The Ships Come In

Stretching upward from the Seine River, dozens of tall ships gracefully slipped into France’s Rouen harbor for the “Armada of the Century.”Among the arrivals was the Mir, a hulking 356-foot-long triple-mast ship from the Russian National Maritime Academy. Thirty tall ships, 12 battleships and more than 30 barges will dock at the harbor for the millenium’s “ largest gathering of tall ships.” Festivities are planned for the tall ships’ 10-day stay in France, including nightly fireworks and a handful of concerts. On the final day the boats will glide up the Seine in formation to the northern seaside resort of St. Malo. Officials hope to stage the event every five years.