The Pride of Baltimore II's Log
JUNE 1996
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996
TIME: 0810 LMT
TIME: 0810 LMT
Pride II has arrived in Amsterdam, Holland after a somewhat delayed
departure from the mouth of the Elbe River in the SE corner of the North
Sea, in which the city of Hamburg is found. The wind had blown from the
West and NW for over 8 days, sometimes reaching speeds of 45 knots. In
the shallowness of the North Sea, this built up a short, choppy sea,
which Pride II would have made no progress in since we had to head West
for a stretch of over 200 miles. So we sat at anchor for 2 1/2 days
waiting it out. In the four years that I have shared the command of
Pride II this is the first time I have been late for a scheduled
arrival. Not bad considering all the miles Pride II has travelled. So
now we are in Amsterdam, the city of canals, where one can walk the
streets for days and not stroll along the same canal or street twice.
On every corner is a small store selling foods and goods from every
corner of civilization. The city is fast-paced yet it is easy to find
an out of the way cafe to sit, eat a scone, and have some heavy brewed
corner of civilization. The city is fast-paced yet it is easy to find
an out of the way cafe to sit, eat a scone, and have some heavy brewed
coffee or European beer while reading your favorite book.
We leave here on Thursday for a daysail to Rotterdam, which is sure to
be a successful stop. Rotterdam is a "sister city" to Baltimore and
great things are planned for our arrival.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Tuesday, June 18, 1996
TIME: 0810 LMT
Pride II has been in Hamburg, Germany for 3 days now and it has been a
charming and productive visit. We arrived under sunny skies with the
wind at our backs. The cannons announced our arrival and at least 500
people watched us arrive. The local TV crew were aboard. We had picked
them up when we were downstream from Hamburg some 20 miles. After
arrival we had an open house with some 446 people visiting us in a mere
2 hours. On Sunday, it was another open house with 1,332 people
visiting Pride II. On Sunday afternoon, a formal ceremony was held on
Pride II's deck to kick off the CyberClipper project between Germany and
Baltimore.
An old friend of Pride II who lives in Germany came to visit the ship
Sunday evening. A native Baltimorean, graduate of Towson High School,
and a resident of Rodgers Forge (his parents still live on Bellona Ave),
pastor John W. Siegmund, Jr. came aboard with 2 of his 3 teenage
children, to bless the ship and the crew. He performed this ceremony in
1990 when Pride II visited Hamburg for the first time. Pastor Siegmund
has lived in Hamburg for 20 years now as a Pastor for the
Episcopalian-Lutheran church. As I live in Rodgers Forge myself, it was
especially meaningful to me to have the pastor come aboard and to ask
God to look over Pride II and her crew as we travel the world's oceans.
Monday we had a visit from a local high school in conjunction with the
CyberClipper project. The rest of the day was spent doing maintenance
to the ship. Today we have two receptions, one with the Maryland Port
Administration and the second with Andreas Zachariassen, Inc.
The port of Hamburg reminds me somewhat of the port of Seattle,
Washington. One side full of commercial activity with tugs and small
commercial traffic constantly scurrying about like ants and the other
side is the tourist side, with charter vessels bustling about to keep
the mobs of sightseers happy. Hamburg is one busy port.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996
TIME: 1830 LMT
Here is today's Cyber Clipper Entry:
An update from the Cyber Clipper Contingent aboard Pride of Baltimore II.
Last evening after we pulled into the protection of land and the ship's
movement settled, the project saw substantial progress. Several points
of collaboration between the Hamburg and Baltimore artworks are now
being discussed.
It is apparent that in our time, professionals from different countries
can find each other allready up-to-date and even of similar minds on
current issues in their fields. In the early nineteenth century, this
was not likely. The fact is that cross- cultural communications go on
constantly and rapidly. But that said, what a conducive background this
wonderful ship makes for discovering these issues.
This morning, while still at anchor waiting for the wind to drop and the
sea to lay down, we had another excellent session of work--still
generating more possibilities for the collaboration, and discussing the
net. What became immediately apparent was the fact that TIME has a
different meaning on the Pride II than it does on the internet. It was
conceivable that we could be even days late to Hamburg due to weather
conditions--and to think of our impatience when on- line waiting a few
seconds for an image to download.
This afternoon video was taken of the ship under sail, and Drew, the
ship's engineer, gave us several knot demonstrations which we first
caught on video, then practiced until learned. This close-up, manual
skill, seemed so engaging when compared to typing on this keyboard.
This could be our last entry from the Pride II, depending on the
elements.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996
TIME: 1515 LMT
POSITION: Latitude 54 56,3 N Longitude 012 34,4 E
SP: 7.0 knots. C: 200M. WX: WNW 18-25 knots; gusty. SS: 3-5 H.
chop. T: 64F. BP: 1024 rising. SKY: Mostly overcast. 24 WX:
NW'erly 8-15 knots. 24HP: Entrance to Kiel Bay.
Pride of Baltimore II departed Copenhagen, Denmark this morning after a
delay of one day. The weather held us in port as gale-force winds from
the S and SW started to blow yesterday afternoon. We have been sailing
since leaving the Harbor with W and WNW winds sometimes gusting to 32
knots, but mostly the wind has been blowing about 20 knots. With just
the foresail and staysail we have averaged about 8 knots. We will set a
double-reefed main at 1600. With the forecast for it to moderate this
afternoon and evening we should be able to head west into Kiel Bay later
tonight, but we shall see. If not, we will anchor up behind a head land
and wait for the sea conditions to moderate.
We had good attendance at the Open Houses in Copenhagen, with over 3,000
folks visiting the ship. We even had over six people from Baltimore
step up and say hi. The crew enjoyed the hospitality of the Danish
people. We were docked right in front of the Danish Royal Palace, so we
had lots of people constantly stopping by to look at Baltimore's pride.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996
TIME: 2115 LMT
Here is today's Cyber Clipper Entry:
An update from the Cyber Clipper Contingent aboard Pride of Baltimore II.
Today, with seas 3-5 feet, and a wind speed that was often thirty knots,
Lee and Frank gained new insights into the true nature of sailing a
clipper ship. Frank, without even waterproof boots or a hat, was active
and ready-to-go all day. Lee was able to work, but spent much of the
day in a rail-hugging meditation on the most visceral aspects of life
aboard ship.
The experience and subsequent information gained today, while not
terribly intellectual, is VERY important to the project.
Both artists agree that it will be difficult for cyber works to match
the TACTILITY of the clipper ship. But, it remains an important goal to
try.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Wednesday, June 12, 1996
TIME: 1930 LMT
The following entry is by those involved with Cyber Clipper Project:
On October 12, 1996, three projects on the internet by artists Lee Boot
(Baltimore), Frank Fietzek, and Arthur Schmidt (Hamburg) will come
on-line in conjunction with the project ABOARD THE CYBERCLIPPER, A
TRANSATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL ADVENTURE. This art and education
initiative is a collaboration between Pride, Inc., The Contemporary, a
museum presenting the art of our time in temporary sites, MPT, and the
Goethe Institute in the Baltimore-Washington, DC area, the Ministry of
Culture, and Kunsthaus in Hamburg, Germany. This week, project artists,
along with a curator, an internet designer, and a neurosurgeon are
sailing on the Pride II between Copenhagen and Hamburg. They are
discussing the difference between cultural exchange in the time of the
clipper and today, the era of the internet. From June 12-15, visitors
to this Website can follow the route of the clipper and the trajectory
of the cyberclipper discussions through "log" entries by project artists
Lee Boot and Frank Fietzek.
For more information on this project, visit our home page at
http://www.glows.com/cyberclipper/
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996
TIME: 1540 LMT
POSITION: Latitude 54 48,9 N Longitude 012 36,3 E
SP: 7.2 knots. C: 007M. WX: Var winds 2-5 knots.
SS: Ripple, no swell. T: 73F. BP: 1022 falling.
SKY: Mostly sunny. 24HP: Copenhagen
We arose this morning to another beautiful day as the high pressure area
continues to dominate the weather pattern. The morning was sunny and
cool, yet it was obvious it would get warm. We got underway after
breakfast by setting sail and then aweighing anchor. We sailed off the
hook and proceeded north. The wind was light but with all plain sail
set plus the topgallant and st'b'd studs'l we moved along at 7.5 knots
with an apparent wind of 16 knots. The wind finally died out at about
1400. As we have some 50 NM to go, we are now motoring. The crew have
been working on deck, with an occasional stoppage of work to watch the
many military jets fly by, which are no more than 200-300 feet off the
"deck" of Pride II. It is now just spring here in the Baltic states so
we are encountering lots of pollen floating in the water.
Tonight we will anchor up off Sweden by the community of Skanor, some
22NM south of Copenhagen, Denmark.
A MESSAGE FROM CAPTAIN BOB GLOVER
ABOARD PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
DATE: Wednesday, June 5, 1996
TIME: 1515 LMT
POSITION: Latitude 54 34,9 N Longitude 011 04,1 E
SP: 7.2 knots. C: 115M. WX: Ely 8-12 knots.. SS: Small chop. T:
71F. BP: 1030mm steady. SKY: Sunny w/few cirrus clouds.
This morning we awoke to the finest day yet. No clouds in the sky and
pure sunshine. It's warm enough to wear shorts and for some crew the
first time they have had their long johns off. We washed down the deck
this morning and then got underway. No real destiny today just however
far we get by the end of the day. With only 140 miles to go to
Copenhagen we can afford to split the trip up into 2 days and thereby
anchor in the evening. There was no wind most of the morning so we
motor eastward as the crew continue the never-ending tasks of
maintenance aboard Pride II. At 1230 we spotted a 4 masted bark to
leeward and proceeded over to her to say hello. She is the Russian bark
Solvea, the second largest tall ship in the world. She was under sail
westbound making only 4 knots. We came alongside just 150 feet away and
exchanged greetings with the crew. We fired a 1 cannon salute, dipped
our flag, and then proceeded on our way again.
Today was a good day for safety drills so I held a surprise fire drill
this afternoon. I put a sign in one of the heads saying there was a
fire in the head so when one of the crew went to use the head they would
see the sign and come running on deck to report the "fire", thus putting
the rest of the crew into action. Surprise drills are good training and
they keep everyone thinking about how suddenly emergencies can arise.
Tonight we will anchor off the German town of Rostock, getting there by
2000.
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