Our partners for the 2012 and 2013 seasons:
Governor Tom Corbett and his wife, First Lady Susan Corbett sailed on the Flagship Niagara and helped to welcome her home on Friday.
Governor Corbett and his wife, First Lady Susan Corbett talk with Niagara’s Captain Wes Heerssen during a daysail on Friday. Photo: John Baker
Niagara is final vessel to join Buffalo events.
Cannon blasts, a parade of ships and emphatic chants of “Oorah!” by spectators whipped up by a jazzy band of U.S. Marines made it anchors aweigh for Navy Week in Buffalo on a sun-soaked Wednesday at Canalside. Early afternoon anticipation grew among the hundreds who lined the Buffalo River for a glimpse of the recreation of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s historic two-masted tall ship, the Brig Niagara.
The buzz reached a crescendo when the ship made the turn from Lake Erie into Buffalo Harbor just after 2 p.m. The Niagara was the fifth and final vessel to arrive in the Queen City for Navy Week.
“Tall ships have an aura all by themselves,” said Jim McCloskey, a City of Tonawanda resident and tall ship aficionado who hails from a family of sea captains. “It’s in the blood. You don’t see these things every day.”
Once the Niagara – recreated from some of the original 1813 timbers of the ship Perry used to win the Battle of Lake Erie – safely docked in port at Canalside, opening festivities were under way for the weeklong commemoration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812.
read full story here:
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120912/CITYANDREGION/120919629/1109
Photo (l to r): Paul Rankin, Vice President, Retail Marketing, Country Fair; Shawn Waskiewicz, Flagship Niagara League; Keith Riley, Erie School District middle school teacher; Ina Fisher, Erie School District Director of K-8 Education; Larry Gates, student.
The Flagship Niagara League received a $40,000 grant from Country Fair on Thursday.
The grant will enable the Flagship Niagara League to send 900 area eighth-grade students on a two-and-a-half-hour day sail on the U.S. Brig Niagara.The Erie School District will receive 50 percent of the day-sail availability, with 50 percent allotted to other area schools.
Schools will be signed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Country Fair is raising money through a fundraising program in 70 store locations.
In September, patrons may purchase a placard, which benefits students sailing on the Niagara.
Placards will be sold in $1, $5 and $10 increments. Proceeds will benefit the Flagship Niagara Eighth Grade Sailing Program, which will send the eighth-grade students on free day sails.
The Flagship Niagara League wishes to thank the Erie Yacht Club for their support as the host of the 2012 Charity Regatta. We were honored to be a part of it! There were 53 boats entered as well as 22 canoes & kayaks which resulted in around 550 people at the club. Participation from other clubs and marinas included the Presque Isle Marina, the Commodore Perry Yacht Club, and the Bay Harbor Marina. Thank you to all that participated, sponsored, or volunteered!
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Join us in celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 at the 28th annual Charity Regatta at the Erie Yacht Club!
This year’s Charity Regatta will benefit one of our nation’s most important maritime icons, the Flagship Niagara.
Sailboat, Powerboat and Canoe/Kayak Racing
Spinnaker and non spinnaker classes
Powerboat welcome and encouraged to be spectator boats
PHRF ratings – EYC can provide
Five mile sailboat course
Special short course for canoes/kayaks
The Nautically Themed Party
Joe Root’s Grill perch fish fry (award winning Lake Erie perch)
High energy Irish music & entrainment
Kids nautical activities
Sailing & rowing activities aboard the Erie Maritime Museum’s
historic small boats
for more information: http://www.eriemaritimemuseum.org/_blog/Current_News/post/EYC_CHARITY_REGATTA/
