SOLOMONS ISLAND, MD, May 23, 2018 – As summer arrives, Kalmar Nyckel, the Tall Ship of Delaware returns to Solomons Island on Thursday, June 14 through Sunday, June 17 – and you can sail aboard this magnificent square-rigged full scale replica of the merchant ship that brought Swedish settlers to North America in 1638.
Offering day sails and deck tours in partnership with the Calvert Marine Museum, the “Queen of the Tall Ship fleet” will be docked at Watermans Wharf, located at the end of Williams Street in Solomons. Guests who choose to sail are invited to haul lines, set sails, and enjoy maritime tales of the original Kalmar Nyckel – or just bring along a picnic and enjoy time on the water. Sailing tickets are $60 for adults $40 for children under 17, 5 and under free. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for children and under age 5 free.
For specific times and events, visit www.kalmarnyckel.org or contact the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation office at (302) 429-7447. Advance ticket purchases are recommended and can be made online at www.kalmarnyckel.org/BookASail.asp.
Kalmar Nyckel is an authentic seagoing re-creation of a 17th-Century Dutch-built armed merchant ship that offers passengers a hands-on, interactive sailing adventure! Captain Sharon Dounce and her volunteer crew stand ready to make the trip exciting for the whole family – and a treat for Father’s Day.
For the more adventurous the Kalmar Nyckel also welcomes landlubbers to “walk the plank” and choose Pirate Sails when the ship’s crew don pirate and sailor garb. Pirate tales, scavenger hunts and the raising of the Jolly Roger are part of the fun. Costumes are optional for guests! Kalmar Nyckel was never a pirate vessel (but the crew loves to play the part for these events).
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation recognizes its enduring nautical partnership with the Calvert Marine Museum as well as Calvert County Waterman’s Association. Kalmar Nyckel’s summer schedule includes visits to Sail Philadelphia (Tall Ships Waterfront Festival), Norfolk Harborfest, Provincetown, MA, the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY, Lewes, Historic New Castle, Wilmington, DE, and Baltimore, MD.
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation is a non-profit educational organization with the mission of preserving and promoting the cultural and maritime heritage of Delaware and the Delaware Valley for the education and enrichment of all. The Foundation is a volunteer-based organization that built, owns, and operates the Kalmar Nyckel. The Tall Ship of Delaware is a present-day reproduction of the flagship from the 1638 expedition that founded the colony of New Sweden, establishing the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley.
Launched in 1997, Kalmar Nyckel serves as a floating classroom and an inspirational platform that offers people of all ages a variety of sea- and land-based recreational and educational experiences. The foundation also serves as a catalyst for social and economic development and outreach in and beyond the state of Delaware. For more information on Kalmar Nyckel sails, tours, charters, educational programs, volunteer opportunities and its home berth at the Tatiana and Gerret Copeland Maritime Center visit www.kalmarnyckel.org, call (302) 429-7447 and follow us on Facebook. Online tickets for sails can be purchased at www.kalmarnyckel.org/BookASail.asp.
Solomons Island Sailing Schedule (times subject to change)
Sailing: $60 for adults, $40 for children under 17. Tours: $10 for adults, $5 for children age 17 and under, age 5 and under free.
Thur., June 14, Sail 1:00-3:30 pm
Fri. June 15, Tours 10-11:00 am; Pirate Sail 12-2:30 pm and Evening Sail 5-7:30 pm
Sat. June 16, Tours 10-11:00 am; Sails at 12-2:30 pm and 5-7:30 pm
Sun. June 17, Pirate Sail 10-12:30 pm and Sail 2-4:30 pm