I am in mourning – bereft to learn that the 2011 Victoria Tall Ships Festival has been cancelled due to “Tough economic times.” Maybe a corporate saviour will pull the festival off its economic sandbank? It happened with English Bay’s fireworks festival a while back, didn’t it? Why not here?
Tall ship entering Haifax harbour
So consider this a brief plea for a nautical bailout – a eulogy of sorts to the loss of sailing ships from around the globe berthing at Victoria this summer. Hopefully someone with a few pieces of eight to rub together will be convinced that supporting Tall Ships is important, not just to ship nerds like me, but also to the broader community.
From an aesthetic standpoint alone, they are beautiful examples of craftsmanship, grace and speed. Tall Ship festivals travel the globe with the mission to bring living pieces of history up close and personal for the ordinary landlubber to see, touch, and appreciate.
Tall ship festivals also bring an international community of sailors, ship designers, historians and antiquarians together to share ideas and knowledge – a floating conference of sorts which keeps a veritable floating museum alive.
Here’s hoping the ships haven’t disappeared over the horizon just yet.