In an exciting few weeks for the Island, we will have two major events on our doorstep. Later in the month is the London Marathon, but next week is a Tall Ships Regatta at Greenwich.
Over the Easter weekend, Greenwich will host the start of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta. The regatta, organised by Sail Training International, will sail from Greenwich to Quebec in Canada, to mark the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation.
The fleet of over 30 large Class A and B Tall Ships will gather for four days on the River Thames at Greenwich and Woolwich before setting sail for Canada via Sines in Portugal, Bermuda and Boston.
The ships will be anchored in the Thames alongside two Tall Ships festival villages. These will be located at the Maritime Greenwich in Greenwich town centre, and the Royal Arsenal riverside in Woolwich.
In the festival villages, there will be food stalls serving street foods and drinks will be available at bars at each of the Festival sites.
Some ships will be open for visitors to get on board to look around and talk to the crew and visitors can buy tickets to enjoy a cruise on the Tall Ships on the Thames to Tower Bridge and back.
There will plenty of maritime entertainment and live music from Thursday 13 April to Sunday 16 April, before the huge Parade of Sail starting at 5pm from Deptford Creek on Sunday 16 April.
During the Parade of Sail, the whole Tall Ships fleet will sail together down the Thames to the sea, before crossing the Atlantic and arriving in Quebec on 18 July 2017.
Watching the tall ships is always a fantastic sight and I will be out and about bringing you some stories and articles from the Regatta.
If you would like to find out more, visit the Royal Greenwich website here
Isle of Dogs Life 
I love your blog, which I just found while I was looking for photos of the Isle of Dogs and the U bend in the river. Thank you for writing such wonderful stories.
Fancy me finding your article today, April 16th, of the part of the river opposite Greenwich, which I call “home”. I am away right now traveling. Thanks to you I have some lovely photos to look at. Your blog really is a beautiful piece of work.
I barely started mine. I am sharing your post now at http://portlythoughts.wordpress.com
Hopefully when I get back, I’ll have time to start writing again.
Hi Carole,
Many Thanks for your kind words, I have been writing this for some time and I am sure yours will be great once you get into your stride.
I have amended your reply to Jan as instructed.
I look forward to reading more of your posts soon.