An estimated million spectators lined the Thames to watch what has been described as the largest river pageant in history to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who, at 86, is England’s oldest reigning monarch.  Over 1,000 boats participated and the pageant was dubbed a success notwithstanding a steady rain.  All concerned, including the UK’s oldest reigning monarch, did their best to ignore Britain’s raining weather.

Queen’s flotilla idea taken from old painting

On this side of the Atlantic, the Clipper Round the World fleet left the dock early this morning at Liberty Landing in Jersey City, sailed toward the harbor’s mouth and then back to Manhattan’s North Cove. The British boats in the  fleet passed the Statue of Liberty with spinnaker’s set in honor of the Queen.  Their entrance was coordinated to coincide with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, chairman of Clipper Ventures, sailing the Suhaili, the 32ft yacht on which he became the first person to sail single-handed non-stop around the world in 1969, up the Thames River in the Diamond Jubilee Pageant.   Unlike Sir Robin who, no doubt, was drenched by the British rain in the Thames, the Clipper fleet enjoyed fair weather. New York Harbor was clear with a pleasant south-westerly breeze.

Clipper Round the World Race – A salute to Queen’s Diamond Jubilee