It's a good news, bad news scenario for fans of the tall ships.
The good news is, four tall ships, the Bluenose II, The St. Lawrence II, The Pride of Baltimore II, and the Fair Jeanne are in Port Colborne this morning, headed for Lock 7 in Thorold later today.
The bad news is, the weather has stalled the vessels making arrival time difficult to estimate. Yesterday, the Empire Sandy went through the canal downbound and was held up above Lock 7 for four hours.
You can check out the webcam and link to vessels location above. Click on our "Features" tab, then "Canal Webcam." Link to ship traffic is also there.
Not the largest of the four, the Bluenose II is the most famous Canadian sailing ship.
The original Bluenose was built as a fishing and racing sailing ship. It gained fame around the world as a champion racing vessel taking her first Fishermen's Trophy in 1921, beginning a run of 17 consecutive wins.
The Bluenose II was built in 1963 and according to its website: "Bluenose struck a reef off Isle a Vache, Haiti on 28 January 1946. Despite the loss, the legacy and admiration for the once mighty schooner lived on in the hearts and minds of Canadians — especially Nova Scotians.
In 1963, Bluenose II was launched. It was built by many of the same people who had worked on the original vessel at the same shipyard in Lunenburg. The project was financed by Oland Brewery to advertise its products, while also promoting Nova Scotia's maritime heritage and tourism. William Roué, the designer of the original Bluenose, endorsed the vessel. Captain Walters sailed on the maiden voyage.
Bluenose II was gifted to the Government of Nova Scotia in 1971. It continues to serve as Nova Scotia's sailing ambassador — an enduring symbol of the province — living history under sail."
Launched in 1980, the Fair Jeanne is also a Canadian ship, built and registered in Ottawa. The Pride of Baltimore II is from that city, launched in 1988 after the sinking of the original Pride of Baltimore.
The St. Lawrence II was built in Kingston in 1953 and is used as a training vessel for sailing skills but also for leadership development.
