After a month-long voyage across the Pacific ocean, the King of the Sea arrived on Steveston harbour in Richmond, BC to anchor as the centre piece of the “Ships to Shore” festival, which celebrates the maritime heritage of the region. Hailed as one of the largest tall ships in the world, the iconic Kaiwo Maru is a four-masted sail training vessel operating from Yokohoma, Japan. It last paid a visit to these shores nine years ago in 2017 for Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation.
The vessel was built in 1989 to replace another of the same name from the 1930s. While the classic good looks remained, the ship was upgraded with modern technology that improved performance and safety. Besides its illustrious history as a training vessel, the ship helped in the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. It has won awards and hold speed records such as the Boston Teapot Trophy.
The festival took place at Garry Point Park, which has open views of the harbour. There were tents and performance stages scattered throughout the grounds. I heard music, saw vendors, smelled delicious food, felt the swift breezes, and tasted the salty air (later replaced by tasty corn on the cub covered in Doritos).
In the distance, I could see the skeletal frame of the masts of the ship rising in the air with sails furled. There was a line of visitors who had purchased tickets to get a closer view of the vessel. As I didn't have a ticket and wasn’t in the mood for a security check with my backpack full of gear, I appreciated this beauty from the viewing zone on the beach, where a great number of people sat and relaxed with a good view of the majestic vessel.
The ship was built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries and is now operated by the Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training. With its lean and smart aerodynamic profile, the vessel looks like a white fox in the sea. It is well regarded for its educational, historical, and humanitarian contributions. It was definitely an honour to have seen it that day.
I used the above photo to generate an AI illustration with key stats of this vessel that I gleaned from the resources listed below. Thank you for sailing along with this icon of the sea.⚓️
Ships to Shore website
https://www.shipstoshore.ca/
Kaiwo Maru (1989)- Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiwo_Maru_(1989)
Kaiwo Maru (1989)- Grokipedia
https://grokipedia.com/page/kaiwo_maru_1989
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