Tag Archives: Belfast
A Triumph for the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge
Posted on 19. Aug, 2009 by admin.
An estimated 800,000 people visited the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge when they visited Belfast last week. That was double the city’s estimate of 400,000 people and equated to half the population of Northern Ireland. Some 250,000 people thronged along the quaysides and lined the lough on Sunday to witness the parade of sail.
As the ships [...]
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Goodbye, Farewell, Au Revoir
Posted on 16. Aug, 2009 by admin.
The Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge fleet left Belfast today in a beautiful Parade of Sail that saw most of the ships under sail. Led by the Portuguese Class A ship Sagres, the fleet started to depart at 12.30. As she progressed down the lough, Sagres gradually put up her sails until she was in full [...]
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Last Blog from Rona II
Posted on 16. Aug, 2009 by admin.
Rona II skipper Chris Matthews has sent in this their final blog entry on the past two days in Belfast:
“What a day, after breakfast some of the crew went on a tour and talk to the shipyard where Titanic was built. We saw the room where the plans were drawn up and then went out [...]
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Hugs and Tears as Crews prepare to leave
Posted on 16. Aug, 2009 by admin.
The crews of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge fleet are spending this morning saying goodbye to their new found friends as the vessels prepare to part for the final time. Since April, many of the vessels have been sailing together in the Atlantic Challenge, departing on races knowing they would be getting back together again [...]
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Visitor Numbers Exceed Expectations in Belfast
Posted on 15. Aug, 2009 by admin.
People have continued to pour into the Belfast harbour area to visit the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge fleet with the city well on target to exceed their expectations on visitor numbers. While Thursday, the first official day of the event, was seen as a busy day with an estimated 140,000 people visiting the fleet, today [...]
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Urania wins Friendship Trophy
Posted on 14. Aug, 2009 by admin.
The Dutch naval vessel Urania was named the winner of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge Friendship Trophy this evening at the end of a prize-giving that saw the Netherlands win the majority of the prizes on offer.
The crews had paraded through the streets of Belfast earlier in a parade that was full of the usual [...]
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Live Link to International Space Station
Posted on 14. Aug, 2009 by admin.
A group of crew members and trainees that had just taken part in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge race across the Atlantic from Halifax to Belfast, took part in a live link with the International Space Station today. The International Space Station orbits the earth at an altitude of about 220 miles every 90 minutes, [...]
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Lavish Captains Dinner in Belfast
Posted on 14. Aug, 2009 by admin.
Last night the captains of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge fleet, together with the captains of the Small Ships Races, which also finished in Belfast, gathered together in the Belfast Harbour Commissioners building for a gala dinner. The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Naomi Long, and Len O’Hagen, Chairman of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, both welcomed [...]
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Renewed Respect for Sailors
Posted on 14. Aug, 2009 by admin.
Alistair McRoberts , a medical student from Lisburn, Northern Ireland, currently studying at Aberdeen University, has just enjoyed an epic adventure sailing across the Atlantic. Alistair joined the other trainees to work as crew on Europa and as he had quite a bit of experience sailing before this trip he knew that this was going to [...]
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Belfast – A Bittersweet Conclusion
Posted on 14. Aug, 2009 by admin.
ASTA intern Matthew Maples, who has been sailing on board Europa and keeping us all entertained with his blog entries, has filed his final report:
“Here we are, Belfast. The relative quiet of the deckhouse on Europa barely conceals the roiling festivities of the opening day of the Belfast Maritime Festival. A short glance to my [...]
