The first day of Greenport’s Tall Ships 2015 festival saw long lines of visitors waiting eagerly to tour the five majestic vessels.
The Greenport Tall Ships Festival spotlights six vessels, with the highlight centering on the arrival Monday morning of France’s L’Hermione, a recreation of a sailing frigate making a symbolic journey across the Atlantic to commemorate General LaFayette’s voyage in 1780 — celebrating the strong ties between the United States and France.
Joining the L’Hermione are the Picton Castle, Sagres, Lynx, AJ Meerwald and Kalmar Nyckel, and guests today climbed aboard all five vessels, children’st eyes wide with wonder.
Volunteer Annemarie van Hemmen, of the East End Seaport Museum, said the event felt like coming home; she once worked aboard the A.J. Meerwald and said the ship focused on educational opportunities, with teaching stations set up. Children listened, rapt, as crew members gave talks today, learning about life on the sea and the importance of protecting the environment.
“I like it because I get to learn stuff,” said Madyson, 9, of Mastic.
Jamie Murphy of Farmingdale said her son wanted to see pirates and fireworks; he wanted to dress like the character “Jake” from the Disney Junior show “Jake and the Neverland Pirates.”
Captain Lauren Morgens said the line of visitors waiting to tour the Kalmar Nyckel was steady all day. “It’s been a busy day. We’re doing tours as fast our gangway can accommodate them. People are really excited.”
The weather, Morgens added, was ideal, not too hot.
Morgens explained the rich history behind the carvings on the Kalmar Nyckel, which were based on the ornate carvings found on the wreck of the original Swedish ship. Originally, the carvings “poked fun”, in the form of political cartoons. On the current ship, carvings represent the “angel faces” of a past captain, volunteers, and people important to the history of the vessel.
Watching young people’s eyes open to the legacy and lessons aboard the ship, Morgens said she was especially touched today by a young girl, 12, who wanted to know exactly how everything worked, including the human-powered winches, with an innate and advanced grasp of the science and physics involved.
For these children and young people, a Tall Ships festival can be life-altering and inspire dreams, Morgens said.
“I remember the first Tall Ship I saw, the HMS Rose,” she said; Morgens grew up in Connecticut and said her family took her out by boat to see the ship up close. “I was only seven or eight years old. It was so cool.”
And for the children aboard the Tall Ships today, memories were made.
For Demetrius, 10, of Manorville, the festival marked the first time he’d been aboard a vessel. “I wanted to go on a pirate ship,” he said.
Tyler, 7, of Holbrook, who was also exploring the Sagres and other ships for the first time, agreed. “I like going on all the boats,” he said.
For one little girl, whose family traveled all the way from Queens, the day opened the door to future aspirations. “I want to sail,” she said simply.
SoutholdLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl and Lisa Finn.
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