SAIL Amsterdam
SAIL Amsterdam is a huge maritime event that takes place every 5 years. All types of ships from all over the world sail into the IJ-haven (IJ harbor) of Amsterdam and anyone can come have a look or even visit the ships themselves. The main attractions are definitely the numerous Tall Ships from all over the world.
The event was first organised in 1975 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Amsterdam. It became a big success and the event eventually grew into a tradition. Nowadays, it is the most large-scale event in the Netherlands, and the largest free public event in the world. This year, the event was held from Wednesday 19 until Sunday 23 August 2015. I went to see the ships with my mother and sister last Saturday!
ARC Gloria
The ARC Gloria (Armada Nacional de la República de Colombia Gloria) is a three-masted barque. It functions as a training ship and is the official flagship of the Colombian Navy. Its name is a reference to Colombia’s national anthem: Oh gloria inmarcesible (O Unfading Glory).The ship was commissioned in 1968.
Guayas
The Guayas, launched in 1876, is a sail training ship of the Ecuadorian Navy. The ship’s homeport is Guayaquil, the largest and most populous city in Ecuador.
Stad Amsterdam
The Stad Amsterdam (City of Amsterdam) is a three-masted clipper, which is a very fast type sailing ship from the 19th century. The ship made its public debut at the 2000 edition of SAIL Amsterdam. For the 2015 SAIL edition the Stad Amsterdam served as the event’s flagship.
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Alexander von Humboldt II
The Alexander von Humboldt II (right) is a German sailing ship. It was built in Bremen and launched in 2011. The costs were €15 million. The ship is currently used for sail training for those between 14 and 75 years of age.
Firework Show
Each day ended with a firework show like this one. As you can see, it was incredibly busy and jam-packed with people during the daytime, so we didn’t actually stay to look at the ships for very long. I didn’t even try to get in any lines for visiting the ships themselves. It as just a bit too much. We did decide to come back in the evening to see the fireworks. I’m happy we did! It was a spectacular view and it lasted about 15-20 minutes.
Tempted to go to next edition of SAIL Amsterdam in 2020?
So beautiful all photographs, I enjoyed so much. Thank you, love, nia
Thank you Nia! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the photos 🙂