August 16th, Kayak...chasing Europa...Sturgeon Bay

The Europa

Sometime today, I suspected the Tall Ships would be coming through town on their way down Lake Michigan to Chicago and other ports. Several are involved in a race starting Tuesday morning off the eastern entrance to the canal…racing down to Chicago

http://www.sailtraining.org/tallships/2010greatlakes/index.php

I had asked my kayak buddies to keep an eye out for the boats and several either e-mailed or called my cell to let me know ship locations. Some were at the city dock after work, so I hung out there taking some photos, then went to the boat launch in Sunset Park as I could get a good look North into Green Bay…and here was the Europa, under full Sail…I ran home changed into some paddling clothes came back and launched just as she sailed by about a ½ mile away.

So I started following, taking pictures along the way. The problem with picture taking when you are trying to overcome a ship that is traveling at close to your hull speed is I would lose several hundred feet every time I stopped. Finally I was right up on her stern after several miles, got some close-ups, then peeled away to check out the seven other boats now docked around town. The “Friends Good Will”, “Royalist”, “Dennis Sullivan”, “Niagara”, “Lynx”, “Pride of Baltimore II”, “Unicorn” and the “Roseway”.

The Royalist

Safety net under the bow sprit of the Niagra

Information about the ships; http://www.sailtraining.org/tallships/2010greatlakes/participatingvessels.php

Where are they now? Going to Chicago.

Check on their progress here; http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/tsc2010.phtml

Bear in mind that some of the data is several days behind.