January
14th was our big day on the Bay, passengers aboard the
good ship R. Tucker Thompson as it participated in the annual Bay of
Islands Tall Ships Race. The Tucker is a 60-some foot gaffe-rigged
schooner that is owned by the RTT Foundation, whose principal purpose
is providing life skills education to young people via seamanship
[sic]. They finance this noble purpose by taking tourists like us out
on day and evening excursions for a taste of tall ship sailing and of
the beautiful Bay of Islands. Also some scones and BBQ chicken.
We
did the standard day-sailing way back in 2008, and enjoyed it
immensely. Our original booking this year turned out to be a lousy
weather day, but Vicki somehow got it changed to a bright and fair
Saturday, which happened to be the day of the race. So instead of
cruising lazily around the Bay, stopping for lunch and play on a
small island, we got ourselves into a full day of non-stop sailing
with a little side drama (the race) as well. And plenty of beautiful
boats to look at. Not that the Tucker really raced. Its purpose, we
surmised, was just to participate and lend a little photogenic
majesty for all the other participants and observers. Nonetheless,
most of those aboard, in addition to the young volunteer crew, seemed
quite familiar with the ship, the Bay, and with sailing generally.
In
the following, I won't attempt a narration of the race nor of the
sailing. Apart from watching some 1930's Hollywood swashbucklers, I
am pretty clueless about it all. So just enjoy the pix of the
beautiful Bay and of the many boats and crews doing their things.
BTW, a "tall ship" is anything over 30 feet or so,
appropriately masted and rigged for sailing; there are several
different classes. Though built in the 1980s, the Tucker has the look
of a 19th century vessel, and also the handling. So I have
read. The Tucker also uses canvas sheets, rather than the dacron that
is most common these days. FWIW. Just Google "R. Tucker
Thompson" and you'll find plenty of information about the
foundation, the founder, and the seagoing namesake.
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| Glamour shot of the Tucker |
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We always try to sit near the bar, even when I'm doing dry January; Vicki's doing it, too, in a show of support and solidarity...nyuk, nyuk, nyuk |
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| Old salts |
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| "See how the main sail sets" |
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| New Zealand... |
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Maneuvering to get to the starting line (between two harbor buoys) ...but not over it...before the gun |
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Go over the line before the gun and you have to go back...which,
under sail, takes a while... |
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| Looking back to Russell |
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Crew member fine-tuning something or other;
passengers were invited to go aloft too, harnessed,
belayed; some did |
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| Some beautiful boats passing us toward the starting line |
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| Just about every boat, participant or not, took pix of the Tucker |
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| Bay of Islands scene |
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| Looking past the Bay to the open sea (Pacific) |
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Captain Marcel checking up on things--really personable, very effective
communicating with the young crew as well as the passengers |
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| Much pitching about on the smaller boats |
