Father's Day feast at River Festival; Treat dad to meal on a tall ship.Byline: Deborah James THIS year's Mersey River Mersey River River, northern Tasmania, Australia. Fed by the Dasher and Fisher rivers, the Mersey flows 91 mi (146 km) north, east, and again north to enter an estuary at Latrobe and then empty into Bass Strait at Devonport. Festival promises a feast of entertainment for men across the region with four historic tall ships being turned into floating restaurants to celebrateFather's Day. Now in its 23rd year, the festival is the largest maritime event of its type in Europe and a key element in Merseyside's bid for World Heritage status. It is expected to attract more than 300,000 visitors to celebrate the city's maritime history Maritime history is a broad thematic element of global history. As an academic subject, it crosses the boundaries of standard disciplines, focusing on understanding mankind's various relationships to the oceans, seas, and major waterways of the globe. with entertainment including sea shanty shanty, in music: see chantey. performances, an illuminated narrow boat parade and military displays. More than 100 vessels,including several of the of the world's finest tall ships, will moor for three days in the Albert, Canning and Canning Half Tide docks from June 13-16. In previous years the privilege of dining aboard the historic tall ships has been reserved for companies hiring out entire decks for pounds 1,000-pounds 2,000. But this year four ships will open for the first time with an a la carte menu for Father's Day. Champagne breakfast or dinner are being offered aboard the majesticMatthew of Bristol in the Albert Dock, facing the Tate gallery. The same package is available of the Bessie Ellen and Phoenix in the Canning Dock, and the Grand Turk in the Canning Half Tide Dock The Canning Half Tide Dock on the River Mersey is part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the southern dock system, connected to Canning Dock to the east, Albert Dock to the south and the Mersey to the west. The dock was opened in 1753. . A seafaring breakfast from 8.30am9.30am will include bucks fizz,kedgeree kedg·er·ee n. A dish consisting of flaked fish, boiled rice, and eggs. [Urdu khich  and kippers, smoked back bacon, oak leaf smoked salmon in
a Hollandaise sauce, Welsh rarebit,croissants, a selection of fresh
breads and tropical fruit,at pounds 30 per head.
An alternative pounds 40 evening menu from 7.30pm till midnight includes a three course meal with wine and entertainment. Sylvia Boyle, partner in St Helens-based corporate hospital-ity and events management company Denovo, said: ``How often do you get the opportunity to take your dad on board a tall ship for a champagne breakfast or an exclusive dinner against the backdrop of the Mersey skyline? ``When you walk on to them it makes you feel tingly. Even the ones that were built more recently are very grand.'' Businesses are also being offered the chance to hire out ships during the Festival, with a list of recommended bands and caterers to choose from. Prices up around 25pc on last year to hire a deck but corporate bookings for the Friday are already sold out, with Jaguar Cars on the Grand Turk, the Mersey Partnership on the Phoenix, Bullivant-Jones solicitors on Bessie Ellen and Chester-basedEnterprise support Partners on the Matthew of Bristol. Call Sylviaor Sonia at Denovo on 01744 454 367 to reserve your place or call the tourist information hot line on 0906 680 6886 for more information about the festival. GRAND TURK Capacity:Upper deck 200 Grand Cabin 40Availability: Hire: pounds 2,000(evenings only) Something of a television star, this magnificent ship was launched in Marmaris,Turkey,in August 1997. Grand Turk was the first wooden British frigate frigate (frĭg`ĭt), originally a long, narrow nautical vessel used on the Mediterranean, propelled by either oars or sail or both. Later, during the 18th and early 19th cent. to be built for more than 50 years. She shot to fame sailing to the Crimean coast of the Black Sea in September 1997 for the filming of the first series of ``Hornblower''. MATTHEW OF BRISTOL Capacity: Top deck 60 Availability: Evening 6pmmidnight; breakfast 7.30am10am. Hire: pounds 1,000(evening) pounds 200 (breakfast). An elegant replica of a 15thcentury square tigged carvel carvel: see caravel. . In 1997 the replicaMatthew followed the same course as John Cabot in 1497. She sailed to Newfoundland carrying the same size crew as the original vessel and took the same time to complete the crossing. PHOENIXMain deck 75 Availability: Evening 6pmmidnight; breakfast 7.30am10am.Hire : pounds 2,000(night); pounds 200 (breakfast). Hollywood star Phoenix was built in Denmark in 1929. In 1991 the vessel was converted into a 15th century caravel caravel (kăr`əvĕl') or carvel (kär`vəl), three-masted sailing vessel, generally square-rigged with the aftermast lateen-rigged. It had a roundish hull with a high bow and stern. to replicate the Santa Maria, the flagship of Christopher Columbus, ready to appear in Ridley Scott's film1492:Conquest ofParadise. In 1996 she was converted into a two-masted brig. BESSIE ELLEN7.30pmmidnight deck 60 Availability: Evening 6pmmidnight; breakfast 7.30am- 10am. Hire: pounds 1,000(evening); pounds 200 (breakfast). Launched in 1907,Bessie Ellen is one of the last remaining examples of a West Country trading ketch. She is the smallest, yet oldest of the four on hire this year. The ship was restored by Devon sailor Nikki Alford who saw her in a Danish shipyard. Capacity: Top |
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