Join us on a tall ship cruise to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of Scottish pioneer immigrant ship "Hector" which landed in Nova Scotia in September 1773.


The Scottish Studies Foundation invites you and your family and friends to join us on our 21^st Annual Tall Ship Cruise on Sunday, September 2 aboard Canada's largest sailing ship, the Empire Sandy. Join in the fun and help keep the Scottish pioneering spirit alive!

Singers, dancers and the sound of the pipes will accompany and entertain you with songs and music from Scotland and Canada as you cruise under full sail out on Lake Ontario.

Anyone who has participated in this event before will agree that the view of the Toronto skyline from the lake is spectacular and the hustle and bustle of ships of all colours, shapes and sizes is a delight to the eye.

Add to that the sound of the pipes, the colour of the tartan, the sentiment of the folk music and the thrill of Highland dancing and you have a day to remember.

If ever there was a photo opportunity, this is it -- so be sure to bring your camera as it will be a day to remember! The CNE's spectacular Air Show is also on that day - an added bonus!

The Empire Sandy will be docked on the south side of Queens Quay West, directly opposite Lower Spadina Avenue, beside the Music Garden. Parking is readily available in the vicinity of Harbourfront but be sure to leave yourself time to find a spot. (Click here for map.) Public transportation is via the LRT (Light Rapid Transit streetcar) that originates from Union Station.

This is a unique opportunity for you to share the experience of a voyage on a tall ship under full sail and recapture the spirit of Canada's pioneers!

Our annual Tall Ship Cruise commemorates the historic voyage of pioneer ship "Hector" which arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1773. The Canadian Post Office (Canada Post) issued this eight-cent stamp in 1973 to mark the 200^th anniversary of this event.

Actually, there will be two cruises. The morning cruise will board at 11:00 a.m. and the afternoon cruise, which takes in the air show, boards at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets purchased in advance are $25 for adults and $5 for children (15 and under). Tickets purchased on day of sail: $30 adults, $5 children. Food and drinks are available for purchase on board the ship.

Maggie McEwan

You can order tickets by mail or online and should you have any questions or need more information, please telephone Maggie McEwan at 905-301-5475, magmcewan@gmail.com . You can also download our flyer here. Also, a short film of our first cruise which took place in 1992 can be seen here.

We look forward to seeing you on board!