Tall ships in Lamlash

It was great seeing so many tall ships calling into Lamlash Bay last week, as they finished the race and before heading to Greenock.

The first one (the Eurpoa) came in on Tuesday evening in full sail. A great sight.

More ships gradually arrived over the next day.

Not all of them picked the best places to anchor! This one (the Irene I think) spent a good 2 hours moving about the bay, presumably deciding on the best place to anchor....  She was gone by the next morning, presumably creeping out of the bay under cover of darkness (on the high tide about 4am).

A few ships left on the Thursday morning, which dawned grey and wet. I got rather wet taking these photographs.

It was worth the wet walk to Clauchlands though, to see the Eurpoa pass in (almost) full sail.

It was interesting to check online (on the Sail Training Association's website) and see what was heading in our direction...

The bay was filling up with more tall ships, and thought were turning to the Arran Maritime Festival, which had been arranged in the hopes that several ships would call in...

A tall ship, by the way, is not necessary one with many sails, or, in the words of the Sail Training Association's website, "not necessarily one of the glamorous square-riggers". Apparently a "tall ship" (as in the terms of the Tall Ships Race) is "any monohull sailing vessel of more than 9.14m waterline length, provided that at least 50 percent of the crew are aged between 15 and 25 years and that the vessel meets Sail Training International's safety equipment requirements." So now you know!

The "glamorous square riggers" are still my favourite though ...

... although the traditional style yachts with the brown sails are very nice too. The boat on the right here is the Swan, from Shetland. I've actually been at her helm while she was sailing in Kirkwall Bay!