With the march of technology, steam locomotives replaced ox-drawn wagons, automobiles replaced horse-drawn carriages, steel roller coasters replaced their wooden counterparts, and diesel-powered steel ships replaced wind-powered wooden ships with their tall masts and billowing sails. But all of these older technologies have remained part of our lives. This is particularly true of the majestic tall ships. They excite our imagination; their grace and beauty, particularly when under sail, can’t be denied. And it is hard to find a major celebration near the coast that isn’t accompanied by a visit from a tall ship or two.

Living in the Hampton Roads region affords one an excellent opportunity to explore, photograph, and even sail on a tall ship. All of the ships featured in this folio were photographed here, and 4 of them are berthed here for at least part of the year. The Godspeed and the Susan Constant, as well as the Discovery, can be found at the Jamestown Settlement. The Virginia calls Norfolk home, and the Alliance is berthed in Yorktown from May to November, and gives two hour river cruises 3 times a day.

Besides the ships berthed here, there are several opportunities during the year to see visiting tall ships. The first weekend in June, Hampton hosts the Blackbeard Festival which always attracts a visiting tall ship, and the following weekend Norfolk holds HarbourFest, the longest running, and largest free maritime festival in the country. This event attracts numerous tall ships from around the world, all of which are open for boarding. And occasionally, with all the maritime history and accommodations found in Hampton Roads, a tall ship will visit for a day, a weekend, or even longer.

While photographing a majestic tall ship under sail is inspiring, there are also many smaller details worth capturing, such as the furled mainsail and mast of the Pride of Baltimore II, or the row of deadeyes tensioning the shrouds of the L’Hermione. But most of all, I am drawn to the choreographic like activities of the crew, some small, some requiring many hands, and some not without danger, that are needed to control the sails and propel the ship forward.