oceanfroggie
Well-Known Member
Part 5 - Waterford - Tall Ships - Saturday and Sunday race start
Now that we had arrived in Waterford, we eagerly anticipated the weekends interesting festivities and Sundays parade of sail before the start of the tall ships race. I could hardly beleive our good fortune having made the long trip around the SW coast from Lough Derg on the Shannon to Waterford in time for the event.
Kings Island - Chain Ferry. We had moored overnight on the river's channel behind the island. Next morning we hopped in the dingy and made the short 2nm trip up river to the city.
Waterford City was in festive mood as we pottered up and down the river in our dingy exploring the sights. We went ashore to visit the festival attractions and get some grub. One the way we stopped on the river bank to try and find my old family home which I hadn't seen since 1964. Vivid childhood memories did not make allowances for 47 years of tree growth, but eventually we found it and had a nostalgic visit being shown around by the family who bought it from my father back in 64.
Weather was fantastic that balmy Saturday and Russian tall ship MIR looked splended. She had a crew of over 200 young sailors.
The Quays in Waterford hosted live music and a village of visitor attractions, eateries and exhibitors. The pedestrianised city centre accomodated 500,000 visitors over the weekend. We had such fun ashore and the crowds were very much in 'happy mood'
Richard and crew of Reflection visiting from inland waters on board her escort vessel.
Froggette meets a Beatneck Beetle in the Yellow Submarine
CG Heli gave SAR demonstrations and fly pasts along the city centre river
After a long day strolling the streets and viewing some tall ships close at hand, we were invited to the home of MV Callisto's mum in Waterford for a wonderful dinner. Callisto's skipper had returned by road to join us after a days sail racing on Lough Ree. Later that night we went out on the river in our respective tenders to watch the finale Fire Works display from the water. It was a magical night the river alive with all manner of small craft gentle potterding around amidst the colourful lights of the tall ships and the pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky. The river atmosphere seemed akin to little Venice.
Sunday morning on our mooring, we arose at 06:00 in dense fog. We launched the dingy and travelled the short distance to the chain ferry slip to collect our friends (ie crew of Callisto) and shuttle them onboard Froggie. The tall ships were due to start departing the city quays at 06:00 for the parade of sail down river into the estuary and out to sea for the start of the Tall Ships race to Scotland. We knew we had to get downstream ahead of the fleet before race control closed the river but the start was delayed due to the fog. As we prepared to weigh anchor we heard drunken voices as a sports cruiser emerged from the fog on the plane about 30 meters from us. Guess they'd been partying all night, but couldn't beleive their speed in such poor vis. We half expected to hear a bang or something as they disapeared into the fog, but luckily not.
07:00 am we proceeded cautiously downstream on radar, but we could see that it was going to burn off fairly quickly with a hue of blue sky emerging directly overhead. It was a magical morning and we had just managed to enter the channel downstream of race control boats as they closed the upper river to leisure traffic, in order to clear the channel for the ships. Callisto's skipper helms Froggie out of Waterford. Our passengers were slightly apprehensive about the fog but my pal Dave reassured them that with two Yachtmasters on board we were unlikely to bump into anything.
07:20am the giant cranes at the container port emerged from the lifting fog like metal dinosaurs or transformers. Bunting was deplyed to celebrate the departure of the tall ships from Waterford. Tea, Coffee and a light breakfast was deplyed to revive the our sleepy heads.
07:40am leisure vessels depart downriver ahead of the tall ships fleet which we could hear over the VHF finally coming off their city moorings with the aid of tug vessels. The sense of excitement built as the fog lifted to reveal a beautiful morning sky. What a day for the start of the race.
08:50am we anchored just off the shipping channel south of cheek point ready to watch the tall ships parade close by. The fleet was lead out of Waterford by Irish naval patrol vessel P22 LE Aoife which had used every vowel in the english lanuage except you!
Customs patrol boat is next down as Russian tall ship MIR emerges about to round cheek point
Wow what a sight. The ships travel down the estuary with the ebb tide.
The Waterford estuary is scenic with it's wood lined banks. The river was alive with all manner of leisure craft escorting the ships. Even canoes and kayaks!
The crew of Columbian ship ARC Gloria stole the show with their colourful display on the rigging, sporting atire matching their vessels enormous ensign: Red, Blue and Yellow. This was stunning.
The chap atop the yard in red looks very relaxed
ARC Gloria rounding Cheek Point. Now that's what I call an ensign
The young men and women spent nearly two hours on the rigging as the ship made it's way down the estuary to the mustering point for the race start off the Hook head light house.
continued . . .
Now that we had arrived in Waterford, we eagerly anticipated the weekends interesting festivities and Sundays parade of sail before the start of the tall ships race. I could hardly beleive our good fortune having made the long trip around the SW coast from Lough Derg on the Shannon to Waterford in time for the event.
Kings Island - Chain Ferry. We had moored overnight on the river's channel behind the island. Next morning we hopped in the dingy and made the short 2nm trip up river to the city.
Waterford City was in festive mood as we pottered up and down the river in our dingy exploring the sights. We went ashore to visit the festival attractions and get some grub. One the way we stopped on the river bank to try and find my old family home which I hadn't seen since 1964. Vivid childhood memories did not make allowances for 47 years of tree growth, but eventually we found it and had a nostalgic visit being shown around by the family who bought it from my father back in 64.
Weather was fantastic that balmy Saturday and Russian tall ship MIR looked splended. She had a crew of over 200 young sailors.
The Quays in Waterford hosted live music and a village of visitor attractions, eateries and exhibitors. The pedestrianised city centre accomodated 500,000 visitors over the weekend. We had such fun ashore and the crowds were very much in 'happy mood'
Richard and crew of Reflection visiting from inland waters on board her escort vessel.
Froggette meets a Beatneck Beetle in the Yellow Submarine
CG Heli gave SAR demonstrations and fly pasts along the city centre river
After a long day strolling the streets and viewing some tall ships close at hand, we were invited to the home of MV Callisto's mum in Waterford for a wonderful dinner. Callisto's skipper had returned by road to join us after a days sail racing on Lough Ree. Later that night we went out on the river in our respective tenders to watch the finale Fire Works display from the water. It was a magical night the river alive with all manner of small craft gentle potterding around amidst the colourful lights of the tall ships and the pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky. The river atmosphere seemed akin to little Venice.
Sunday morning on our mooring, we arose at 06:00 in dense fog. We launched the dingy and travelled the short distance to the chain ferry slip to collect our friends (ie crew of Callisto) and shuttle them onboard Froggie. The tall ships were due to start departing the city quays at 06:00 for the parade of sail down river into the estuary and out to sea for the start of the Tall Ships race to Scotland. We knew we had to get downstream ahead of the fleet before race control closed the river but the start was delayed due to the fog. As we prepared to weigh anchor we heard drunken voices as a sports cruiser emerged from the fog on the plane about 30 meters from us. Guess they'd been partying all night, but couldn't beleive their speed in such poor vis. We half expected to hear a bang or something as they disapeared into the fog, but luckily not.
07:00 am we proceeded cautiously downstream on radar, but we could see that it was going to burn off fairly quickly with a hue of blue sky emerging directly overhead. It was a magical morning and we had just managed to enter the channel downstream of race control boats as they closed the upper river to leisure traffic, in order to clear the channel for the ships. Callisto's skipper helms Froggie out of Waterford. Our passengers were slightly apprehensive about the fog but my pal Dave reassured them that with two Yachtmasters on board we were unlikely to bump into anything.
07:20am the giant cranes at the container port emerged from the lifting fog like metal dinosaurs or transformers. Bunting was deplyed to celebrate the departure of the tall ships from Waterford. Tea, Coffee and a light breakfast was deplyed to revive the our sleepy heads.
07:40am leisure vessels depart downriver ahead of the tall ships fleet which we could hear over the VHF finally coming off their city moorings with the aid of tug vessels. The sense of excitement built as the fog lifted to reveal a beautiful morning sky. What a day for the start of the race.
08:50am we anchored just off the shipping channel south of cheek point ready to watch the tall ships parade close by. The fleet was lead out of Waterford by Irish naval patrol vessel P22 LE Aoife which had used every vowel in the english lanuage except you!
Customs patrol boat is next down as Russian tall ship MIR emerges about to round cheek point
Wow what a sight. The ships travel down the estuary with the ebb tide.
The Waterford estuary is scenic with it's wood lined banks. The river was alive with all manner of leisure craft escorting the ships. Even canoes and kayaks!
The crew of Columbian ship ARC Gloria stole the show with their colourful display on the rigging, sporting atire matching their vessels enormous ensign: Red, Blue and Yellow. This was stunning.
The chap atop the yard in red looks very relaxed
ARC Gloria rounding Cheek Point. Now that's what I call an ensign
The young men and women spent nearly two hours on the rigging as the ship made it's way down the estuary to the mustering point for the race start off the Hook head light house.
continued . . .
