Festival of Sail San Francisco!
July 23rd―July 27th, 2008
Oh how my heart swooned yesterday as 32 Tall Ships floated gallantly passed me with sails billowing and cannons rumbling! The Parade of Sail began at high noon under the Golden Gate Bridge and bluegreen waves cheerfully sparkled as the bay filled with maritime merriment. Hoorah like 1896! Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my handkerchief to wave enthusiastically at sailors and pelicans, but I did bring a camera.
The Festival of Sail brings us ample nautical revelry throughout the entire weekend along the waterfront: mock cannon battles, daily sails on some of the super-awesome boats, roving entertainment by such acts as Skip Henderson & the Starbord Watch, The Seadogs, and Sons of the Buccaneers, among others AND... (are you ready?) "Ye Olde Velocity Circus Pirate Academy!" I, for one, need to brush up on my scallywagging skills, so you can count me in for official pirate lessons. For information, tickets and event schedules, www.festivalofsail.org is great.
Above is the beautiful HMS Bounty. She starred in the 1962 classic Mutiny on the Bounty alongside Marlon Brando and is still a Hollywood darling today.
The Gold Star and HMS Bounty under the Bay Bridge (at least I'm pretty sure its the Gold Star).
The Californian. She's is a replica of the 1847 Revenue Cutter C.W. Lawrence, that patrolled the coast of California enforcing federal law during the gold rush. Nine sails make her very speedy indeed.
