WHEN the tall ships return to Bermuda in 2009 — part of celebrations surrounding the 400th anniversary of the Sea Venture wreck — their numbers are expected to be greater than ever with entrants from across the globe signing up.Tall Ships Executive Committee chairman Eric Thomson has predicts between 30 and 40 tall ships will be on hand for the festival, which gets a boost in 2009 as it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy, bringing a number of military tall ships.

He said a fleet of ships from Europe would race to Bermuda and gather back in Halifax for another leg of the race.

This leg will end in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“We think the numbers will clearly rival (Tall Ships) 2000,” Mr. Thomson said.