Tall ship fleet to visit Yarmouth Seafest weekend

Published on May 9th, 2007

Published on January 30th, 2010

By Carla Allen THE VANGUARD NovaNewsNow.com The Port of Yarmouth has signed a contract with the Halifax Waterfront Development Corporation, host of the 2007 Tall Ships Challenge that will see five vessels sail into Yarmouth Harbour the morning of Friday, July 20.

The schooners Virginia and Sherman Zwicker, topsail schooner the Unicorn, and sloops Providence and Peer’s Fancy will be alongside the old Government Wharf until Saturday evening, July 21.

The ships will be part of the 30th annual Seafest celebration.

Details such as security, shipboard receptions and possible harbour cruises will be worked out with organizers in Halifax and the ship’s captains. Port staff will be working with the fishing fleet in order to reduce disruptions and cause as little inconvenience as possible to the fishermen.

Depending on whether Transport Canada will require security for the vessels, there may not be a fee charged to view the vessels up close. “If there is a charge it will be very minimal. I’m thinking maybe a toonie or something,” said Dave Whiting, Port Manager of Yarmouth.

The five vessels scheduled for the event are some of the smaller ones in the fleet. “I was hoping for some of the square riggers. The Picton Castle would have been nice, or the Pride of Baltimore, or the Massachusetts,” said Whiting. “There’s still a chance there might be an alteration in how long they are here and who is coming, because of the security regulations” he added.

Meteghan and Pubnico will not be hosting tall ships this summer because of security costs.