Birds of a Feather

June 22, 2005 - The tall ships began arriving last night and are now anchored in front Royal Roads and our B&B. Our guests are enjoying excellent views of the ships as they sail in to Victoria and drop anchor just off-shore.

A tall ship, by definition, is a sailing vessel whose masts are in segments, made up of several timbers in order to give strength, and to make each mast more manageable for partial removal and repairs. A tall ship can actually be one of any number of differently rigged sailing vessels. It could be a schooner, brigantine, barquentine, brig, ketch, sloop or a full-rigged sailing ship. The actual rig of a specific sailing vessel know as a tall ship is dependent on the number and cut of the sails as well as their alignment.

The lure of the sea will capture the imagination of Victoria and its visitors, as our city becomes the first port of call in the Tall Ships Challenge 2005.

Organized by the American Sail Training Association (ASTA), the Tall Ships Challenge race series is a world-class event fostering youth education, sail training and leadership development across international borders.

From June 23-26 2005, over 30 traditionally rigged sailing vessels and crews from around the world will gather in Victoria to celebrate maritime history and the sea-faring life. Festivities including ship tours, concerts, theatrical productions, children's exhibits, and maritime-themed events will provide something for every visitor to enjoy.

Over a quarter million spectators are expected to take part in the Victoria. Tall Ships festival, traveling from near and far to have a chance to see and touch these magnificent and historic ships.

The Victoria Tall Ships Festival will be a highlight in a summer season of celebrations centred on the Victoria's Inner Harbour, including the annual Swiftsure Lightship Classic Race, Dragon Boat Festival, Symphony Splash, and the Victoria Classic Boat Show.

Two Masted Schooner
● Lavengro
● Lynx
● Adventuress
● Pacific Swift
● Zodiac
Three Masted Schooner
Topsail Schooner
● Pacific Grace
● R. Tucker Thompson
Brig
● Lady Washington
Ketch
● Hawaiian Chieftain
● H.M.C.S. Oriole
Brigantine
Barque
● Cuauhtemoc
● Guayas
Barquentine
● Pogoria
Full Rigged Ship
● Pallada

By Chris Mason
Times Colonist staff
June 23, 2005

Tall ships, no tall tales
Sailors from around the world assemble for start of festival

Carlos Eduardo Espejel and Alfredo Velazquez hadn’t walked on more than 100 metres of solid land since their tall ship arrived in Victoria-area waters, but they like what they’ve seen so far. “It’s great,” Espejel, 24, said Wednesday evening at Fort Rodd Hill in Colwood. “It’s very beautiful,” added Velazquez, 25. The sailors are two months into a five month voyage. When asked whether they’ve had any particularly interesting moments on the trip, they talked to each other in Spanish, smiled and laughed together. Then their smiles faded and they turned back. “No, it was a very smooth trip,” Espejel said. “Nothing too exciting,” Velazquez added.

Something suggested the two sailors had more fun than they let on.

Espejel and Velazquez came in on the 90-metre long Cuauhtemoc, whose home port is in Acapulco, Mexico. The Cuauhtemoc’s 250 crew members joined crews from 10 other tall ships at Fort Rodd Hill to celebrate the arrival of vessels for the Victoria Tall Ship Festival today through Sunday.

The ships will begin assembling this morning for the Parade of Sail into Victoria Harbour. They are scheduled to leave Royal Roads anchorage at 11:45 a.m. and the first two ships are expected to enter the harbour at 1:15 p.m. The final ship, the Pallada, is to arrive at 6 p.m.

The Parade of Sail is likely best viewed from Dallas Road, the Inner Harbour, MacAulay Point and the West Songhees walkway in Esquimalt.

Police will be watching the traffic and closing off streets as needed. Sgt. Jim Simpson said that if crowds get large enough, officers will close Wharf Street from Yates Street south to Government Street and then Government will be closed down to Belleville Street.

All streets south of Yates and west of Government will have traffic limited to commercial vehicles and to people who live in that area.

Thousands are expected to flock to the harbour during the festival to tour the ships, speak to the crews and catch the various events.

“This is really exciting,” Victoria resident Val Millar said Wednesday evening as she and her husband, John, sat on a hill overlooking Fisgard Lighthouse and admired the ships.

There will be plenty of events for visitors to see and do throughout the weekend. Espejel and Velazquez will take in some of them, but they’re hoping to use their few days in Victoria to see the city and have a little fun. “We’d like to see the museums,” Velazquez said. “We might get a chance to go to a bar,” Espejel said. With any luck Victoria will match the kind of fun they had at their other stops in Hawaii and Alaska — the kind of fun they laugh and smile about, but don’t mention to a perfect stranger.

PARADE OF SAIL TODAY

• Best viewing: Dallas Road, west of Mile 0; Inner Harbour; MacAulay Point; West Songhees Walkway.

• Route and times: Tall ships to leave Royal Roads anchorage 11:45 a.m. today. First two ships expected to enter Victoria Harbour at 1:15 p.m. and all ships under 100 feet are to arrive by 4 p.m. Two largest ships to arrive at 5:30 and 6 p.m. Jurek Romaniec, ceremonial captain of the fleet, will be rowed ashore from the Pacific Swift by members of the Edward Milne Community School Society in their replica circa 1790 longboat.

• Opening ceremony: 1:30- 3 p.m. at the festival’s main stage at Ship Point. Welcome concert and variety show: 7-10 p.m. at main stage.

With files from Peter Cowan


Tall Ships®, Tall Ships Challenge® the ASTA logo are trademarks owned by the American Sail Training Association

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Sidney's outdoor market every Thursday night from June 5 - August 28.

150+ vendors sell gifts, fresh produce, hand-made crafts and great food. Entertainment can be found on almost every block.

The market lines the main street of Beacon Avenue, between 1st and 5th Streets. Parking is available on side streets and public lots, and is permitted in municipal lots after 5:00 pm.

Sidney Summer Thursday Market expands
Times Colonist April 24, 2008

The successful market will stretch out about another block when it opens June 5, adding the area from below First Street to the entranceway to the pier at the bottom of Beacon Avenue.

"It's much more inclusive this way, and fair to the businesses down there," market director Edward Connor said yesterday.

Businesses below First Street missed out on the thousands of people who come to the Sidney market on Thursday evenings in the summertime, Connor said, hence the application to council to expand.

The market association has to provide two trained crossing guards for the extension, on either side of the roundabout.

The Sidney Summer Market draws about 5,000 people every Thursday night between June to August, with tourists and locals alike meandering the town's main street looking at the wares, grabbing a bite from food kiosks and listening to local music.

The extension will add another 28 spots for vendors, bringing the total to about 215, Connor said.

Sidney council earlier agreed to having the market open to the public an hour longer, and to allowing kiosks to extend 12 metres onto Second and Fourth streets off Beacon Avenue.

The market will open at 5:30 p.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. Its ninth season begins June 5 and goes until Aug. 28, Connor said.

>> See other local food markets