September 10th 2014: Tall Ships Festival, London.

[Carruthers]

With their sails billowing in the wind, a fleet of more than 50 vessels passed alongside the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf as they bid farewell to the capital on the final day of the Tall Ships Festival.

The ships, some of which are more than a century old, set off from West India Docks, sailing by the O2 Arena and the Royal Docks, before reaching the Thames Barrier.

The procession, the largest fleet of Tall Ships to have visited London in 25 years, arrived in the city following a race from Falmouth.

The imposing ships have come from around the globe to take part the event, including from Spain, Holland, Portugal, Poland and Russia.

The participating vessels include Tenacious, the largest wooden tall ship of her kind which has been sailed by a crew with physical disabilities from the Jubilee Sailing Trust.

Other boats in the race included the Shtandart, a modern replica of a Russian navy flagship built for Peter the Great in 1703, and the Tecla, which is almost 100 years old.

The Tall Ships Festival is set over four sites in Woolwich, Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula and Canary Wharf and will line the river's banks until Tuesday, before the grand parade down the river.

The event began in Falmouth and saw the ships race from the Cornish Port to the Isle of Wight, before cruising to the capital. The parade sets off from Royal Greenwich, opposite Canary Wharf, on Tuesday.

The Mail isn't my favourite newspaper, but I have to say that they have published a remarkable selection of photos in this article.

Daily Mail

[xoxoxoBruce]

Who's a good doggie? Who's a good doggie? He's a good doggie, yes he is, he's a good doggie.



So idyllic... the water, sailing ships at rest, the snoozing dog, the man and his... what the fuck is that?

[xoxoxoBruce]

They've got a lot of hustling going on, for the few days they're tied up in London.

Seven of the smaller ships, plus the 300 guest Dar Mlodziezy, you can rent for;
a 2.5 hr reception, starting at £129 per person,
or a 4 hr Dinner Party starting at £209 per person.
The "starting" prices don't seem to include much other than the privilege of being there, but the list of optional things you can buy is endless.

If you really want to get jiggy, you can grab one of ten ships which includes most of the bigger ships, to go for a cruise.
2.5-3 hr cruise: MARITIME GREENWICH - sailing route 1, starts at £119 per person. (finger foods)
4-4.5 hr cruise: TOWER BRIDGE - sailing route 2, starts at £199 per person. (catering by First Class Cuisine)
5-5.5 hr cruise: THROUGH TOWER BRIDGE IN THE POOL OF LONDON - sailing route 3, starts at £229 per person. (they open Tower Bridge just for you)
4-4.5 hr cruise: PARADE OF SAIL: Tue Sept 9TH, starts at £259 per person (parade of sail is the big finally)
3.5 hr cruise with Gilligan and the Skipper. (not recommended)

I'd assume these packages would be purchased by companies to entertain corporate clients... or each other, while doing the Queen's wave to the peasants on shore. There's probably a hundred other opportunities to drop a fortune, down alone the river this week.

I also noticed that on the list of 21 ships used for either deck parties or cruises, 10 of them, mostly big ones, have bow thrusters. I'm surprised, but I can see they'd be invaluable on a big boat in the London Wharf environment.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

They've got a lot of hustling going on, for the few days they're tied up in London.

That, I'm afraid, is the nature of London. The UK as a whole is pretty expensive but London, I think it is fair to say, verges on extortion whether it's the cost of living or entertainment in its various forms, as above, for example.
Perhaps my judgment is coloured by the fact that I can't stand London and have successfully avoided the place for several years.
Incidentally, I can go up on the hill a mile or two from here and, given good visibility, can see the building with the pyramidal roof shown in Post #1, One Canada Square.
It's thirty miles away and that's about as near as I want to get to the place. Carruthers and the city are as oil and water, I'm afraid.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

That, I'm afraid, is the nature of London.

Also the nature of the yachting & sailing set. One of the guys I went to school with, told me his father and step-father traveled in the same social circles. One was the CEO of Timken Bearings, the other a sail designer. Evidently good sail designers are handsomely compensated. I didn't even know it was a full time job... for more than one person... since sailing ships kind of went the way of sword fighting and knickerbockers.

[Carruthers]

Tall ship Stavros S Niarchos on the final day of the 14th annual Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement.

A sight like that might make a trip to London almost bearable.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

So idyllic... the water, sailing ships at rest, the snoozing dog, the man and his... what the fuck is that?

That my good sir, is Roland Rat. Looking good for his advanced years.

In other ship related news, did you see that one of Franklin's ships has been found? They don't know whether it's Erebus or Terror but it's In Queen Maud Gulf, close to King William Island (far North West of Canada). Apparently it's in good condition. Apart from being at the bottom of the ocean.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Thank you, I didn't know who Roland Rat was... is... or that he's a celebrity.
Strange he happened to be there, and facing the camera, when the Mail or Getty Images or whoever took the picture, when they took the picture. I smell a rat.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Thank you, I didn't know who Roland Rat was... is... or that he's a celebrity.
Strange he happened to be there, and facing the camera, when the Mail or Getty Images or whoever took the picture, when they took the picture. I smell a rat.

It's probably the dog's toy.

But never mind all that, it's 3.20am and I'm wide awake. Something not quite right about that.

[ogwen69]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

what the fuck is that?

Meeeeeeh Rat Fans! - Love a bit of Roland Rat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Rat

[BigV]

you float on the city?


you calm the city?

you are emulsified by the city when visiting it during an earthquake?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by BigV

you float on the city?


you calm the city?

you are emulsified by the city when visiting it during an earthquake?

No, we just don't mix very well.