A grand parade of tall ships and vessels from 60 countries, led by the USS Constitution or “Old Ironsides,” made its way Saturday into Boston Harbor, a reminder of the glorious days of sail in the 18th century.
Thousands of people, including myself, were perched on the rolling green of Castle Island in South Boston to watch and welcome the ships to their last port of call celebrating the 250th birthday of America. Resplendent with their flags of nation and offering welcoming blows of horns and cannon, the ships eased by the island’s Fort Independence on their way to berths in the Seaport District, Fan Pier and Charlestown Navy Yard.
The vessels were the USS Constitution, official ship of state; the Coast Guard’s Eagle, the official tall ship of America; the Mayflower II, the official tall ship of Massachusetts; and The Elissa, the official tall ship of Texas. These four have a personal joy for me, and I’ve been aboard and even twice crewed The Elissa.
Also, in port is the Amerigo Vespucci, a three-masted, full-rigged training vessel for the Italian Navy that sailed to Pier 5 in Boston’s Seaport. (America was named by a German cartographer to honor the Italian explorer who is the namesake of this ship.)
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Images from Saturday at Sail Boston. (Photos: James Gaddy) -
Images from Saturday at Sail Boston. (Photos: James Gaddy) -
Images from Saturday at Sail Boston. (Photos: James Gaddy)
Having sailed from New York harbor after Fourth of July celebrations, the ships were a befitting spectacle and elegant public display of tradition and reverence for American and world seafaring.
The ships will be in Boston Harbor and Charlestown Navy Yard through Thursday, and tours are open to the public and free. City officials and organizers of Sail Boston say they expect crowds of 4 million people. By the look of opening day, that estimate may be short.
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