Ocean-going sailboats that have made the history of the sailing navy from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 20th century.
Among the ships that engrave the history of Escale à Sète (EAS) in stone are the tall ships. Real time machines that arouse both nostalgia for past centuries, but also wonder. Among the 120 boats (1) taking part in the 2022 edition of EAS, Free lunch invites you to discover six dream machines that can be divided into two categories, the old ones and the (almost) modern ones.
romanian prince
Let’s start with the Mircea. This magnificent three-masted barque is the training sailboat of the Romanian Naval Academy. This giant of the seas, 82 m long, is one of the largest sailing ships in the world. Its highest mast is 42 m. Its crew of approximately 200 people can deploy 23 sails with a total surface area of 1,748 m2. Renovated in 2022, the Mircea, built in 1938, owes its name to a Romanian prince whose effigy we see as a figurehead.
Salt, fruit and bulk
Another monument of the sailing navy, the Oosterschelde. This magnificent schooner flies the Dutch flag. She caused a sensation when she arrived in the port of Sète on Sunday April 10. Launched in 1918, the ship has three topsail masts, the highest of which is 36 m. The Osterschelde can thus send up to 891 m2 of sails. Originally built for the transport of goods along the coasts of the Netherlands, the Oosterschelde. Restored in 1988, then relaunched in 1992 after 4 years of work, the schooner and its crew of 14 sail the seas around the world.
The Pascual Florès, which flies the Spanish flag, is impressive. Not only by the 34.4 m of its hull, but also by the rusticity which emerges from it. Built in 1917 and purchased in 1999 by the town hall of Torrevieja (Province of Alicante), this 26 m high three-masted schooner was for a long time a transport boat. With its 415 m2 of sails, it transported salt, fruit and bulk around the Mediterranean. He also traded with cities on the north and west coasts of Africa. We can also imagine that at the time he was able to pass through Sète. Indeed, the oranges that passed through the port of the singular island were conveyed by boats of this type.
The beautiful role
The tall ships are going to put on a show, that’s for sure. What we are also sure of is that they cannot steal the limelight from the many and varied traditional boats. Catalan boats (imposing with its 8 to 11 m long), nacelles, pork belly and other small boats will delight lovers of old rigs. This will also be the case for units of the French Navy, the Sète fishing fleet and the SNSM canoe, Admiral Leenhardt. At the forefront of the maritime scene, unusual and famous boats such as the Gyss, Georges Brassens’ boat, will undoubtedly play the leading role.
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Let’s now take a look at the replicas of the oldest sailing ships that will be present at Escale à Sète 2022. Their names smell of history and adventure. With much shorter masts than their more recent descendants, they nevertheless had three. Like the Santa Maria, a replica of one of the ships in Christopher Columbus’ fleet during the discovery of the Americas in 1492. Flying the Spanish flag, this 29 m long caravel captivates the visitor with its round and elegant lines.
Built for the high seas
Steeped in history, the Nao Victoria certainly is. This carrack-type three-master, launched in 1999, is the replica of the only ship that returned from the Magellan round-the-world trip in 1522. High above the water, with its domed bow, three masts and 28 m in length, she seems ready to set sail for a new circumnavigation of the globe. What he actually does. Indeed, for the 500th anniversary of the end of the explorer’s journey, the Nao Victoria travels all over the world.
Yes, the Galeón is indeed the ship that we see in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. This magnificent replica of a 16th century Spanish galleon has dimensions that command respect. With its 49 m length, its three masts and its 750 m2 of sails, it is cut out for the high seas. These are the galleons of this type which at the time ensured the commercial lines between Spain and the Americas.
Note that these time machines can be visited until Monday, April 18.
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