International Festival of the Sea 2005
TALL SHIPS
As you’ll see from these pictures, there was an impressive number of tall ships attending the event – look at those flags flying in the breeze, it was certainly an impressive sight.
All of these vessels could be boarded by the public for inspection, and they all participated in the Fleet Review whereupon their crews saluted Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.
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The line of masts and coloured flags seemed to be never ending as I walked along the main quayside. Normally Royal Navy Frigates and Destroyers would occupy these berths , but today, they had given up their homes for their more glamorous visitors.
This ship is the Grand Turk. She’s a replica 18th century man-of-war of the type that took part in the Battle of Trafalgar and she spends most of her life starring in film and television series. She was the star of the show in a spectacular light and sound display, which recreated the Battle of Trafalgar, a few days previously after the Queen reviewed the international fleet, where she substituted for HMS Victory herself.
Alas, my notes fail to tell me the names of these ships – naturally, I will throw a bucket of bilge water over my head immediately for this failure – but before I go, don’t they look magnificent?
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The uniforms were all made by Keith Levett, livery tailor of Savile Row, who is standing the other side of Captain Hardy, and portraying Captain Thomas Troubridge, and beyond he, and also in your second photo, Captain James de Saumarez!
Wonderful to see those photos.
Yours aye,
Alex Naylor (aka Nelson!) Keith also made the Full Dress uniform which is now on board HMS Victory and also the undress one in the Nelson Museum in Monmouth. They are precise replicas of the originals.