TALLSHIPS 2012 in Halifax

Good Tuesday from Prospect.

My Sister and Niece, at the helm of Thursdays Child, passing Georges Island, Halifax 
(Think she looks at home?)

As many of you may know, July 19 - 23rd was the Tall Ships 2012 here in Halifax. I was able to be on the water for both Sunday and Monday for the sail past. 

The sail past was quite nice, although I was disappointed in the small number of ships here this year again.

It has been quite a few years since the big gathering and I suppose it's what we expect.

Mind you I'm not complaining, thank you to all the ships that came by, it is neither easy nor cheap to get these here, so we very much appreciate it.

As for the weather, well just simply amazing. We have had such a streak of fine weather that no one can complain that it's raining today, except of course for the group who have set sail for the RNSYS club cruise. My wife and I had planned to meet up with them this weekend coming and we'll keep an eye on the weather for the next week before we decide. I like fair weather sailing.

As you can see, if you have been following lately, that the sailing weather here in Nova Scotia has been amazing.

USS Eagle at dock

Well back to Tall Ships. I had the pleasure of sailing once again with a new found friend Tom Vokey, whom I sailed to Saint-Pierre with,  and his girl friend Edith. We spent the day sailing up and down the Halifax harbour while checking out the ships. Unfortunately a perimeter was set up around the ships them so far out that there was no way of getting a great view from the water.

It wasn't until Monday's sail past that we had a chance to really see our visitors.

Monday brought my sister and my two nieces as crew for the sail past. You'll see my one niece has taken to sailing and likes the idea of being skipper. Hope for one more family member to join us yet.

As I said, today has brought rain, good thing too, I need to get focused on work.

Tom and Edith

I've posted a few photos from those two days. I know some of the ships names but not all. Comment and let me know what they are if you can.

Amastad in front of Georges Island, Halifax

Name this one

Life of Reilly II
Peter with his staff out to check the ships out

Amastad

HMCS Bounty

Picton Castle

Gazel

Navy Fire Boat

Roseway

Some ships went east and some right to other ports

Halifax waterfront was packed

Enjoy, Derek

Last Summers adventure

Deanne acting up the sign as we entered Massachusetts.
Out of the car for a leg stretch.

Good Friday from Prospect. Yes I didn't do a fresh post on Thursday morning, but I did do two on Wednesday, right?

Another stormy spring day with gails here again. Looks like another chance for after storm photography tomorrow morning.

Anyway, this is what I was up to last summer, and thank goodness the winter is gone.

To start this off here's a sad note. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer in March. No hope and not a year to be himself.

Funny how your mortality tends to surface at these times of your life. Kathy (my wife) and I had been looking for the right boat, and right price, for quite a few years.

This event sparked my final drive, now or never. I wasn't waiting until 65 to do the retirement boat trip. Wasn't going to happen.

Through shear luck, and probably my Fathers want for his children, we found it in Connecticut. Just what we seem to be looking for. Last thing he asked me was where our first trip would be.

My wife Kath in Conneticut.
I think she's happy with our choice

We went down to Essex after making the deal online and on the phone. All was in place. Wish I could have shared this with him, he grew up on the water in Prospect village, as did his Dad, Grand Father and Great Grand Father before him, but that was not to be. On July 15, 2011 my Dad passed away (6 days before the boat would arrive here). I'm not going to bring up all the things he's responsible for that make me who I am here, but suffice to say I was proud to call him Dad and gave him a kiss on his cheek every time we met and left each others company. Yes I Loved him and he is missed

But to carry on with this story, which is now one of my new adventure into what would seem to be my last third of life. Maybe - who knows for sure.

We bought Thursday's Child and had her shipped back here to Halifax. Gave her a great cleaning and set her in the water August 21 2011. We had the chance to sail her inside Halifax Harbour for the remainder of that year with a lot of good times already.`

Here are a few photos of our trip down, but mostly of her arriving and us enjoying her sail.

A special Thanks to a dear friend and fellow photographer, Jamie Morrison, for the photos of us sailing her in Halifax Harbour (next to MacNabs Island). Obviously I couldn't take them myself.

I hope to include lots of stories of the Nonsuch group and the places we will be visiting along the East Coast of Canada.

Her arrival in the boat yard at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in July 2011

So onward and upward to new adventures. She should be back in the water by the end of May. As stated in my book, if you don't get my response right away, you'll probably find me traversing the great coast of Nova Scotia on Thursday's Child and shooting the boundless beauty of the East Coast. Don't worry, I'll get back to you as soon as I stop with cell phone in hand.

Thursdays Child with the Queen Elizabeth in the background
photo courtesy Jamie Morrison

If you read this blog and see us in an anchorage or sailing along, don't hesitate to give us a shout. In the words of the Canadian comedian, Ron James, I'm in a boat and you're in a boat too... SO WAVE!

Enjoy and have a great weekend.  Derek

Just off MacNabs Island in Halifax Harbour
photo courtesy Jamie Morrison