Tall ShipsChairman on mission to promote the Quincentennial Seafarers' Festival
This past weekend Donald McLean, Chairmanof the Quincentennial Tall Ships Committee, traveled to Jamaicato attend the Americas' Sail 2002 and promote the QuincentennialSeafarers' Festival scheduled for May 2003.
The purpose of his trip is two fold, firstlyto meet with captains of the participating tall ships to discusstaking part in next years' festival, and secondly to see how theJamaica event has been organized and what activities and eventsare on offer for the public. "We already have verbal commitmentsfrom two B class ships and this weekend I hope to attract moreand some A class ships as well, " Mr. McLean commented.
He added that his job should be made a littleeasier due to the recent visits to Grand Cayman by two tall ships:"The visits by the Larinda and the Bat'kivshena will hopefullyhave given us a good deal of positive PR with the Tall Ships community."Mr. McLean will have plenty of ships to invite to the Cayman Islandsevent, with around 11 vessels (including 5 A class ships) fromcountries such as Romania, Brazil and USA attending the Americas'Sail 2002 event.
The Tall Ships Committee is planning anextensive weekend of maritime activities for the Seafarers' Festival.
"It will be an amazing weekend witha wide range of activities for the whole family. Mr. McLean said."We are organizing a Street Party in George Town and a receptionfor the Captains and Officers of the Tall Ships at the GovernorsResidence." There will also be plenty of opportunities forresidents and visitors alike to see and tour the ships. "Thesheer beauty of these ships is something everyone should see"Mr. McLean commented.
Additionally, the Committee is planning a Parade of Sail to NorthWest Point and back to George Town, The Cayman 500 Challenge Cup,a Prize-giving and a Farewell Party and, on Monday May 12, theweekend will close with the departure of the Tall Ships and aRace to Key West. The Seafarers' Festival will also include catboatregattas, maritime heritage displays and a host of other activitiesto celebrate our seafaring heritage.
Mr. McLean, an avid sailor and a certifiedoffshore RYA yacht master himself, has a keen interest in preservingCayman's seafaring heritage and encouraging visitors to come tothe Cayman Islands during the Quincentennial Celebrations. "Notmany people know, but in the 1930s Cayman held many schooner regattasincluding events that some times attracted up to 100 boats,"he reported. "This is the first Tall Ships Festival in recentCayman history. We are reviving a forgotten past and celebratingour maritime heritage." He also believes that the famoushospitality of the people of Cayman will be a major attractionto both the Tall Ships captains and crew and visitors to the Islandsin 2003.