Picton Castle in Saint John

Picton Castle in Saint John, photo by Willie Waw.

Barque Picton Castle arrives in Saint John, New Brunswick for the Tall Ships Challenge Series in 2004.

The Picton Castle is currently on the last leg of her fourth 'round-the-world voyage and is sailing up along the West African coast en route to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Find our more about the voyage and plans for the Great Lakes in the summer -- link here to find out how to get aboard.

Barque Tarangini from India

Barque Tarangini from India, photo by Willie Waw.

The Barque INS Tarangini is shown sailing in the departure parade of sail in Muskegon, Michigan in 2003.

She is owned and operated as a naval sail training vessel by the Navy of India. They participated in the ASTA 2003 Tall Ships Challenge series in the Great Lakes and will participate in the 2007 series on the US and Canadian Atlantic Coast.

The Tarangini is coming to Newport, Rhode Island in late June and early July 2007 for Tall Ships Newport 2007 (part of the series) and also to help celebrate the 50th class graduating from the International Command College at the Naval War College in Newport.

Pride of Baltimore II on Lake Ontario

Pride of Baltimore II on Lake Ontario, photo by Willie Waw.

The Pride of Baltimore II is a reproduction of a Baltimore Clipper from the 1812 era. She spent this past winter in St. Nazaire, France so that repairs could be made to her rig which was damaged in a squall during last summer's European Tall Ship Race.

She is currently sailing from the Canaries to Puerto Rico and is expected to arrive in San Juan on approximately April 8.

Link here to go the ship's web site and here to track her trip to Puerto Rico, then Baltimore and the Great Lakes.

Cats Paws on the Bay

Cats Paw, photo by Willie Waw.

Cold northerly winds bring lively cats paws to Narragansett Bay near Wickford.

Tall Ships in Steveston, British Columbia

R. Tucker Thompson through the Lady Washington, photo by Willie Waw.

Lady Washington from Aberdeen, Washington is in the foreground with the R. Tucker Thompson from New Zealand in the background.

The original Lady Washington was built in 1750, rounded Cape Horn in 1788 and explored the Pacific Northwest, the Far East and Hawaii until 1798.

Rainbow over Jamestown

Rainbow over Jamestown, photo by Willie Waw.

A bright rainbow shines on the Wednesday evening race fleet in Wickford.

Conanicut Island (Jamestown) is in the background and the Newport bridge towers are visible behind the island.

Click the links to learn more about Wickford and Jamestown

Brigantine St. Lawrence II

Brigantine St. Lawrence II, photo by Willie Waw.

The St. Lawrence II is based in Kingston, Ontario and carries a co-ed crew aged 13-18 on trips throughout the Great Lakes.

Kids on board learn seamanship, navigation, teamwork, self confidence and getting along with their peers in close quarters.

To learn more about this wonderful program, link here.

Cuauhtemoc and Talofa

Cuauhtemoc and Talofa, originally uploaded by Willie Waw.

Here's another view of the Mexican Naval Barque Cuauhtemoc under full sail at the start of the race from Los Angeles to San Diego last August. Her home port is Acapulco and her second home is in Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico. Link here for photos of the Cuauhtemoc in Tacoma last July 4th weekend.

The Talofa, curently running charters out of Baja, Mexico, can be seen in the background.

Motif #1 in Rockport

Motif #1, photo by Willie Waw.

Originally a fisherman's shack, Motif #1 has been painted by many artists and students.

In the 30s and early 40s, it was the studio of Rockport, MA artist John Buckley who sold it to the town in 1945; it is dedicated "to the fisherman and artists of Rockport."

The shack was destroyed in the great nor'easter of 1978, but was replaced with an exact replica. Motif #1 is off Bearskin Neck on Bradley Wharf and is close to the Sandy Bay Yacht Club where they race these classes: Star, Rhodes 19, Flying Scot, Bullseye, Club 420 Laser, Optimist and cruising boats.

When I learned to sail here back in the fifties, we sailed in wooden boats called Turnabouts, Fish, Manchester I Class, Jolly boats, Fireflies -- even the Stars were wood at that time. It was a wonderful place to grow up!

Battle at Sea

Battle at Sea, photo by Willie Waw.

Hawaiian Chieftain (left) and Lady Washington engage in a mock cannon battle in Richmond, BC.

Visit their web site here to find their schedule so you can be aboard for a future cannon battle.

R Tucker Thompson from New Zealand

R Tucker Thompson from New Zealand, photo by Willie Waw.

Topsail schooner R. Tucker Thompson racing from Los Angeles to San Diego in August, 2005. The barque Cuauhtemoc from the Navy of Mexico is in the background.

The R. Tucker Thompson has returned to New Zealand -- she is based in the beautiful Bay of Islands.

Link here for the R.T.T. web site.

Pallada and Cuauhtemoc

Pallada and Cuauhtemoc, photo by Willie Waw.

The 356-foot full rigged ship Pallada from Vladivostok (foreground) and the 270-foot barque Cuauhtemoc from the Mexican Navy visited Port Alberni, BC last July during the Tall Ships Challenge race series.

The annual series organized by the American Sail Training Association will be in the Great Lakes in 2006:

July 12-16, 2006: Cleveland, Ohio
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Cleveland

July 20 - 23, 2006: Bay City, Michigan
Tall Ship® Celebration: Bay City
www.tallshipcelebration.com

July 27 - 31, 2006: Green Bay, Wisconsin
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Green Bay
www.tallshipgreenbay.com

August 3 - 9, 2006: Chicago, Illinois
Tall Ships® Chicago

Visit the ASTA web site here for more details on the series and how you can sail on the participating ships.

Barque Europa in Steveston

Barque Europa, photo by Willie Waw.

The Europa was launched in Hamburg in 1911 as a lightship. She now sails under the Dutch flag and offers sail training and adventure travel.

She is currently on her way to Ushuaia, Argentina at the end of another trip to Antarctica. If you have ever wanted to visit Antarctica, this is the way to do it. She'll be heading back to Europe for the summer but will include trips to Antarctica next winter (summer there.)

Link here for more information on the Europa and her upcoming voyages.

Schooner Maple Leaf

Maple Leaf, photo by Willie Waw.

The Maple Leaf is a 92-foot classic schooner built in Vancouver in 1904. She has been a private yacht, a fishing vessel and now a sail training and adventure sail vessel.

Link here for more information on her long and interesting history and for details of upcoming cruises such as the Tall Sails and Ales microbrew tour of the Gulf Islands (B.C.) in early April.

Dock and Snow

Dock and Snow, photo by Willie Waw.

The snow came in fast -- this shot was taken only a few hours after the sunrise photo below. We have about 6 inches so far...

Wickford Snow Day Sunrise

Snow Day Sunrise, photo by Willie Waw.

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning...

3-5 inches of snow is expected in southern New England later today and tonight -- hence the red sunrise.

This shot also shows the new dock next door -- hope we don't tangle with it while windsurfing this summer. It seems to me that the dock is 20 feet longer than necessary.

To see some beautiful photos of Wickford and other areas in Rhode Island, link here.