Caraquet to launch tourist season with 4 tall ships

Caraquet expects a jump in tourism this summer when the town hosts four tall ships as part of Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations.

Preparations are already underway, said Daniel Landry, who is with economic development for the town.

"Five months is long and short at the same time," he said.

The ships are scheduled to arrive in port on June 30 and stay until July 2.

"We [are] lucky to have those tall ships at the same time as Canada Day," said Landry. "So it's a plus for us."

We're going to be having fun to fit those ships all together and hosting all those people.- Daniel Landry, Town of Caraquet

Tourists and local residents alike will be able to watch from the shore as the ships sail in from Miscou Island, then climb aboard at the Caraquet wharf for a tour.

Three of the ships — two from Canada and one from Germany — range between 21 metres and 30 metres in length.

The town only received confirmation of the fourth ship, from Russia, last week. It measures 94 metres.

"So that's quite impressive," said Landry.

"It should be a very tight fit," particularly since the port will also be hosting an approximately 55-metre frigate as part of the Canada Day celebrations, he said.

"We're going to be having fun to fit those ships all together and hosting all those people."

Landry could not estimate how many tourists the event will attract but noted a tall ship that sailed through last summer during the making of a TV documentary "attracted lots and lots of people from different places … and that ship wasn't even able to be [toured]."

That ship, L'Espérance, crossed the Atlantic from La Rochelle, France, with a crew of 10 adventurous souls from regions across the country, who made the trip in the same conditions as New France's first settlers, as part of the show La Grande Traversée, which will air on ICI Radio-Canada Télé to mark Canada's 150th anniversary.

The town of Caraquet can only imagine what this summer will be like with four tall ships accessible to tourists, said Landry.

"It should be very interesting for restaurants and people working in the tourism industry."

Throughout the summer, as many as 50 tall ships will be in Canadian waters and groups of them will stop at more than 30 ports.

​Some tall ships will also visit Miramichi in early July, and Saint John in August.