Sunshine, light breezes and a colourful fleet of traditional craft combined to provide ideal conditions for Saturday's Parade of Sail at the Crosshaven Traditional Sail Festival.
The Festival enjoyed a picture-perfect Saturday as a fleet of classic and traditional craft paraded through Cork Harbour under blue skies and light winds.
Following the annual RNLI Sea Service and Blessing of the Boats at Hugh Coveney Pier, participating vessels assembled off Cage Buoy before setting out on a cruise in company through the harbour.
Festival Spirit — Crew aboard Heron enjoy near-perfect conditions during Saturday's Parade of Sail at the Crosshaven Traditional Sail Festival. Photo: Robert Bateman
As Afloat reported earlier, the gathering brought together an eclectic mix of restored classics, traditional sailing vessels and heritage craft, creating a colourful spectacle on the water and along the waterfront.
With sunshine replacing the unsettled conditions that had dominated earlier in the week, spectators lined the harbour shore to watch the fleet pass by one of Ireland's most historic sailing communities.
Sailing Heritage — A mixed fleet of traditional craft and classic yachts passes Whitegate during the Parade of Sail, one of the highlight events of the Crosshaven Traditional Sail Festival. Photo: Robert Bateman
The annual festival celebrates traditional boatbuilding, seamanship and maritime heritage, while also raising the profile of the classic vessels that remain an important part of Cork Harbour's sailing culture.
Afloat photographer Robert Bateman captured the fleet at its finest as sails filled, bunting fluttered and crews paraded their vessels through the harbour during one of the festival's showcase events.
The festival concludes on Sunday with a community breakfast in aid of Crosshaven Sea Scouts, a further cruise in company and the weekend prizegiving ceremony.
