Avast Ye Swabbies! Tall Ships 2011
By JoshMogerman in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 14, 2011 8:00PM
Let's face it, getting in and out of Navy Pier can be a drag. So we saved you the aggravation when we braved the mess on the lake and this morning's storms to check out the "Taste of Tall Ships" (don't say we never do anything for you).
Pickings at the Pier are a little slimmer than previous years with only a half dozen boats taking part. We only saw a couple, but they were impressive! The Pride of Baltimore II is a War of 1812-era recreation docked between Navy Pier and the Chicago Lock. Tied up next to it, The Flagship Niagara is a century-old reconstruction of the vessel Commodore Perry won the Battle of Lake Erie with during the War of 1812. The tangle of rope and rigging above is something to behold and makes us wonder how they got anything done on the boat -- especially with cannonballs whizzing by. The Red Witch and Windy, already fixtures in Chicago, were out on the Lake when we got to the Pier.
If these images move you, it is time to set sail for the Pier because the fest ends tonight when the ships pull up anchor for waters unknown.