Tall Ships Festival Sails Into Philadelphia
By Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Its Opening Day for the Tall Ships Festival along the Delaware River.
A sign at the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing says "The tall ships are coming." That day has arrived and many of the ships are in position.
The four-day festival begins today and one of the ship captains, Rick Carrion, is pumped up:
"Here we are on a beautiful day and we're going to go out and sail!"
Rick owns and maintains a ship called Elf -- the oldest active racing yacht in America, built in 1888 and coming in from St. Michael's Maryland. It's an old ship, he says, but still a winner:
"Last year we had two first places and one second and one-third in four races we participated in. And we beat so many other new boats it surprised them."
A retired science teacher, Rick says the festival is a chance to give a lesson or two:
"We teach the skills of navigation. We teach the skills of restoration. And of course sailing and safety."
And during the festival you can get a sail pass and get on board.
Joining Rick and the other ships on the river...at 61 feet high, the world's largest rubber ducky.
The event starts at 11 a.m. and the big parade of sail begins at 1 p.m.
