Onlookers clapped and small boats sounded their horns as the newly restored Bluenose II made its historic relaunch as a light drizzle gave way to a Nova Scotia sunrise early Saturday morning.
Thousands of Nova Scotians and visitors from across Canada donned rain gear and clutched coffees as the 43-metre vessel made its slow descent into the Lunenburg harbour.
The event marked the famed schooner's official return to the water after an extensive twoyear, $15.9-million restoration. Ottawa covered $4.9 million of the cost and the province paid the rest.
The schooner's entire hull and much of its deck made from Douglas fir have been replaced.
Premier Darrell Dexter was among the crowd that gathered along the waterfront, the same spot where the original Bluenose was launched more than 90 years ago.
More than 100 boats - from canoes to yachts - bobbed in the waters surrounding the Bluenose II as divers disappeared beneath the surface to detach the supports and chains holding the vessel to a transfer carriage. The schooner towered over the others, even without its two masts, canvas sails and rigging, which will be installed in the coming months.
The Bluenose II is a replica of the original Bluenose, a fishing and race schooner designed by William J. Roue that won worldwide acclaim for its graceful lines and flat-out speed.
The restoration was carried out by the Lunenburg Shipyard Alliance, Lunenburg Industrial Foundry and Engineering and Covey Island Boatworks, a news release said.
