival the fleet will then sail to North America visiting two U.S. ports, Halifax, Canada and then finish in Belfast Ireland on August 13th.