People stop in Prescott Park to look at the tall ships at the Sail Portsmouth maritime festival on the Piscataqua River last summer. The event, set to return in late July, includes tours, exhibits and day sails and parades.
People stop in Prescott Park to look at the tall ships at the Sail Portsmouth maritime festival on the Piscataqua River last summer. The event, set to return in late July, includes tours, exhibits and day sails and parades.
DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER
People stop in Prescott Park to look at the tall ships at the Sail Portsmouth maritime festival on the Piscataqua River last summer. The event, set to return in late July, includes tours, exhibits and day sails and parades.
PHIL VON HEMERT
The three-masted U.S. Coast Guard Eagle passes beneath the Sarah Mildred Long drawbridge, which connects Portemouth and Kittery, Maine.
PORTSMOUTH — Sail Portsmouth is welcoming back the majestic Tall Ships this summer.
The grand kick-off, the Parade of Sail, takes place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 26.
The lineup of vessels will include the renowned Barque Eagle, Ernestina-Morrissey and Denis Sullivan, along with the iconic Gundalow, a Navy tug, the City fireboat and a multitude of supporting and enthusiastic pleasure craft and fishing vessels.
The USCGC Barque Eagle, Ernestina-Morrissey and Denis Sullivan will sail on the Seacoast.
Local boat owners can join the parade, gathering at the mouth of the Piscataqua River that morning.
The heart of the event is the Tall Ship Tours, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Port of Portsmouth, 555 Market St.
Visitors get the chance to step aboard the historic vessels, exploring their decks, meeting the crew and delving into maritime heritage.
On the way to the tours, people can enjoy exhibits in the maritime tent and may even meet 19th-century reenactors from Strawbery Banke Museum and encounter friendly roaming pirates on the dock
Tours are free to the public, but visitors should expect to wait in a long line to board, as the tours are very popular.
“We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable experience filled with history, adventure and the timeless allure of the sea,” said Robin Comstock, Sail Portsmouth board member.
For those yearning to experience the thrill of sailing the high seas, there also are sought-after Tall Ship Sails on the Atlantic Ocean from July 25-28.
For more information or to get tickets for a Tall Ship Sail, go to sailportsmouth.org.
