God save the Queen and Brest 2016, of course

Our friends from across the Channel were in the spotlight today, 18 July. You must have seen and heard the Plymouth Pipe Band and Falmouth Marine Band at the Big Stage. Two groups of 50 musicians would be hard to miss!
For the Brest 2016 festival, around 100 boaters and their seacraft made the crossing, most notably the Bessie Ellen and Sibyl of Cumae (a Fife yacht which participated in the La Rochelle-Plymouth Regatta).

The brass bands came just before teatime, drums beating, to signal the arrival of the official delegation: François Cuillandre, Mayor and President of Brest Métropole; his counterpart Pauline Murphy, Lord Mayor of Plymouth; and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, patron of the Maritime Festival. The renowned sailor, first man to complete a non-stop, solo round-the-world voyage, said he was “delighted to be here”, calling the Festival “unique” and a “fantastic” experience. “It’s just a wonderful celebration of maritime history,” he went on, adding: “We share a lot of maritime heritage – British and French. We should remember that. Just keep it strong.”

After visiting each of the booths – Plymouth and the Pilgrim Fathers, Old Gaffers, Traditional Rope Work and many more – the officials performed the traditional gift-giving, followed by a speech in which Mayor Cuillandre noted England’s first time taking the spotlight at the Festival, and expressed his happiness to pay tribute to the great maritime nation. Lord Mayor Murphy noted the close relationship between the two countries and expressed her hope that this partnership would continue for a long time.