For four-days, the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland were all but forgotten as one of the biggest and most spectacular events that the country has ever witnessed took place, the final if the Tall Ships. After 18-years in waiting and seven years in the planning, Belfast, Northern Ireland, once again became a home port for the final stage of the Tall Ships Race and with it, put the country back on the International scene once again.
Forty Tall Ships, of all shapes and sizes, two Navy Vessels, a cruise ship, stunt planes, an international market, fun fairs plus days and nights of entertainment for all the family attracted almost half a million people, a third of the population of Northern Ireland to come and experience it for themselves. It was a memorable experience for one and all.
But what’s the connection between Torrevieja and Belfast, you may be thinking? It’s nothing more than what shall become one of Torrevieja’s newest attractions, the Pascual Flores. At 34-meters in length, 8-meters wide, a depth of 3-meters and a total area of 415-square meters, the Pascual Flores may not be once of the biggest Tall Ships but she boasts an impressive history and has the required credentials to take part in future events, which are organised every eight to ten years. However, the global success of this year’s event already has the organisers looking to run it on a more regular basis, with Belfast already having applied to be one of the hosts for the next event.
The event is organised by Sail Training International, and this year started in May from the Spanish port of Vigo, finishing 7,000 nautical miles later in Belfast, having visited Tenerife, Bermuda, Charleston, Boston and Halifax. There are smaller events held each year which hopefully the Pascual Flores shall become involved with.
As Torrevieja’s unofficial Tall Ships’ ambassador, yours truly, EWN journalist and photographer Keith Nicol, both worked side by side with the BBC TV crew as the ships sailed away from Belfast and I was interviewed by BBC Radio Ulster about the Pascual Flories and her illustrious history as one of the star attractions on the BBC’s Onedin Line. The series ran for 91-episods from October 1971 to October 1980 and some of the other ships also featured in the series where on display in Belfast.
The doom slayers may wonder why the City bought the ship back in 1999! The Pascual Flores was built on the beaches of Torrevieja, in front of the Casino, back in 1917, so she is steeped in local history. She shall be spending part of her life as a museum ship in Torrevieja, part as a training ship for navel cadets with a third duty as a mobile promotional vessel for the City. If Torrevieja was to attract such an event to the city, such as the starting location for the event, one should note that over the course of four days, forty Tall ships attracted over 400,000 visitors, generating over €25,000,000 in revenue, put Belfast back onto the International Cultural and Maritime scene, gave the entire area a huge Tourism boost and captured the imagination of the nation. Remember the name; Pascual Flores.
Keith Nicol
