Magic of tall ships draws thousands to Pictou
Despite mostly rainy weather for the tall ships event in Pictou this weekend, more than 16,000 people visited Pier C for a chance to see them.
“We were absolutely amazed at the numbers,” said Darlene MacDonald, manager of the deCoste Entertainment Centre and co-chairperson of the three-day tall ships event in Pictou.
She said counts were only done between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during the hours when visitors were allowed to board the sailing ships.
But she said hundreds more went through during the off hours.
“It’s one of the bigger events the town of Pictou has ever seen,” she said, noting that the town itself has a population of 3,200.
Pictou is one of 11 stops in ports around Nova Scotia between June and August, taking place in honour of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, and part of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta.
Five ships docked in the Shiretown for the Canada Day weekend – the Gulden Leeuw from The Netherlands, the Spaniel from Latvia, El Galeon from Spain, Guayas from Ecuador and Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador, the Bluenose II.
MacDonald said with the exception of the Spaniel, the other ships were Classes A and B, the larger of the tall ships categories. Guayas, a Barque 3 ship and part of the Ecuadorian military, was the largest with 165 crew members and a length of 64.5 m, while the Class C, BM Sloop Spaniel was 17 m long.
MacDonald said she believes the magic of tall ships attracted people to the event.
“Tall ships have a magic about them people have an affinity for and want to see up close. How many of us get opportunity to step on board tall ship?”
One unusual and unique aspect of the event was an early morning fireworks display on Saturday, which MacDonald said was “the most amazing thing.”
“tall ships have a magic about them people have an affinity for and want to see up close. How many of us get opportunity to step on board tall ship?” Darlene MacDonald,
Tall Ships event co-chairperson