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International Class A Tall Ships coming to Norfolk in 2020

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NORFOLK, Va. – Three tall ships from the International Class A group of Naval sail training ships are coming to Downtown Norfolk this year!

Norfolk Festevents says that the ships coming will include the Statsraad Lehmkuhl of Norway, Bae Guayas of Ecuador and Capitan Miranda of Uruguay.

So when can you see the ships? Here are the dates they’ll be in town:

  • STATSRAAD LEHMKUHL (Norway) (March 4-13)
  • BAE GUAYAS (Ecuador) (May 16-19)
  • CAPITAN MIRANDA (Uruguay) (June 2-8)

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl, hailing from Norway, will be in Norfolk for an extended starting March 4, 2020. It marks the second consecutive year that the Norwegian vessel has visited Norfolk and the 15th overall.

Built in 1914 as a training ship for the German merchant marines, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl is a three-masted steel barque sail training vessel. The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is currently sailed by the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy’s first-year cadets who participate in leadership and team-building training. While on board, the cadets work together as a team to overcome the timeless challenges and dangers of travelling the seas by sail without modern technology. Additional information on the Statsraad Lehmkuhl is available here.

Bae Guayas, from Ecuador, is scheduled to visit starting on Saturday May 16, 2020. Bae Guayas last visited Norfolk in 2017 during Harborfest and also participated in OpSail 2012 in Norfolk.

Built in Spain in 1976,Bae Guayas is proud to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the Ecuadorian Navy. The three-masted steel barque sail training vessel is named after the Chief of Huancavilcas, a native culture in the Ecuadorian coastal region. During a cruise, considered one semester at the Ecuadorian Naval Academy, midshipmen apply – in a very challenging environment – theoretical principals of navigation, seamanship, and other subjects learned in the classroom. Additional information on Bae Guayas is available here.

Capitan Miranda, from Uruguay, is scheduled to visit starting Tuesday, June 2, 2020, and will headline 2020 Norfolk Harborfest’s on June 5-7 for its annual Parade of Sail on Friday, June 5. The ship’s visit marks the second consecutive year that the Capitan Miranda has visited Norfolk.

Known around the globe for its award-winning spirit, Capitan Miranda serves as a training ship for the Uruguayan Naval Academy at Montevideo. Built in Spain, in 1930, the three-masted schooner was refitted and re-rigged in 1978 and logs 10,000 sea miles annually. With its colorful sunburst sails, Capitan Miranda has won the “Most Spirit” award at many previous tall ship festivals around the world. Additional information on Capitan Miranda is available here.

All three ships will be open for public visitations during their stays in Norfolk. Specific dates and times for visitations will be announced in the weeks leading up to each ship’s arrival. Special rates for school group tours are available upon request. Contact Festevents at (757)-441-2345 for group tours.