Sail Jacksonville Splashes into Downtown Jax May 4 - 6
Three-day festival celebrates Jacksonville's maritime heritage

Posted Friday, May 4, 2007

 


 E-mail this page
 Printer-friendly page

Jacksonville - Mayor John Peyton and the City of Jacksonville are proud to present Sail Jacksonville, May 4-6, on the Northbank of the downtown riverfront. This maritime festival will highlight the essential roles the St. Johns River and maritime community have played in the history of Jacksonville and will be anchored by the visit of six Tall Ships® - the Schooner Alliance, the Schooner Freedom, the Schooner Mistress, the Schooner Pride of Baltimore II, the Schooner Virginia, and the Schooner Voyager.

In preparation for the event, the Tall Ships® will arrive to the downtown riverfront on Thursday, May 3 and will be welcomed by ceremonial cannon fire courtesy of Fort Caroline. The event is free and will feature ship tours, river cruises, Swashbuckler Cinema Night with feature film, The Goonies, showing at The Jacksonville Landing, Sikaflex Challenge: Ultimate Boat Building Contest and Race, live entertainment, fireworks, a pirate battle, nautical education booths and activities and the Lil’ Mates Play Dock children’s area.

“Sail Jacksonville is an event that not only highlights downtown Jacksonville, but the St. Johns River that is a beautiful and vital natural resource for our city,” said Mayor John Peyton. “Activities along the riverfront will offer fun and entertainment as well as educational programs and historical appeal for all ages.”

The hours and activities are as follows:

Friday, May 4, 3 - 11 p.m.

· Self-guided dockside ship tours*
*All ships except Schooner Virginia, Schooner Mistress and character boats.

• Live entertainment on the Main Sail Stage (start times listed below)
  (Located at The Jacksonville Landing Courtyard
• King Eddie & The Pili Pili Band 3 p.m./4 p.m./5 p.m.
• Swashbuckler Cinema Night with feature film The Goonies 9 p.m.
  shown at The Jacksonville Landing courtyard
• Following The Goonies the Wild Card Band will take the stage

Saturday, May 5, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

• Self-guided dockside ship tours* 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  *All ships except Schooner Mistress and character boats.
• Sikaflex Challenge: Ultimate Boat Building Contest 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• (Located at the end of Pearl Street at the Gazebo)
• Live entertainment on the Main Sail Stage (start times listed below)
  (Located at The Jacksonville Landing Courtyard)
• Tropico Solo Steel Band 10 a.m./11:05 a.m.
• The Pirates of Rusty Cutlass Noon/2 p.m.
• Jimmy Parrish & The Ocean Waves Band 1 p.m./2:15 p.m.
• King Eddie & The Pili Pili Band 3:15 p.m./ 4:15 p.m./ 5:15 p.m.
• Sugar Bear 7 p.m.
• Jay Garrett Band 10:30 p.m.
• Live entertainment on the Mini Sail Stage (start times listed below)
  (Between The Jacksonville Landing and the Hyatt Regency Hotel)
• Famous Shipwrecks and Treasures Lecture Series
  10 a.m./Noon/ 2 p.m.
• Nawl’ins Po’ Boy’z 11 a.m./3 p.m. /5:30 p.m.
• Tropico Solo Steel Band 1 p.m./4 p.m.
• Lil’ Mates Play Dock (Nautical fun for children) All Day
• Little Neptune’s Stage
  Wiggle your fins for live entertainment with Larry’s Exotic Bird Show and Riverboat John
• The Wonderful World of Sand
  Giant nautical sandcastle and sand building workshops
• The Blue Lagoon
  Competitive water games including remote-control boat races, Dolphin Ring Toss and more.
• Gone Fishin’
  Fun, fishy “make and take” crafts including fish key chains, paint your own fish bank, whale flower pot kits and fish aquariums.
• Treasure Island
  “X” marks the spot to bounce on a ship inflatable, build your own treasure chest and design your own pirate hat
• Anchors Aweigh: For the Sailor in all of us
  Swashbuckler storytelling, make your own sailor hat, sailboat, and pennant
• Nautical educational booths and activities All Day
• Jacksonville Maritime Museum Tours Noon - 6 p.m.
• (Located on the Southbank at the foot of the Main St. Bridge)
• Historic weapon demonstrations (Fort Caroline) Various times
• Musket and cannon demonstrations Various times
• by Brothers of the Coast
• (Located at the end of Hogan Street at the Gazebo)
• FREE 30-minute river cruises 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
  aboard the Annabelle Lee
• FREE one-hour guided river tours presented 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• by JAXPORT aboard the Lady St. John
• Rock the Boat Fireworks Spectacular 9:45 p.m.

Sunday, May 6, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

• Self-guided dockside ship tours 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  *All ships except Schooner Mistress and character boats.
• Sikaflex Challenge: Ultimate Boat Building Race 2 p.m.
• *Note: Tides will effect times of this challenge
• Live entertainment on the Main Sail Stage
  (Located at The Jacksonville Landing Courtyard)
• Jimmy Parrish & The Ocean Waves Band 11 a.m./1 p.m.
• Nawl’ins Po’ Boy’z Noon/2 p.m.
• The Pirates of Rusty Cutlass 4:30 p.m.
• Mystik NRG 3:30 p.m./5 p.m.
• Live entertainment on the Mini Sail Stage
  (Between The Jacksonville Landing and the Hyatt Regency Hotel)
• Famous Shipwrecks and Treasures Lecture Series
  11 a.m./12:45 p.m./ 2:30 p.m.
• Tropico Solo Steel Band Noon/1:45 p.m./3:30 p.m.
• Nawl’ins Po’ Boy’z 4:30 p.m.
• The Pirates of Rusty Cutlass 5:30 p.m.
• Lil’ Mates Play Dock (Nautical fun for children) All Day
• Little Neptune’s Stage
  Wiggle your fins for live entertainment with Larry’s Exotic Bird Show and Riverboat John
• The Wonderful World of Sand
  Giant nautical sandcastle and sand building workshops
• The Blue Lagoon
  Competitive water games including remote-control boat races, Dolphin Ring Toss and more.
• Gone Fishin’
  Fun, fishy “make and take” crafts including fish key chains, paint your own fish bank, whale flower pot kits and fish aquariums.
• Treasure Island
  “X” marks the spot to bounce on a ship inflatable, build your own treasure chest and design your own pirate hat
• Anchors Aweigh: For the Sailor in all of us
  Swashbuckler storytelling, make your own sailor hat, sailboat, and pennant
• Nautical educational booths and activities All Day
• Jacksonville Maritime Museum Tours Noon-6 p.m.
• (Located on the Southbank at the foot of the Main Street Bridge)
• FREE 30-minute river cruises 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
  aboard the Annabelle Lee
• FREE one-hour guided river tours, presented by 11:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.
  JAXPORT aboard the Lady St. John
• St. Johns River Pirate Battle for Treasure 3 p.m.
  Sponsored by Atlantic Marine
• (Located on the St. Johns River, east of the Main Street Bridge)

Three of the Tall Ships® visiting Sail Jacksonville make their permanent homes as historic highlights on the waterfronts of neighboring communities. As St. Augustine’s premiere Tall Ship, the Schooner Freedom is an authentic replica of a 19th century blockade runner. She is a 72-foot, double-masted, gaff-rigged, topsail schooner. She was built in Norfolk, Va., in 1982 by famed Naval architect Merritt Walters, the first of his many Rover schooners. Also from St. Augustine is the Schooner Mistress, an Eldridge McInnis design – 1930 Eastward Schooner built in Maine. In 2000, Mistress was acquired by, Master Shipwright, F. W. Joest who spent 12,500-hours rebuilding her and plans to sail her around the world. Sailing from her home port of historic Fernandina Beach, the Schooner Voyager is an authentic 100-foot replica of a 19th century gaff-rigged packet schooner.

The Pride of Baltimore II is a reproduction Baltimore Clipper and a sailing memorial to her predecessor, the original Pride. Built in 1977 in the open air shipyard in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the original Pride of Baltimore was the first Baltimore Clipper built in 150 years. She sailed over 150,000 nautical miles in nine years before being struck by a squall in 1986 off the coast of Puerto Rico, where she tragically sunk.

The Schooner Alliance, based in Yorktown, Va., is a 105-foot, three-mast, gaffed-rigged schooner. The Alliance mirrors the sailing vessel used four centuries ago to explore the waters around Yorktown.

A re-creation of its namesake vessel, the Schooner Virginia is a 122-foot, two-mast, gaff-topsail knockabout schooner. Almost entirely handmade, the Virginia is the first tall ship built on the Norfolk waterfront in nearly 80 years. Launched in 2004, she was designed using the blueprints drafted to build the original Virginia.

The Schooner Alliance, Schooner Freedom, Schooner Mistress, Schooner Pride of Baltimore II, Schooner Virginia and Schooner Voyager will be docked along the Northbank Riverfront between the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel and the CSX building. Ships will be open for free self-guided tours on Friday, May 5 from 3 - 6 p.m. (except Schooner Virginia and the Schooner Mistress), on Saturday, May 6 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (except Schooner Mistress) and on Sunday, May 6 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. (except Schooner Mistress). The Schooner Virginia and Schooner Pride of Baltimore II are handicapped accessible. Character ships are on display only.

In addition to ship tours, the following character vessels will be on display for viewing during the festival- The Band of Gold, Jaimie, Shelagh, Arita and the Pratofina. The Band of Gold is a 97-foot off shore shrimp trawler built in 1997 in Bayou La Battre, Alabama and holds 80,000 lbs of shrimp. The vessel is owned by Captain Woody Moore and the home port is Savannah Georgia but is currently working in Jacksonville.

Jaimie is a 1987 Pearson 31-foot sloop that has been extensively refitted and is capable of coastal and island cruising. Captain Larry Smith has cruised extensively in the Bahamas, Caribbean Islands and the Atlantic east coast. “Jaimie” is being prepared for another cruise to the Bahamas and is currently moored at Epping Forest Yacht Club.

Captained by Dr. Joe and Sheilah Sackett, the Shelagh is a 44-foot Brewer cutter rigged sloop. Built in 1990, she has previously sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and spent several years cruising various countries before returning to the United States in 2006. Shelagh is currently moored on the St. Johns River at Epping Forest Yacht Club.

The Arita is a 52-foot wooden sailboat designed by architect John Alden. The entire yacht was built in New Zealand from one gigantic Kauri tree in 1958. The Arita is captained by Rob Dehaan.

The Pratofina is a cutter-riggered Ketch with a 55-foot mast and a 3,000 square foot sail area. Captained by Frank Richardson, the Pratofina has made three transatlantic crossings.

In addition, Whitney’s Marine, Mark Zigler Yacht Sales, St. Barts Yachts, Huckins Yacht Corp will provide sailboats and powerboats for display.

The City of Jacksonville and JAXPORT will provide free narrated tours of the St. Johns River and JAXPORT aboard the Lady St. John. JAXPORT tours will depart from the Northbank Riverfront, just east of the Main Street Bridge, and travel to JAXPORT aboard the Lady St. John. (Passengers will not disembark at the port.) Port tours will last approximately one hour and will feature narration about St. Johns River and Jacksonville maritime history by a JAXPORT representative. JAXPORT tours will begin Saturday, May 5 at 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (last departure) and Sunday, May 6 from at 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (last departure).

Free 30-minute river cruises will also be available aboard the Annabelle Lee. Tours will begin Saturday, May 5 at 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (last departure) and Sunday, May 6 from at 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (last departure).

Teams of two will put their boat building skills to the test in the Sikaflex Challenge: Ultimate Boat Building Race. Teams race against each other and the clock to build seaworthy vessels from three sheets of 1/4 inch plywood and Sikaflex 291 Marine Sealant/Adhesive. Nails, screws and other fasteners are not allowed. The building portion of the contest will take place on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Pearl Street (between the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and CSX). Then, teams will put their handiwork to the test as they race their boats on Sunday, May 6 from Noon until 2 p.m. in the St. Johns River near the Pearl Street Gazebo.

A variety of on-the-water activities and demonstrations will highlight our beautiful downtown riverfront throughout the weekend. On Sunday, amateur boat-builders will race their boats at 2 p.m. as a part of the Sikaflex Challenge: Ultimate Boat Building Race. Sunday events will close with a rousing Pirate Battle at 3 p.m. as the ships battle of the Treasure of the St. Johns. Sponsored by Atlantic Marine, the Pirate Battle will feature the participating ships and the Brothers of the Coasts (www.brothersofthecoasts.com)- a band of pirates home ported in North Florida. The Brothers of the Coast travel up and down the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to Key West sharing their mission of preserving history, teaching about the founding of our country and entertaining. The Brothers have promised to share the Treasure of the St. Johns with everyone attending Sail Jacksonville.

A street festival, live entertainment, and children’s activities at the Lil’ Mates Play Dock will line the Northbank Riverfront from the CSX building to Newnan Street. Two stages of entertainment will highlight local and regional talent for all ages. The Main Sail Stage at The Jacksonville Landing Courtyard will feature entertainment Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. and will highlight the sounds of reggae, steel drums, zydeco and blues. The Mini Sail Stage located between the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel and The Jacksonville Landing, will feature more island and zydeco sounds on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. In addition, street performers and re-enactors including the Brothers of the Coasts, Stilt Walkers and The Pirate of Rusty Cutlass will roam the festival throughout the weekend.

Other landside activities include seafarer cooking demonstrations by Mr. Natural on Saturday, May 5 at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday, May 6 at Noon and 3 p.m. A Pirate Shipwreck and Treasure lecture series by Mike Daniel, president of the Maritime Research Institute will provide information about famous shipwrecks and found sea treasures. Lectures will take place on the Mini Sail Stage on Saturday, May 5 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, May 6 at 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The skies of the St. Johns River will light up on Saturday night at 9:45 p.m. for the Rock the Boat Fireworks Spectacular choreographed to nautical music and shot from two river barges located near the Hyatt Regency Hotel and The Jacksonville Landing.

The following streets will be closed for Sail Jacksonville:

• Hogan Street from Water Street to the St. Johns River on Tuesday, May 1 at 8 a.m. through Tuesday, May 8 at 6 p.m.
• Pearl Street from Water Street to the St. Johns River on Thursday, May 3 at 8 a.m. through Tuesday, May 8 at 6 p.m.
• Sister Cities from Hogan Street to the cul-de-sac on Thursday, May 3 at 8 a.m. through Tuesday, May 8 at 6 p.m.
• Coastline Drive from The Jacksonville Landing to Newnan Street on Thursday, May 3 at 8 a.m. through Monday, May 7 at Noon.

Sail Jacksonville is proudly presented by the City of Jacksonville Office of Special Events and Sail Jacksonville, Inc., and sponsored in part by JAXPORT, Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, Clear Channel Radio, Planet Radio 107.3, 930AM The Fox, The New 99.1 WQIK, 97.9 KISS FM, 93.3 The Rooster, GEICO, 511, Atlantic Marine, LandMar Group, Bono’s Bar-B-Q, and the University Club. For more information, call the Office of Special Events at (904) 630-3690, or visit www.sailjacksonville.net.