Cirdan and the last ship

[Meklos]

I always wondered about this, and was hoping I could find some opinions here. It was mentioned in the appendix of the Return of the King that Cirdan was going to stay at the Grey Havens until the last ship sailed into the west. When do you think that was? When the term "last ship" was used, I presume it meant the last of the elves to go over sea. Now, most people seem to think that it was very early in the Fourth Age, but I'm not so sure. The Elves in Mirkwood seemed to be pretty content after the war, so I really couldn't see them leaving for awhile. Also, it was occasionally mentioned that there were lost Elven tribes in the East, the Avari, of which much was not known. So, when do you think the last of the Elves left, and who were they?

[Tar-Steve]

My interpretation is that it hasn't sailed yet and that Cirdan is still here.

[Lantarion]

I think most, if not all, of the Teleri departed from M-e. I have interpreted it so that the Avari never went to Valinor, but stayed forever in M-e (before they were killed, or the Last Battle comes).
And didn't Cirdan go with Gandalf, Frodo, Galadriel et al.? My memory is a bit hazy on the RotK, as I am rereading the Sil at the moment.

[Grond]

I'll research further but my memory leads me to believe that most of the Eldar returned to Aman before the end of Aragorn's reign. My understanding was that Elladin, Ellohir, and Celeborn left from the havens. Legolas, Prince of the Grey-elves but a Sindar Elf in his own right, sailed after the passing of Aragorn and took with him Gimli the dwarf who desired to see the lady Galadriel again.

I will get back when I have a definitive answer on this.

[Ståle]

I seem to remember it saying somewhere that "After Galadriel left, Celeborn left for Rivendell and there lived with the sons of Elrond"

Also, seeing as there some other place says that Elrond's children has the same choice as he (becoming elves and go into the West with him , or stay in Middle-Earth and become mortals. Perhaps as they didn't go with Elrond at once, they chose like their sister and wanted to stay in ME.

Rambling complete :D

[Halasían]

This is a great question! I always thought the 'Last Ship was a fugurative one tand was the one that took Frodo , the last ringbearer, over the sea.

[Niniel]

I think it was actually the last ship that sailed from the Grey Havens. Círdan went with that ship, so there was no other to guard the Havens and build a new ship there (after all, Legolas built his own ship in Ithilien, if there had been any ships in the Grey Havens he would have gone there). Many Elves stayed in Middle-Earth and never left, so there were no more ships needed.