Amsterdam gears up for Sail 2010

THE HAGUE – REPLICAS of a Russian frigate from 1703 and a merchant vessel sunk in 1745 will lead a fleet of some 50 tall ships into Amsterdam on Thursday for what organisers say is Europe’s biggest nautical event.

The tall ships – large vessels with multiple masts and rigged sails – will sail from the port of Ijmuiden on the Dutch west coast inland to Amsterdam via the North Sea Canal on Thursday morning. ‘Tall ships from dozens of countries will take part’ in Sail Amsterdam 2010, event spokeswoman Lucette Bruinsma told AFP.