More than 100,000 people ventured to the waterfront this weekend to stand in awe of the Tall Ships.

The masses blended in with the skyline, with crowds filling Canalside and the marina to marvel at the masts and sails.

“Turnout was amazing I heard Friday there was like 45,000 people down here so I think overall it was a pretty good thing for our area,” said Maria Lana Buscaglia of Tonawanda.

This was the first time the Tall Ships have made their way to Buffalo, but with new events comes trial and error.

Some visitors said they hope to see the ships return in the future but with some changes.

“We came on Saturday and actually it rained really really hard,” Buscaglia said. “The lack of organization when we were getting our passports was a bit much to deal with, so next time if they came maybe the city of Buffalo could improve that and the ticketing process but all and all these ships were amazing and really interesting to see.”

Some visitors said fences set up around Canalside during the festival kept them from enjoying open spaces along the waterfront, while others wondered why the fences were there in the first place as they weren’t in place for Independence Day activities.

Brian Roche, chair of the security committee for the Tall Ships, said his group intended to put up the fences for additional security.

For that reason, others waited until Monday to see the ships when it was less crowded.

But they’re happy to see bigger events like this happen and bring even more attention to Buffalo.

“I read that people were coming all over the county to see these so that was kinda like whoa look at us,” said Christy Shafer of West Falls.

While many of the ships will be departing Monday, a crowd favorite, the Santa Maria, will be docked through July 14. The ship will also take visitors aboard on its own schedule.