OK- found out some more info on this - there is going to be 4 tall ships at Naval Station Ingleside this weekend. Of course with all the rain I don't know if today's events were cancelled or not.
Tall Ships are coming!
From the Ingleside Index
Thursday, July 1, 2010 4:51 PM CDT
The Eagle is nearly 300 feet in length. It has a 39 foot beam and a 17 foot draft. Its crew consists of 12 officers, 38 crew and 150 cadets.
The Cuauht/moc is 270 feet in length, has a beam of more than 39 feet and a 17 foot draft, and carries a crew of 185 cadets and officers. It flys the flag of M/xico.
The Esmeralda is 371 feet long and 159 feet tall, currently the second longest and tallest sailing ship in the world. Operated by Chile’s navy, the Esmeralda has almost 43 feet of beam and nearly 20 feet of draft. The four-masted barquentine carries 300 sailors and 90 midshipmen.
The Captain Miranda is Uruguay’s sailing ship, built in Spain in 1930. The schooner has a length of 205 feet, a 27 foot beam and a 12 foot draft. It carries 33 cadets and 11 officers.
These tall ships, with sail for power and the sailors dedicated to the sea as crew, all have another thing in common.
They will sail together into port at Naval Station Ingleside, on Corpus Christi Bay, to join in the celebration of U.S. Independence Day on the 4th of July.
Although the arrival of all but the USCG Eagle on Thursday morning was delayed by 24 hours because of Tropical Storm Alex in the Gulf of M/xico, all was shipshape Tuesday afternoon, and the event was a go for this holiday weekend. The ships had planned to sail from Veracruz, M/xico, following in the wake of the storm.
The only event that was cancelled was the VIP welcoming reception on Thursday night, which had been officially sponsored by the City of Ingleside.
Naval Station Ingleside is expected to be open by 10 a.m. Friday for public viewing of the Tall Ships.
“We have about 500 volunteers,” said Richard Durham, president of Sail South Texas.
“The City of Ingleside has been very, very much involved, along with San Patricio County” Durham said regarding this rare event for South Texas.
Ingleside has been preparing for this event for several months. About four weeks ago, the Ingleside Chamber of Commerce hung welcoming banners along Main Street and State Highway 361 to welcome visitors.
And the city has planted crape myrtles to add some color to its downtown area, which could see some congestion as visitors head for the base to visit the sailing ships.
The event has been nearly two-and-a-half years in the making, and is an opportunity to show the assets of Naval Station Ingleside to the world.
“You’ve got 1,100 feet of tall ships, that is nearly four football fields,” Durham said.
Barry Box, president of the Buccaneer Commission in Corpus Christi, said the ships with their tall sailing masts could not have fit under the Harbor Bridge, therefore the former navy base in Ingleside was the ideal location for Sail South Texas 2010. The city is one of the official sponsors of the event.
Box also said Sail South Texas 2010 was highly publicized in Austin, Houston and in the Valley.
He also advised that visitors prepare for the July summer heat with loose, light colored clothing, hats and sunscreen.
Tents, misting stations and water will be available to visitors to the base.
“We want to make it real easy to focus on safety,” Box said.
“To see a tall ship up close and personal is unbelievably magic. It’s a treat to go see them,” he said.
Box said a full line of entertainment is scheduled for the Fourth of July weekend and the free event, with parking accommodations for $5.
On Friday, the gates will open at 10 a.m. for self-guided tours of the ships, with a beer and wine tent to be open at 4 p.m. with music by Mariachi Aguila.
The International Pavilion Stage will begin the entertainment at 10:30 a.m., with a performance by the renowned band, Asleep at the Wheel, from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday events continue with the tours beginning at 10 a.m., a sailors parade from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and fireworks from 9:30 to 10 p.m.
“Make a day of it. It’s going to be a great time,” Box said.
Plans are also in the works to entertain the officers and crews of the ships, and Box said there will be many sailors walking around in white uniforms. Many of them will have visited the United States for the first time.
The VFW 6386 plans to host the sailors for lunch during their visit.
Box also said the ships will field soccer teams to play a mini-world cup to mirror the World Cup soccer that currently is under way in South Africa.
He said a Friday matchup will be between Chile and Uruguay at 4 p.m. Friday.
The competition continues between the United States and Mexico at 4 p.m. Saturday, with a final game to be played by the winners of the two previous day’s matches at 2 p.m. Sunday to determine the champion sailing ship soccer team.
“There will also be a kids area, with a sand sculptor at work,” Box said.
“This is really going to be an exciting event,” said Ingleside Mayor Pete Perkins.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase not only Naval Station Ingleside but both sides of the bay,” Perkins said.
Regarding the sailors, Perkins urged locals to greet and welcome them.
“If you see them out there say hello to them. Get out there and enjoy and be part of it. Come out and sweat with the rest of us,” he said.
|