Tall Ships may return to Boston in July 2009

 Tall Ship Alexander von Humboldt, photo by Zeglarz, Wikimedia

Few who have ever witnessed the Tall Ships in full sail could ever forget the experience. This July, these majestic sailing ships may still have a chance to dock in  Boston on July 8th as part of The Atlantic Challenge race across the Northern Atlantic, according to a recent Boston Globe article published on June 7th. The Hub is one of only two official U.S. ports of call for the 2009 voyage. 

Original plans called for the vessels to arrive in Boston from Charleston, South Carolina on July 8th and then head to Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 12th enroute to Belfast, Ireland.  A fleet of these regal ships began the regatta in Vigo, Spain in May and will finish their journey in Ireland in August.

However, due to the poor economy, Mayor Thomas Menino has said publicly that the city of Boston cannot afford the estimated $1.1 million in public safety costs and other services for the ships to dock and open to the public.  Now, as the scheduled date gets closer, it appears  that the mayor's office and Sail Boston, the event organizer, are trying to reach a compromise plan that may let Bostonians get a glimpse of the beloved ships from land. Boston businesses, including hotels and restaurants, are also hoping for a resolution that would help bring in some much needed revenue this summer. 

Fifty Tall ships participating in regatta

Fifty tall ships representing 20 different countries are participating in the regatta.  If  the cost issues are not resolved prior to July 8, it is not clear if or how the public can enjoy these beautiful sailing ships this time around.

In addition to official Sail Boston organizers and events, there are also many commercial boating companies that are offering to take visitors for water tours of the ships, when they drop anchor offshore.

The bottom line is that how the Sail Boston official Tall Ships 2009 event turns out is anyone's guess. Let's hope all sides involved can reach a compromise. Bostonians need some fun after a long, cold winter. 

Tall Ship 2009 ports of call

• Vigo, Spain (30 April - 3 May)

• Tenerife, Canary Islands (14 - 17 May)

• Bermuda (12 - 15 June)

• Charleston, USA (25 - 29 June)

• Boston, USA (8 - 13 July)

• Halifax, Canada (16 - 20 July)

• Belfast  (13 - 16 August).

Tall Ships follow historic sailing routes

The ships sailing in the Atlantic Challenge 2009 will journey across 7,000 nautical miles of  the North Atlantic Ocean and will follow historic sailing routes. 

The complete Boston schedule of Tall Ship 2009 events is not yet set at this date.

For more information: Check this update from Examiner.com or visit the Atlantic Challenge website. or the Sail Boston website.