OpSail 2012 Virginia™ - Portsmouth Schedule of Events
Gazela
The barkentine, Gazela Primeiro , was built in 1901 at the shipyard of J. M. Mendes in Setubal, Portugal. Her registration for the Grand Banks fishing fleet was transferred from an earlier vessel named Gazella, built in 1883.
Gazela was built to carry fishermen to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Every spring she would leave Lisbon, laden with as many as 35 dories stacked on deck like drinking cups, a crew of 40 men (35 fishermen/sailors, two cooks, two mates and the captain), and a couple of apprentices.
After a remarkably long career, Gazela's last voyage to the Banks as a commercial fishing ship was made in 1969. About the time Gazela was laid-up after her final voyage to the Banks, the Philadelphia Maritime Museum was searching for an historic sailing vessel. Word reached Gazela's owners and the following year, she was purchased for the museum by philanthropist William Wikoff Smith.
Kalmar Nyckl
The original Kalmar Nyckel sailed from Sweden to the New World in 1638 leaving its passengers to establish the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley, the Colony of New Sweden in present-day Wilmington, Delaware. She made a total of four roundtrip crossings of the Atlantic—more than any other ship of the era. Her first voyage to the New World left 24 settlers of Swedish, Finnish, German and Dutch descent in the Delaware Valley. Joining them was a black freedman who sailed from the Caribbean aboard her companion ship the Fogel Grip.
The present day Kalmar Nyckel serves as Delaware’s seagoing goodwill ambassador. She was built by a group of committed citizens to be a continuing witness to the courage and spirit of those individuals who undertook the mid-winter North Atlantic crossing in 1637-1638.
OpSail 2012 is a national celebration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 that is being carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Navy.
HMS Bounty
The HMS Bounty is one of the most famous ships in the world. Known for the storied mutiny that took place in Tahiti in 1789 on board the British transport vessel, the current Bounty, a replica, has survived to tell the tale. Built for the 1962 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Marlon Brando, HMS Bounty sails the country offering dockside tours in which one can learn about the history and details of sailing vessels from a lost and romanticized time in maritime history.
Since her debut in “Mutiny on the Bounty”, HMS Bounty has appeared in many documentaries and featured films such as the Edinburgh Trader in Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Mans Chest with Johnny Depp.
The HS Bounty is 180 ft. long, 114 ft. high and has 18+ sails. There are 10 miles of rigging onboard.
To date, seventeen visiting tall ships have confirmed their participation in OpSail 2012 Virginia™. Three ships will take up residence along Portsmouth’s waterfront: Gazela (High Street Landing), HMS Bounty and Kalmar Nyckel (Ocean Marine).
TALL SHIP FREE TOURS June 8 to 10, 2012,
Friday - 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday - 12 Noon til 5 p.m.
All Tall Ships are available for private, three-hour gatherings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (call 757.397.8473 for rates).
High Street Landing
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum will host both guest re-enactors and history presentations.
The Lightship Portsmouth will be open, and feature the “Lightship bouncer” for kids.
Ocean Marine
TOpSail Café is a shaded, open-air pavilion where young TowneBank volunteers will offer food, music, beverages for mom and dad, games, and special treats for the kids – all within view of the boats docked at Ocean Marine.
THE TOpSail TROLLEY will operate from Friday through Sunday afternoons to shuttle visitors between North Landing and Ocean Marine, via High Street, free of charge.
Portsmouth Naval Hospital
presents the
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Saturday June 9, 2012
“Virginia Symphony Uncorked,” a ticketed event, offers wine- and tapas-tasting on the Naval Hospital’s beautiful grounds (ticket info available at 757.396.3660).
Concerts featuring the Jim Newsome Band, at 5 p.m. and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra at 7 p.m. are both free and open to the public.
Bounce houses and face painting will be available for the kids, and Saturday night’s attendees will view the evening’s fireworks display from one of the Elizabeth River’s truly primo vantage points.
New Colony Theater
On Saturday afternoon the Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra will provide a treat of music chosen specially for the occasion.
Eventually, Everybody Lands at Starboards.
Starboards Coffee Kiosk is proud
to be an official OpSail 2012 Virginia™
Certified Business
for Visitor Services and Food & Beverage
Potsmouth's War of 1812 Heritage Tour
Watch for Details!
Starboards Coffee Kiosk
