Would-be mariners have a chance to cruise on The Tall Ship Empire Sandy when she arrives for Whitby Harbour Days on Saturday. 

According to Wikapedia, the Empire Sandy was built in England in 1943 as a deep sea tugboat for the Royal Navy to salvage merchant ships damaged in the Battle of the Atlantic and other naval engagements during the Second World War.   In 1952 she was sold to Great Lakes Paper Company and named Chris M; that began fifteen years towing timber rafts for Lake Superior logging companies.

In the early 1970s the ship was to be sold for scrap, but the steel hull was still in very good condition and she was bought by Nautical Adventures Co.  She was completely rebuilt as a three masted schooner in the style of the 1880s and assumed her original name, the Empire Sandy.

This photograph courtesy of Durham Region photographer Paul James.   Download My Durham Desktop to have other gorgeous images of Durham Region delivered to your desktop.

For more information about other events in Durham Region, or to add your own, please visit www.ExploreDurham.ca/events.