We had a front-row seat for history. On June 19, 2026, RADIAN took her place on the water for the Parade of Sail at Sail250® Virginia in Norfolk, and we spent the day surrounded by tall ships from around the world, watching centuries of maritime tradition sail right past our bow.

The Eagle led the fleet in, and it’s hard to describe what it’s like watching a ship like that come toward you on the water. She’s massive, she’s beautiful, and for a moment the whole harbor seemed to hold its breath.

Ship after ship followed. Some carried the crisp white sails we expected, others surprised us with color, like the training ship out of Peru, her red sails standing out against the overcast sky. From the towering square-riggers to the graceful schooners, every vessel told a different story, and every one of them made RADIAN feel like part of something much bigger than a single afternoon on the Elizabeth River.

We didn’t just watch the parade, we were part of it.

There’s something we won’t forget about sailing our own ketch through a fleet of tall ships, knowing RADIAN has her own history stretching back just as far as some of the vessels around her.

And of course, the boys were right there with us, taking it all in. Days like this are exactly why we do this: not just for us, but for them.

By the end of the day, the parade gave way to something simpler: warm water, a boat to jump off of, and a full send from Sean that pretty much summed up the whole afternoon.

Fair winds and following seas,
Anna and Austin

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