Sail250 Delivers a Memorable Celebration in Baltimore
BALTIMORE, Md. — From towering ships to packed waterfronts, Baltimore welcomed thousands of visitors last weekend for Sail250. It’s not every day ships like these sail into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Charm City took center stage.
Sail250 visitor Sue Reitz, of Pennsylvania, who traveled from Rock Hall, said, “I’m impressed with all the support we got from the other countries who sent warships here.”
Another visitor, Jacelyn Swenson of Northern Virginia, arrived from Annapolis as part of the Annapolis Yacht Club cruising fleet.
“I’m amazed by the number of tall ships that have come in from around the world. To celebrate our 250th birthday and having the opportunity to tour many of them has just been a true gift,” Swenson said.
That chance to step aboard history was enough for some to make the trip to Baltimore, as four sister ships were reunited for the first time in nearly 50 years.
“The sister ships being the U.S. Coast Guard, the ship from Germany, the ship from Romania and the ship from Portugal. It’s the first time those four ships have been together since 1976. I think that’s really exciting,” Swenson said.
She also had the opportunity to speak with sailors aboard several of the ships.
“Talking to many of the sailors aboard the ships and how excited they are to pull into Norfolk initially — and some of them continued north, while the ones we see here came up the Chesapeake Bay — they are so excited to be here. It is a reminder of how fortunate we are to be here ourselves and to call this our home,” Swenson said.
For others, the highlight was watching the Blue Angels soar overhead.
“The Blue Angels just finished their show, and they went right over our heads. They were spectacular. The way that they are able to maneuver so close to each other accurately and make a beautiful show,” Reitz said.
It was a memorable sight as the Blue Angels flew between Baltimore’s downtown skyline alongside two international demonstration teams honoring America’s 250th anniversary: France’s Patrouille de France and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force Red Arrows.
“I think it was the French team that did a flag as they were flying across. It was just amazing. They’re all saying, ‘Yeah, United States, you made it 250 years.’ and that’s our feeling. It’s a wonderful country,” Reitz said.
For Swenson, more than anything, Sail250 was a reminder of what it means to be an American.
“Every American should be proud of the history and what got us here and do everything in their power to continue to support what is necessary to keep our country for another 250 years. We all know that freedom is not free. We all have to work for it,” Swenson said.
She added, “When you step back and you realize just what it is that we have, never take that for granted and the only thing I would say about Baltimore is that you’ve got a beautiful city, and you need to let the world know.”
