The return of the Tall Ships to Boston Harbor this coming weekend will place a spectacular exclamation point to the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
The international fleet of vessels will arrive in Boston Outer Harbor beginning Thursday and into Friday, where they will anchor in Broad Sound ahead of the Parade of Sail on Saturday.
The ships at anchor will be plainly visible from the shores of Lynn, Revere, and Winthrop, transforming the Outer Harbor into a seascape of masts that will evoke the 18th century.
Then on Saturday morning, starting at 9:00, the ships will unfurl their sails and proceed into the Inner Harbor past Deer Island and Castle Island. Led by Old Ironsides — the U.S.S. Constitution — the parade will sail past the entire Boston waterfront, including East Boston, the North End, and Charlestown (with Admiral’s Hill in Chelsea offering longer-distance views as the ships turn around) before heading to their berths.
The ships will be open to the public for boarding throughout the week, providing a unique opportunity to experience the inner workings of these majestic vessels, which will include the Amerigo Vespucci (Italy), Juan Sebastián de Elcano (Spain), Cisne Branco (Brazil), Bluenose II (Canada), and Dar Młodzieży (Poland).
Fireworks displays on the evenings of Saturday, July 11, and Wednesday, July 15, will light up the harbor beginning at 9:15 p.m..
We vividly recall the first visit of the Tall Ships in 1976 for America’s 200th anniversary. We have no doubt that for young and old alike, the visit of the Tall Ships this week will create memories that will last a lifetime.
It had been a great World Cup until…
The World Cup has been a wonderful event, enjoyed by soccer fans and non-fans alike. The games have been incredibly exciting, especially in the first knockout round, where underdog teams have pushed the giants of the sport to the limit.
Until recently, the tournament also has been devoid of politics. The influx of international fans into our American host cities, including Boston, has created a degree of harmony and good will that is seldom seen in the world today.
However, that all changed this past week. American government officials took it upon themselves to intervene with FIFA to lift the automatic one-game suspension of a star U.S. player who had received a red card in his previous match.
The sequence of events that led to the player’s reinstatement for Monday’s match with Belgium has cast a pall over the integrity of the tournament.
FIFA, by “suspending” its own suspension, has shown itself to be just as subject to backroom influence as it has been in the past.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials have shown themselves to be ruthlessly craven in the pursuit of winning.
Ultimately, the real losers amidst all of the shenanigans are the American players. Their superb showing throughout the tournament, despite Monday’s 4-1 loss to Belgium, will be forever overshadowed by this crass manipulation of the rules by FIFA and U.S. officials.