Posted: 24/06/2025 10:08:13
With Aberdeen preparing to welcome the international fleet of the Tall Ships Races this July, it’s the perfect time for us aboard Glenlee to reflect on the significance of this event in our own recent history.
Back in 1999, the Tall Ships Races—then known as the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race—made a much-anticipated stop in Greenock before continuing north to Lerwick in Shetland. The Clyde was alive with maritime celebration, and among the many vessels open to the public that weekend, Glenlee held pride of place.
Image courtesy of Elizabeth Allen
An estimated 20,000 people came aboard Glenlee during the event, marking a major milestone in her journey. The ship had returned to the Clyde just a few years earlier in 1993 and was in Greenock as part of a drydock programme, undergoing the final phases of an intensive six-year restoration effort. That summer of 1999 saw Glenlee officially launched as a visitor attraction for the very first time.
Although we’re now proudly based in Glasgow, it’s fitting that Glenlee first opened her gangways to the public in Greenock—just downriver from Port Glasgow, where she was built in 1896. Her first public appearance took place in the very waters that launched her into the world, making it a homecoming of sorts, and a poignant beginning to her new life as a museum ship.
The Tall Ships Races are more than just a nautical spectacle—they are a celebration of international friendship, and cultural exchange. Organised by Sail Training International, the races bring together young people from across the globe to crew ships, build friendships, and learn skills that transcend borders. Each port city that hosts the fleet becomes home to a floating community of cooperation and camaraderie, reminding us of the power of shared experiences and the enduring bonds forged at sea.
Glenlee’s first home as a museum ship was at Yorkhill Quay—now the site of the Clydeside Distillery—before she made her way to her current berth at Pointhouse Place in 2011, where she continues to welcome visitors from around the world.
As Aberdeen celebrates the spectacle of sail this summer, we remember our own place in that shared tradition. Events like the Tall Ships Races don't just honour maritime heritage—they also inspire new generations to connect with the sea, with history, and with the incredible stories that ships like Glenlee carry.