A stunning replica of a 400-year-old boat has passed through Montrose Harbour en route to Holland, where she will lead a series of celebrations this summer.
Half Moon is a full-scale recreation of the 85ft Halve Maen ship which was sailed by Henry Hudson from Amsterdam to what is now New York Harbour in 1609.
Half Moon arrived on board a cargo ship at Montrose on Sunday and left on Tuesday evening.
Normally berthed at the New Netherland Museum of Albany in New York, she has recently been used during filming of an HBO mini-series in Massachusetts.
The vessel is being loaned to the Westfries Museum in Hoorn for five years and will lead the 400th Anniversary of the Discovery of Cape Hoorn ceremonies in June and the Sail Amsterdam festival in August.
The ship will be formally presented by American officials at a ceremony in Hoorn on May 23.
Montrose Port Authority chief executive John Paterson said the Half Moon was only in the Angus port because the Big Line cargo ship MV Traveller was dropping off another load.
He said: “It is a sight to see and has been highly visible from the south side of the harbour.
“I imagine it’s been creating a lot of interest. It’s a scale replica of the ship that first went to Hudson all those centuries ago. Although the ship is a Dutch replica, it is American.”
In 1909 a replica of Halve Maen was given to the United States by the Netherlands on the 300th anniversary of Hudson’s voyage. However, this perished in a fire in New York in 1934.
Half Moon was constructed in Albany, New York, in 1989 at a cost of $1 million and sailed on the Hudson River, serving as a travelling museum.
The crown prince of the Netherlands took part in the 400th anniversary celebrations of Hudson’s crossing in 2009 on board the Half Moon.