It was anchors away last weekend as Shipwreck Isle sailed into port and the golden sands of Ryde became a pirates’ paradise for 2 glorious days.
Hundreds of salty seadogs and buccaneers headed to Ryde for the free event, which is part of Visit Isle of Wight’s (VIOW) Festival of the Sea celebrations.
VIOW worked with Roger Crouch, the man behind the Hastings Pirate Day event, to make Shipwreck Isle even bigger and better than before. Held for just 1 day in 2015, the hugely popular event was extended to 2 days with events and activities that included a Pirates of the Caribbean Village, Blackbeard’s market, live stunt action and an evening of entertainment on the Saturday night.
Visit Isle of Wight believes Shipwreck Isle has a genuine potential to grow into a major, world-class event for the Island – and encourage more out of season visitors to its shores.
Katie Jones, Events Manager for Visit Isle of Wight, said:
“This year’s Shipwreck Isle went extremely well and created a real buzz as local people and visitors interacted with pirates and the various pirate-themed events and activities.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Roger and his team as well as Island businesses people like Airon Baker and Damien Walsh, who were involved in creating such a fabulous event”.
The Festival of the Sea runs from 18th June – 3rd July and during that period there are lots more sea-themed events and activities for visitors and local people to enjoy.
A new highlight this year, the world’s leading annual solo sailing race, the Solitaire Bompard – Le Figaro comes to Cowes from 22nd-26th June.
The Solitaire Race Village in Cowes will be free to visit during five full days of fun, and will include food markets, a drinks bar, live music, plus an opportunity for those who want to try their hands at sailing on the Solent – courtesy of the sailing academy UKSA. Alongside the live entertainment, there will be a host of interactive family-friendly stands and activities.
Other major events include the Shakespeare Mardi Gras on 25th June and the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race on 2nd July.
Featured photograph: Marie Louise
