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For three days in late July 2000, thousands of locals and tourists were drawn to Portland’s waterfront.

With eyes fixed on Casco Bay, they were there to see the tall ships of OpSail 2000.

Some ships, like the Coast Guard training vessel Eagle, moored and allowed visitors. Others had to be viewed from a distance during the awe-inspiring parade.

About 23 ships sailed into Casco Bay. More than a dozen countries were represented, including Italy, Denmark, Chile, Argentina and Ukraine.

Here are five photos that capture the glory of OpSail 2000.

On July 28, red-sailed Larinda followed other tall ships into Portland Harbor as hundreds of pleasure boaters lined up in front of Fort Gorges to watch the OpSail 2000 parade. The Larinda is a replica of a 1976 Boston schooner. (John Patriquin/Staff Photographer)
On July 29, visitors flocked to the Coast Guard training ship Eagle docked at the Maine State Pier during OpSail 2000. (David MacDonald/Staff Photographer)
The Argentinian tall ship Libertad was assisted by a tug as it entered Portland Harbor during the OpSail 2000 parade. (John Patriquin/Staff Photographer)
On July 28, the Cisne Branco fired a cannon as she passed the crowded Eastern Promenade in Portland. The vessel is a Brazilian Navy full-rigged tall ship. (Herb Swanson/Staff Photographer)
On July 31, Catherine Chabot of Scarborough waved goodbye to the Bat’kivshchyna, a schooner from Kiev, Ukraine. The boat was heading out the Portland channel past Cushing Island after taking part in the OpSail 2000 week in Portland. One of the last to leave the Port of Portland, the converted fishing vessel was traveling the world as a goodwill ambassador as part of the Discover Ukraine program and traveled over 7,000 miles from her home port. (Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer)

See more photos of life in Maine from our archives here.

Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town...

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