The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) has partnered with Great Lakes United to bring a fleet of international tall ships here as part of the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge 2010 race series.
Toronto is the only Canadian port of call for the race. Official port appearances are also scheduled for Cleveland, Bay City, Michigan, Green Bay, Duluth, and Chicago. Two important initiatives sail along with the tall ships: water conservation education and youth sail training.
A famous movie ship is part of the show. HMS Bounty was built for the 1962 Marlon Brando film Mutiny on the Bounty by MGM Studios in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to tell the story of the famous maritime mutiny that occurred in the South Pacific in 1789.
Now owned and operated by the HMS Bounty Organization LLC, she makes Greenport, Long Island, her home port. In an effort to return Bounty to the condition of her Hollywood film days, the famous ship had an extensive renovation from 2006-2007.
Bounty became a star again to a new generation when she was recently featured in the blockbuster film Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest.
On June 30 to July 4 weekend, the race will run. The third annual festival will take place all along Toronto’s waterfront from Yonge Street to lower Spadina Avenue and feature activities for all ages, including ship deck tours, entertainment, the Green Village, a Parade of Sail and more.
Kevin Currie, board chairman of The Waterfront BIA, said, “Over the course of the five-day festival, we have the opportunity to welcome over 800,000 visitors to Toronto’s Waterfront as we play host to these historic ships and their international crews.”
Bert Rogers, executive director of ASTA, said “Wherever they go, tall ships bring the excitement of their rich maritime histories to their host ports. This summer, Torontonians will be able to tour the ships, meet crews from many nations, and experience first-hand the beauty of some of the most famous vessels in history.”
In addition to supporting youth sail-training and historical preservation of tall ships, ASTA has partnered with Great Lakes United (www.glu.org) to generate awareness of the importance of water conservation.
“This is a race to save the Great Lakes,” said Derek Stack, executive director of Great Lakes United. “These waters are a part of our culture and our lives, but our wasteful water use squanders hundreds of millions of dollars every year and degrades the health of these vital waters. There is no better way to understand what we can achieve together for the Great Lakes than with Lake Ontario at your feet and a tall ship at your back.”
As part of that effort, Great Lakes United is hosting a Green Village where visitors can take part in workshops, games and other activities to understand the role of the lakes in their daily lives. From demonstrations on how people can lower their water use, to how to make healthy, local, food choices, the Great Lakes Green Village is focused on providing a positive, accessible message of water and environmental protection.
The festival has announced the addition of Appledore V, USA, a two-masted schooner known for her Science Under Sail program.
Participating ships include:
– Brigg Roald Amundsen, Germany; Bark Europa, The Netherlands; U.S.A; Denis Sullivan; Pride of Baltimore II; U.S. Brig Niagara; S.V. Unicorn [Sisters under Sail]; Schooner Roseway [World Ocean School]; Appledore V, and the Toronto Brigantines Playfair & Pathfinder.
Also present at the festival will be Toronto’s homeport vessels Empire Sandy, Challenge and Kajama
General admission is free. Ship boarding passes are on sale now.
For further information, to purchase boarding passes for deck tours, or other events visit www.TOwaterfrontfest.com.
