Thirteen Tall ships arrrived in Savannah on 3rd May for the beginning of the 2012 Tall Ships Challenge. Organised by the Tall Ships of America this annual event alternates in a three year cycle between the Great Lakes, the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts of North America.

We had planned to take Alexia up the Savannah River into the heart of town to view them from the water but there were too many security restrictions so we left it a few days, to let the crowds die down a little and then drove into town to see what we could see.

There they were - Bounty and Appledore V, The Picton Castle, Alliance and Peacemaker and Pride of Baltimore II and more just gently rocking with the tide at their dockside moorings.

It was a real party atmosphere along the river, queues of people patiently waiting their turn to go aboard and view. We decided that the best way we could view all the ships was to anchor close to the inlet of the Savannah River and watch the parade as they all sailed out on 7th May.

So with our picnic lunch, our good friend Joe Kovacs aboard, we left early this morning to take up our position. The river was busy - lots of people doing the same as we were. We set anchor, had lunch and waited.

Leading the procession down river was the US Coastguard sail training ship 'EAGLE' a 3-masted barque built in the 1930's. The others followed slowly behind - about mile between each ship.

The most well known in the line up was the 'BOUNTY' - this replica was constructed in Nova Scotia from the original ship's drawings held in the British Admiralty Archives and built for the 1962 movie 'Mutiny on the Bounty. She was also used in all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.