Summati
THE
n Weekly USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C om mu n i t y N ewsp a p er is a pu bl ica t ion of E sca m bia / S a n ta Rosa B a r Assoc ia t ion
Section A, Page 1
Vol. 17, No. 43
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November 1, 2017
1 Section, 12 Pages
Sailing Out of the Past
W
hen Pensacola was founded in 1559, it served as a thriving naval port as the colony of Florida was developed. Schooners, brigs and barques used to fill the harbors of Pensacola Bay, but these ‘tall ships’ appeared less and less as our technology progressed. However, the harbor will be full of cloth sails once again as Tall Ships Challenge Gulf Coast lands at Pensacola in April of 2018.
By Tanner Yea Taking place from April 1216, 2018, Tall Ships Challenge Gulf Coast 2018 is part of the Tall Ships Challenge series—a series of races and port festivals held every year to honor America’s long maritime history. Normally taking place on the Great Lakes, Atlantic and Pacific, this will be the first time the event will take place along the Gulf Coast. “We are excited to expand the Tall Ships Challenge and its adjoining festivals and events to the Gulf Coast for the very first time,” Tall Ships Challenge Manager Erin Short said. “Pensacola has a rich history and bringing the tall ships here makes sense. The fleet hasn’t been to Pensacola before, so this is a whole new festival for the city and ships to get excited about.” Tall ships generally refer to any large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. These include sloops, ketches, yawls, schooners, barques, brigs and brigantines. The term itself dates back to the 19th century, first written by author and mariner Joseph Conrad. Tall Ships
America, the organization behind the event, has roughly 120 different Tall Ships as registered vessels in their fleets. Pensacola has a long naval relationship, perhaps most famously with the wreckage of six of Tristan De Luna’s ships still present at the bottom of Pensacola Bay. In the 1930s, the port saw famous ships like the USS Constitution, and has received several visits from the ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano, a training ship for the Spanish Royal Navy. “There will be six to seven tall ships, which you’ll be able to take day tours of, and nighttime and VIP events will also be held on board the vessels,” said Curt Morse, executive director of the Downtown Improvement Board. The flagship of this fleet will be the Elissa, which stands over 260’ feet tall and was first launched in 1877. The ships will initially launch from Galveston, Texas, and make their way to Pensacola, New Orleans and finally St. Petersburg. Tall Ships America was originally founded in 1973
as a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching youth education through character building and leadership programs aboard their tall ships. Short said the Tall Ships events provide an opportunity for people to go on the ships, speak with their crews, and actually touch history. Visit Pensacola, the primary sponsors of the event, expect to attract 20,000 to 30,000 attendees from both Pensacola and the surrounding areas. Over the 15 years the Tall Ships Challenge series has taken place, it is estimated to have brought a combined $1.9 billion in economic impact to its host areas. “These festivals are a way to bring people downtown, showcase your waterfront to the visiting public and engage your community,” said Short. Tall Ships Challenge Gulf Coast 2018 will be held from April12–16, 2018 at the Port of Pensacola. Ticket prices have yet to be announced. For more information about Tall Ships America and past Tall Ships Challenge events, visit sailtraining.org.
“These festivals are a way to bring people downtown, showcase your waterfront to the visiting public and engage your community.”