Tall Ship Lynx sails into Marblehead on May 18

The Daily ItemMARBLEHEAD – The celebrated War of 1812 Tall Ship LYNX, “America’s Privateer,” will visit Marblehead on May 18-22 for its only port of call in New England.All are invited to welcome the 122-foot square top sail schooner Lynx as she sails into Marblehead for the first time as part of her five-year mission along the East Coast, the Great lakes and Canada. The campaign is in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner.”We are very excited for our visit to Marblehead and want to thank wholeheartedly our hosts, Marblehead Chamber of Commerce and its Board of Directors, The Town of Marblehead, The Harbor Master, The Landing Restaurant, Glovers Regiment, USCG, Shuttle service and their sponsors,” said Jeffrey Woods, director of operations for Lynx Educational Foundation, in a press release. “It is through their generous support that Marblehead residents will have the chance to walk the decks and step back in time aboard Lynx, America’s National Treasure.”The event will kick off on Wednesday at 4 p.m. with volleys of gunfire between Marblehead’s Glover’s Regiment and the Lynx as she is welcomed into the harbor, and Julie Hahnke will bagpipe throughout the event. Viewers are suggested to watch from Fort Sewall in Marblehead. The Lynx will then dock at the State Street Landing and onlookers will have the opportunity to meet the crew at the Landing Restaurant, 81 Front St.”We look at this as a great opportunity to celebrate our maritime heritage here in Marblehead and as an opportunity to stimulate the local economy. This will be a perfect start to our tourism season,” added Marblehead Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ann Marie Casey.During its visit, the Lynx will be offering educational public ship tours and adventure sails. Visitors will be able to relive history with the crew who was hired to train the cast of the hit movie Pirates of the Caribbean. With these interactive programs, the Lynx has been awarded the 2011 Nautical Maritime Historical Society’s Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Education. On Thursday and Friday ship tours will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and public adventure sails will be offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Then, on Friday evening, join event organizers, the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce and the Landing Restaurant for a special reception followed by an evening sail. Ship tours and public adventure sails will resume on Saturday and Sunday.Ship tours are $5 for adults and free for children, and sailing adventures are $55 for adults and $30 for children. Boarding is at the State Street Public Landing, Downtown Marblehead For reservations call 866-446-5969 or visit www.privateerlynx.org for online ticketing. Tickets for the Chamber Night on the Lynx are $75 per person, For tickets and information: call 781-631-2868.