DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — A couple of the Tall Ships is arrived in Sturgeon Bay ahead of schedule, sparking excitement across the community.
Anne Parker and her husband had been expecting the tall ships to sail in on Thursday
NBC26 got a chance to step aboard the Liberty Clipper for a quick look at the vessel before the event starts, watch below:
"We just jumped in the car, came down here, wanted to see them come in and dock and get an up-close look at them," Anne Parker said.
The last time tall ships came to Sturgeon Bay was back in 2019.
"It's been a while since tall ships were here, and there are different ships this time," Parker said.
On Tuesday morning, the schooners Liberty Clipper and <i>When and If</i> arrived in Sturgeon Bay ahead of schedule.
"We had a little bit of a weather window that we had to hit correctly, so we decided to push a little early, get here a little early, have some work done on the boat, and get some of the rigging set up for sailing this weekend," Sam Stewart, the mate on the <i>Liberty Clipper</i> said.
Stewart says it's the ship’s first time in fresh water, her home port is Boston.
"Very excited to be here. Definitely a unique experience being on the Great Lakes rather than the ocean," Stewart said.
Vicki Konkler and her husband came out to see the tall ship, though they don’t intend to board any during the event.
"I'm gonna look from afar because I get very sea sick. They don't want me on the boat," Vicki Konkler said.
The schooner Utopia is expected to arrive Tuesday evening. As for the Pride of Baltimore II, her arrival date has yet to be confirmed.
Tall Ships kicks off Thursday and with the large crowds expected, both the Liberty Clipper and When and If will offer an extra twilight sail on Sunday.
