‘Screen star’ sailing ship for
Classic & Wooden Boat Festival
One of the Pacific Ocean’s most glamorous tall ships will sail up Sydney Harbour on Thursday, 14
October, to take the spotlight at Sydney’s Classic and Wooden Boat Festival on the following
weekend.
The 145 ft (44.2 m) two-masted brigantine Soren Larsen, arriving from New Caledonia, will berth
in Cockle Bay (Darling Harbour) where it will open for inspection through the festival Saturday and
Sunday, 16-17 October.
The Classic & Wooden Boat Festival, with 120 vessels on display and a two-day entertainment
program full of music, maritime crafts and kids activities, will centre on the Australian National
Maritime Museum adjacent to Cockle Bay.
Indeed Soren Larsen will be just one of four tall ships on show. The others: the HM Bark Endeavour
replica (18th cent), James Craig (19th cent) and Southern Swan (19th cent style).
Built in Denmark in the late 1940s, Soren Larsen started out trading between Baltic Sea ports and
other European destinations.
Looking splendid after major restoration and re-rigging as a brigantine (square-rigged foremast,
fore-and-aft rigged mainmast) in the late 1970s, it embarked on a new “acting” career – first
starring in the classic BBC TV series The Onedin Line and appearing in movies like The French
Lieutenant’s Woman, Count of Monte Cristo and Shackleton.
In 1988 Soren Larsen sailed as flagship in the re-enactment of the First Fleet’s 36,000 km voyage
from England to Port Jackson.
Based in Auckland, the vessel these days spends most of its time adventure cruising around New
Zealand and the South Pacific. This will be its first Sydney visit since 1998.
Other highlights of the Classic & Wooden Boat Festival:
Music, music, music – including leading folk singers Warren Fahey and John Broomhill.
Children’s arts and crafts themed around Sindbad the Sailor
The exciting Quick and Dirty Boat Building Competition
The famous, hotly contested Deckhand Line-throwing Contest
Heritage vessel rides on Cockle Bay
Giant model boat and marine artists displays
Festive marketplace for all things nautical plus food stalls.
Tickets are $18 per adult, $9 per child or $40 for a family. The festival will be open both days 9.30
am to 5 pm. For more information call (02) 9298 3777 or visit www.anmm.gov.au/cwbf .
High res images available on request
6 October 2010 Media information, Bill Richards 0418 403 472
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