Our experience at the Tall Ships 1812 Tour in Hamilton, Ontario.
This summer the Tall Ships 1812 Tour, presented by Redpath Sugar, will be sailing to 15 Ontario ports to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812. The fleet participating in the tour includes majestic tall ships from all over the world.
We had the opportunity to visit the tour at Pier 8 of the port of Hamilton on June 30th. The tickets to sail on one of the ships had been sold out long before our visit and we decided to skip the incredibly long lines for the deck tours but it was well worth the visit just to see this fleet of unique ships up close and imagine what it would be like to cross the ocean on one. The highlight of our afternoon was watching Liana’s Ransom sail back into port following her afternoon tour of the harbour.
The ships will still be visiting Sault Ste. Marie July 19-21, Georgian Bay August 16-18 and August 24-25, and Coastal Trails (Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island) August 30 – September 2nd. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend visiting the Tall Ships 1812 Tour and, if at all possible, attend the Parade of Sail when the entire fleet of ships is welcomed as it sails into port. I regret not having made a point of visiting on opening day to have seen each of these ships in full sail – it must have been an incredible sight.
Stgephanie SassyModernMom
Your pictures are amazing!!! I’ve seen the tall ships from a distance as we were booting through Hamilton?? I believe. I thought it was Toronto, but then read your post and now think Hamilton. I’m now kicking myself that we didn’t slow down for a better look.
Thanks for stopping by and linking up today, and for the super sweet shout out! It’s a joy to have you linking up on my blog!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Stephanie! The ships are beautiful – I’m so glad that we decided to head over to Hamilton for a close-up look!
Rosey
Every year I keep saying I want to see these and I never do get over to them!!! I love them. 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
They are definitely worth seeing, Rosey – majestic is really the only way to describe them!
Mariso@TravelingSolemates
Hi Lisa, I love tall ships. I love their sense of history, nostalgia and romance. Lovely photos!
Jackie Smith
Oh we had tall ships come through Kirkland last year and it was so much fun seeing them. What a great post – love those ships of yesteryear.
Muza-chan
What a great trip!
jenny@atasteoftravel
We have a tall ship, the Leeuwin, that sails regularly along the coast off Perth and is definitely a majestic sight when the sails are flying. It would be fabulous to see a group of them all come into port.
Sophie
I love tall ships, they’re so elegant and quaintly old-fashioned in the best way. We have a few around the country here, too – and it’s possible to work on one for a week or during a race or an ocean crossing.
Marcia
I can’t imagine anyone not loving the sight of tall ships. They’re really stately, a bit romantic and makes me nostalgic for the good old days. I wish these were close, I’d sure do a tour.
Mishele
Hello:
Beautiful majestic ships of a bygone era. I love the history and romance that surrounds them. I am not sure if I would want to live on one back then, however. Thanks!
noel
That’s quite impressive, I love these tall ships
Wanted to invite you to a Monday photo linkup called Travel Photo Mondays on my blog, come and join us on Mondays.
budget jan
The tall ships visited Townsville for a centenary celebration a while ago now, but I still remember their grandeur. We saw them arrive in port under sail which was amazing. What a lovely day you had to view them. I see the weather was lovely by the clothes Emma is wearing and the bright blue of the sky. Fantastic.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Marisol! That’s what I love about these ships as well! Whenever I see one, I can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to be crossing the ocean on one ready to start a new life in an unknown world.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Jackie – they are a beautiful sight to see, aren’t they?
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Muza-chan!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It definitely would have been an incredible sight – I really wish now that we would have gone on opening day to see the Parade of Sail.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I think working on one would be an incredible adventure! There are some here that take high school and university students for a semester at sea and I imagine that it’s an amazing experience for the students.
Lisa Goodmurphy
I feel the same way, Marcia – I could spend hours watching them sail by!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Mishele, my 9 year old felt the same way. I asked her if she would have like to sail across the ocean on one hundreds of years ago and she said “no way”!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Noel – I won’t be around next week but I’ll try to remember to participate the week after!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It was a lovely day – a bit breezy by the lake but just about perfect for any outing!
Cathy Sweeney
The tall ships are amazing and great photos you got of them! I’ve the tall ships in Chicago — so majestic. I can only imagine what it’s like to sail on one of them.
Sensibletraveler
As a history teacher, this is definitely up my alley. Too bad its hard to get tickets for deck tours.
Lisa Wood
The watching of the Tall Ships coming into Harbour would be magical…our older son is on a Navy Ship. They have family days once a year, so hoping that we get to have a tour. To see the inside and imagine him working on one would be so good.
We have toured one many years ago in Mackay when we had three young boys (one was in a baby Sling!!) It was so good to see the ins and outs of how a Ship works 🙂