History, adventure and fun are sailing into Richmond June 3 to 7 for Ships To Shore Steveston 2011. Four renowned tall ships will dock at Garry Point Park, reliving the days when Richmond’s Steveston Village was a major port-of-call for fleets of sailing ships from around the world.
Leading the small fleet are the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain, from Washington State. A brigantine and a top-sail ketch, both are over 30-metres (100-feet) in length. The Lady Washington was featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, along with other movies. While in Richmond, these two beauties will stage mock gun battles on June 4 and 5, which will be viewable at no cost from Garry Point Park. A limited number of tickets will be available to sail on board the two ships as they stage their epic gun battles.
Also featured this weekend are the Adventuress, a 40-metre (133-foot) gaff-rigged schooner originally launched in 1913, and the Zodiac, a 39-metre (127-foot) gaff-rigged schooner dating from the 1920s. Among the fastest ships of their days, these stunning schooners will offer ticketed three-hour day sails on June 4 and 5 as well as free onboard tours.
Additionally, Vancouver’s Viking ship Munin will make an appearance at the Britannia Heritage Ship Yard for free tours from June 1 until June 7. The Munin is a 40-foot, half-scale replica of the original Norwegian Viking ship Gokstad, which is now in Oslo, Norway. As part of the B.C. Viking Ship Project, Munin was built in the Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby by a group of volunteers, and was launched in 2001. Now, Munin is moored at the Vancouver Maritime Museum and sails the Vancouver waters on weekends. Attendees will be greeted by the ship’s crew who will be able to provide in-depth tours and answer questions.
Pirate-themed outdoor movie nights, day sails, a community entertainment stage and a farmers market round out the merriment of this inaugural event. The Man in Motion himself, Canadian icon Rick Hansen, will also be on hand to provide a special presentation on behalf of the Rick Hansen Foundation.
Free boarding passes are required to board the ships. They must be obtained the day of boarding at the ticket booth near the dock at Garry Point Park. Boarding passes will be for a specific time slot, and are available in limited quantity on a first come first served basis beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. With boarding passes in hand, line up at the dock at least 20 minutes before your boarding time, A limited number of exclusive access tickets are available at 604-276-4300 or in person at the Steveston Community Centre and at the National Historic Britannia Heritage Shipyard in Richmond.
For a detailed schedule of events, visit www.richmond.ca.
TALL SHIP PROFILES
Lady Washington
T he Lady Washington is a brig replica of the 18th Century merchant sloop, Washington. Built in Aberdeen, Washington, USA, the Lady Washington is 34-metres (112-feet) in overall length. She was originally launched in March 1989 for the Washington State Centennial celebrations. For more information, please visit www.historicalseaport.org/lady-washington .
Hawaiian Chieftain
The Hawaiian Chieftain is a square topsail ketch launched in 1988 from Lahaina, Hawaii. She is 31-metres (103-feet) in overall length. Joined by the Lady Washington, the Hawaiian Chieftain provides educational experiences and training in Washington, USA. For more information, please visit www.historicalseaport.org/hawaiian-chieftain.
Adventuress
The Adventuress is a 41-metre (133-feet) gaffed-rigged schooner, originally launched in 1913 from East Boothbay, Maine. Since 1989, she’s been listed as a National Historic Landmark located in Port Townsend, Washington. Now owned by the non-profit Sound Experience, the Adventuress sails from April to October providing environmental education on the Puget Sound. For more information, please visit www.soundexp.org.
Zodiac
The Zodiac is a 39-metre (127-feet), two-masted schooner built in 1924. She is one of the last three sail-powered pilot vessels in the United States. The Zodiac is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Washington State Historic Register. Offering sail training programs to youth and adults, the Zodiac is docked in Seattle or Bellingham, Washington when not sailingFor more information, please visit www.schoonerzodiac.com.
About Tourism Richmond
Tourism Richmond is a non-profit, membership driven destination marketing organization (DMO). The primary mandate of Tourism Richmond is to enhance awareness about the destination through sales and marketing initiatives and by providing excellent visitor and member services. Ultimately, Tourism Richmond’s goal is to increase economic activity related to tourism for the City of Richmond and all stakeholders. Tourism Richmond is British Columbia’s 4th largest DMO and a former Venue City for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
