Windjammers Celebrate Park Centennial with Parade of Sail
Mid-Coast, Maine— Celebrating Acadia National Park’s 100th anniversary, six of Maine’s historic windjammers will join more than 60 sailboats in full flag dress during the Somes Sound Windjammer Parade on August 2, from 2:00-4:00 pm.
Set against the dramatic shores of Somes Sound, spectators will enjoy amazing views of North America’s oldest fleet of commercial sailing vessels, as well as scores of yachts belonging to the Corinthian Yacht Club and the Northeast and Southwest Harbor fleets.
What started out as a way for the windjammers to show their appreciation for Acadia National Park, the Windjammer Parade has grown to include visiting and local fleets of sailing and power boats of all sizes and designs. According to Meg Maiden, Marketing Director for the Maine Windjammer Association, “Thanks to the Acadia Centennial Task Force, we were thrilled to make connections with other boating organizations that also wanted to celebrate Acadia under sail.”
The best vantage point for viewing the Windjammer Parade is along Sargeant Drive on the east side of Somes Sound, which will be closed to one-way traffic going north for the duration of the event. Visitors will be allowed to park on one side of the road, allowing spectators a mile-wide unobstructed view of the windjammers and yachts as they sail up and down the Sound.
The Parade will start, weather permitting, at the entrance to Somes Sound at 2:00 o’clock and will include several passes through the Sound before the yachts disperse around 4 o’clock and the windjammers tie up at the John Williams Boat Company in Hall Quarry for the night.
Three of the participating windjammers—American Eagle, Isaac H. Evans and Lewis R. French—are National Historic Landmarks and were built for the fishing, oystering and coasting trades, respectively. Of special note, the Lewis R. French carried cargo under sail around Mount Desert Island in 1916, the year the Park was established. She has been a familiar sight along Maine’s coast since 1871. Angelique, Heritage and Ladona will also participate in the Windjammer Parade. All of the windjammers are homeported in either Camden or Rockland and offer 3- to 6-day cruises from late May to October.
The Maine Windjammer Association is an approved Acadia Centennial Partner and is pleased to host this event. For more information, contact the Maine Windjammer Association, 1-800-807-WIND, info@sailmainecoast.com or visit www.sailmainecoast.com.
Category: Press Releases
