Tall Ships Festival

Then the forty-three tall ships lining Halifax's historic dockyards unfurled their sails and made one last parade in the harour before heading out to sea.

Thousands of spectators lined the promenade on Monday, July 20, 2009 to catch the last of a four-day tall ship festival in Halifax. This ships are continuing the Nova Scotia leg of their journey, with stops at a number of communities, until August 1.

Among the Halifax spectators was Russ Carr of Saskatoon. Originally from Toronto, he was home visiting parents when, on a whim, they decided to fly to Halifax and catch the festival. Snagging one of the last rooms in a waterfront hotel, the Carrs thrilled to the finale, which included a parade of sail led by the Bluenose II.

"My dad especially likes this," Carr said, standing at the end of a pier, craning with his point and shoot camera to snap a shot of the gigantic American tall ship Eagle, which is used by the U.S. Coast Guard as a training ship.

"This is fantastic. We had to come."

Throughout the festival, hundreds of historical re-enactors, including three particularly scurvy pirates named "Captain Crust," "Longsword," and "Captain Scratch," wended their way through the crowds, bringing history to life at every step.

"Arrgh!" said Captain Scratch, his mane of shaggy black hair blowing in the strong harbour breeze. "We're the real article, matey. Yarr!"

Young and old cheered and applauded as the ships passed, and all gave a collective gasp when several of the ships fired their historic cannons amid loud cracks and blasts of white-grey smoke.

Many of the ships here are replicas of older historic ships. For instance, the Amistad, made famous by the Hollywood film of the same name, is a replica of the 19th-century slave ship that in 1839 was the scene of a slave uprising. The slaves were arrested in the U.S., tried, and found not guilty of any crime.

Another ship that made cinematic history come alive was the HMS Bounty, built in 1962 for the Marlon Brando action film, Mutiny on the Bounty. The Bounty was built down the coast in Lunenburg, the scenic German village on Nova Scotia's south shore. Lunenburg is also the home port of the Bluenose II, the second ship to carry that famous name.

Among the crowds were many young people who seemed genuinely thrilled to see history come alive before their eyes.

Matthew Kamermans, a thirteen-year-old cadet dressed in full Scottish regalia, was on the scene bagpiping his heart out. Judging from the coins lining his bagpipe case, he has plenty of skill. His father Pat said that events like the tall ships festival are a fantastic way to introduce students to history.

"Kids love this stuff," he said.

After three hours, the last of the ships made its way along the harbourside, and finally, out to sea. The flotilla is now spreading out to visit several other Nova Scotia ports over the next two weeks, including Lunenburg, Fortress Louisbourg, Pictou, and Pugwash.

The Nova Scotia events are part of an international tall ships sailing race which began in Vigo, Spain, April 30, and will end in Belfast on August 16.

For more exciting images and information please visit Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival.

In 2015, there will be one departure from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on the Picton Castle. See their website for travel details.

— Mark Reid, Editor-in-Chief, Canada's History.