FESTIVAL 07.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE DRAMA SURROUNDING THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT WHITEHAVEN HAS EVER WITNESSED SEEMS TO BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE CONTINUATION OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MARITIME FESTIVAL " WHICH BRINGS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO THE TOWN . DESPITE THE FLOW OF STATEMENTS FROM MANY SOURCES AS TO IT'S IMPORTANCE AND VALUE , THE HARD WORKING GROUP OF PEOPLE BEHIND THE EVENT SEEM BI-ANNUALLY FACED WITH THE ENORMOUS PROBLEM OF SECURING FINANCIAL BACKING.
AS RECENTLY AS SEPTEMBER 21..2006 THE "NEWS" WAS PROCLAIMING.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER THAT THE ORGANISERS COULD RELAX WHEN THE "NEWS " REPORTED ...
FROM THAT POINT ONWARDS MATTERS IMPROVED AND THERE A SUCCESSION OF NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING PROGRAMME WHET OUR APPETITES WITH PROMISES OF PLANES AND PIRATES ,TALL SHIPS AND WAR SHIPS ETC ..ETC ..ETC.. WE LOOKED ALL SET FOR ANOTHER GREAT DAY!!!!
IN THE VERY WEEK OF THE FESTIVAL MOTHER NATURE INTERVENED. FIRST OF ALL TUESDAY ..12TH.JUNE SAW FLASH FLOODS IN TOWN AND A SLICE OF THE MARKET WAS DAMAGED.
THEN , ON THE VERY EVE OF THE GREAT DAY YET ANOTHER THREAT APPEARED.... THE FORECAST WAS FAR FROM GOOD ....NEWS WHICH WE TOOK VERY BADLY IN VIEW OF THE GLORIOUS WEATHER ENJOYED ON THE PREVIOUS EVENTS. HOWEVER THE SHOW MUST GO ON AND ....IT DID!!!!!! AS THE WEEK UNFOLDED SO DID THE PREPARATIONS..
THE VITALLY IMPORTANT LOOS WERE BEING DOTTED AROUND THE HARBOUR AND THE PORTA CABINS WERE BEING SITED FOR THE MANAGEMENT STAFF.
THE ZEBU AND THE GLACIER ...OLD FAVOURITES BY NOW WERE ALREADY AT ANCHOR.
HUGE LORRIES APPEARED CARRYING ALL THE TRAPPINGS NEEDED FOR SUCH A GOOD SHOW AS OURS, AND ON BOTH EXTREMES OF THE HARBOUR THE FUN FAIR WAS GROWING APACE.. FOOD OUTLETS WERE THERE IN ABUNDANCE TO KEEP THE ESTIMATED 300,000 VISITORS FROM HUNGER.
AND SOME RATHER STRANGE CHARACTERS APPEARED TO BE GUARDING THE WHOLE SET UP.
BY THURSDAY MORNING , UNDER THREATENING RAIN CLOUDS THE SCENE WAS SET. MORE SHIPS HAD ARRIVED .THE MATTHEW AND GRAND TURK DOMINATED THE SUGAR TONGUE AND IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE BOTH WERE INVADED BY INQUISITIVE VISITORS.
WITH THE TURK HIMSELF WATCHING THAT HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES WERE NOT BROKEN IN REGARDS TO THE CANNONS CROWDS BOARDED .
IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THE CROWDS WERE IMMENSE AND THERE WAS PLENTY FOR ALL TO SEE, EAT, DRINK AND DO!!!!!!!PROVIDING YOU WEREN,T STUFFED WITH CANDY FLOSS ,A RIDE ON EITHER THE LIFEBOAT OR THE HOVER CRAFT MIGHT HAVE INTERESTED YOU!!
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AT THE SUGAR TONGUE THE SHIPS OF YEARS GONE BY ,WERE JOINED BY THE SHIPS OF TODAY IN THE FORM OF THE WHILE IN THE DISTANT BACKGROUND THE BALMORAL WAITED TO TAKE ITS PASSENGERS ON A TRIP DOWN THE COAST
NOT ALL THE VISITORS WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME ON BOARD FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER!!!!
Call back soon for more Maritime crack .