Early Wednesday morning finds PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II becalmed midway between Winyah Bay and the finish line off the end of Frying Pan Shoal. While we wait for the return of wind, I found myself reflecting upon our new friends ~ PRIDE’s liaison officers from Savannah.

PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II’s attendance at Savannah’s Tall Ships Challenge Port Festival was graced by a group of tireless and humorous Savannah volunteer “Liaison” officers….Bill, Lisa, Ray and Stuart. What is a Tall Ship Challenge Port Festival Liaison Officer? Why is that a good thing for a visiting tall ship to a port festival? Port festivals arranged in partnership with Tall Ships America, a membership based national entity that organizes Tall Ship Challenge Race events on behalf of sail training vessels from around the country as well those tall ships visiting from around the world; provide local knowledge assistance to the visiting ships as well crowed control for the festival.

Local knowledge assistance to visiting ships is a wonderful service! Every visiting ship has needs after a voyage. Getting those needs met without the presence or availability of locals to assist can be very challenging. Just having locals helping to determine if a particular need is available locally is a great time saver. For those things that are available locally having volunteers interested and willing to take a member of the crew to fetch the item in question also reduces the ordinary challenge of getting from the ship to the supplier and back. When it was time for PRIDE’s cook Kevin Moran to go shopping, having Savannah’s Liaisons willing and able assistance made the going and shopping for the ship for 10 days of food so much easier than it would have been were PRIDE visiting on her own and did not have local volunteers assisting.

Crowd control for a tall ship festival is a very important thing, particularly at the point of boarding and debarking the visiting tall ships. Vessel gangways are not the same as steps or entryways into and out of buildings. Vessel gangways are typically narrow and often involve temporary steps that are not arranged the same way for a building. The docks a tall ship might be tied to may also involve ramps and steps. Altogether there is a lot of climbing and descending as one goes from shore to ship and back. Hosting large numbers of interested public of all ages, from the toddler to the senior, interested to see the tall ships requires diligent organizing by persons dedicated to the safety of the visiting public, who typically are not familiar with the sometimes awkward process of getting aboard and then back ashore again from a vessel.

All this being understood, what makes the above less than the work it can really be is the personality of volunteer liaisons. In Savannah, Bill, Lisa, Ray and Stuart were significantly more than just persons assigned to assist PRIDE. They were very interested in PRIDE because of what she represented to them. They requested to be PRIDE’s Liaison Officers. That acute personal interest brought out of us crew of PRIDE a strong sense of common interest and this always brings about stories and tales, along with all humor.

Days are long aboard any tall ship. It starts with being woken up for breakfast. While the commute is short…no sooner have you eaten and attended to your person then it is straight to work. Work during a port festival starts with flags and cleaning up the ship, as well organizing for the significant numbers of visitors. Right there on the dock waiting as the crew come on deck for work were PRIDE’s Liaison Officers…ready to attend to any and all of our external needs. During the day they managed the visiting crowds. On average PRIDE was visited by 1,500 persons per day for three full days in a row spanning from 10 in the morning till 6 in the evening. Often PRIDE’s liaisons did not say goodbye for the day until well into the evening. The mutual team work between PRIDE’s crew and her Savannah Liaisons made friends of us all and left memories of a great time in Savannah.

Cheers and much thanks!
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II

Tall Ships Challenge Race #1 – Savannah to Cape Fear.

PRIDE got off to a Weatherly advantage at the start of the first Tall Ships Challenge race for 2012. But that does not mean it was a comfortable experience. 15-20 knot conditions on the bow after such winds have been blowing for 24 hours is not a lot of fun. Heavy weight to setting and trimming sails. Significant sea swell of 6 odd feet to bash against. Significant angle of heel for everyone to stumble over with a leaping PRIDE along with spray on deck and some down below because a hatch was carefully left open for ventilation…forgetting that water could also go down it. Some bunks got wet. Still good for sleeping in though after a very physical time of it on deck.

Overnight the wind strength eased to 12-15 knots and direction veered from directly ahead to a bit to the side…ENE to SE…and that enabled PRIDE to sail parallel to the coast between Savannah and Charleston. After dawn the hoped for continued veering to SE did not appear. Instead the wind backed to ESE and since PRIDE has been closing the shore and tacking when water depth was running out. She is now near Winyah Bay. We still hope for veering wind. For now the only sign of change is easing of strength.

Yesterday’s parade of tall ships out of Savannah was a windy affair and somewhat overcast out in the Atlantic. A little rain as well during the start of the parade. Like other vessels so equipped PRIDE gave a number of gun salutes as she progressed down the river. Today the weather has been sunny and the water a slightly tropical green. Last nights moon came up after sunset and chased away the darkness that fallowed sunset.

There is 24 hours time left to finish the race and 90 nautical miles still to go…so we are only about half way along the race course. Two vessels have dropped out…LYNX and APPLEDORE V. They have appointments in New England and considering the long range weather reports is for northerly-northeasterly winds they are worried about the time remaining to meet their obligations. For now I think PRIDE has the time to try and finish the race.

Best Regards from aboard PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II

Wednesday, May 2, 2012
70 nautical miles to go to entrance of the Savannah River.

What would they have done back before motors? Sat out the lack of wind…that is what!  Maybe dropped the anchor if it was shallow enough. But that would represent a lot of work…so maybe they would do what we are doing, merely drifting and do maintenance while waiting for the weather to change.

In our case, with access to cellular radio waves, I am able to check out weather reports and forecasts on the internet. Having done so I am able to see that it is unlikely that the wind conditions we are experiencing will change significantly enough for PRIDE to sail the rest of the distance to Savannah and arrive as scheduled early Thursday (tomorrow) morning. Hence, sometime later today we will take the sails in and start the engines and mosey slowly over to our appointment in Savannah set for early tomorrow morning.

The weather along the Southeast Coast of the United States has been light and the sea slight. Up until breakfast time this morning we had enough wind to sail between 3-4 knots against the light southerly winds of the last 24 hours. In that time PRIDE sailed from Frying Pan Shoal near Wilmington, NC to the vicinity of Charleston, SC.

The little bit of usable wind died out at breakfast and since we have been drifting with sails up but strapped in tight to reduce chaff. The on-watch crew have been getting deeper into cosmetic maintenance. Maybe at the mid-day watch change there will be swimming call. Kind of depends if there will be any wind at all. If none…yes. But if wind comes around…probably not.

Jan C. Miles, Captain Aboard Pride of Baltimore II

Monday, Apirl 30, 2012.

PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II is in southern climes!!!

Cobalt blue water, sunny sky, comfortable shirtsleeve and shorts weather…and gentle favorable breezes.

PRIDE is now between Cape Lookout and Frying Pan Shoals sailing in gentle breezes from NE-E. The forecast was clear that there would be SE breezes for this area. They would be welcome breezes. But NE-E is favorable and so we are happy to have them.

With the gentle conditions we are taking advantage of the first opportunity this year to work on cosmetic maintenance. This first effort is focused on spot maintenance where any paint and varnish has broken and begun to peel.

As PRIDE made her way around Cape Hatteras yesterday and last night the crew have been getting a chance to learn what jibing aboard PRIDE is by doing.The first one was at Diamond Shoals. Then one just east of Cape Lookout.Another off the tip of Cape Lookout Shoal. Another two just west of Cape Lookout Shoal. The officers are getting pretty good at organizing the these sail handling evolutions. Aboard PRIDE the jibe evolution is pretty complex.

First the eased out foresail clew must be brought inside the mainmast shrouds and the sail sheeted flat in. Second the sent forward fore topmast running backstay that permitted the eased out foresail to take a good broad reaching shape must be brought back and made tight. Third the square foretopsail bracing must be shifted to the new jibe angle. Forth the headsails need flattening by taking all slack out of their sheets. Fifth the mainsail needs sheeting in while the mainsail boom preventer tackle is eased out. Sixth, once mainsail is tight amidships the mainsail topping lifts need switching wherein the eased one is taken up and the tight one is eased off to permit the sail to shape itself to the wind from the new jibe angle. Also the main-topmast running backstays are switched wherein the eased forward one is brought back and the tight one is taken forward to permit the main boom to be eased way out. Meanwhile the boom preventer tackle is disconnected from the pendent one the old lee side and taken to be hooked up to the new lee side. Seventh the sheeted in mainsail is jibbed over and then eased out while the crew take up on the boom preventer tackle. Eighth the crew pass the headsails over to the other side of the head stays to be trimmed for the new jibe while also bringing forward the eased back main-lowermast running fore stay and taken up tight while easing back the other tight main-lowermast running forestay to allow the foresail to be passed to the other side of mainmast and trimmed for the new jibe. Also, the tight fore topmast running backstay is eased off and taken forward so the foresail can be eased fully for the broad reaching winds of the new jibe. Then the foresail is eased over and re-rigged outside of the mainmast shrouds on the new lee side. Ninth the main-gaff-topsail tack is switched to the other side of the main-gaff peak halyard parts above the mainsail gaff. Tenth all loose running gear is coiled up and hung or laid out on deck in a proper seaman-like manner.

Complicated enough for you? How about in a dark night with a heaving sea?All this and yet we have not set the studding sail. Another sail that could be up and when up adds a significant number of additional steps to a normal everyday jibe aboard an 1812 period Baltimore Schooner Privateer.

Cheers,

Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II

PRIDE is sailing near the tip of Cape Hatteras, the well respected East Coast cape of numerous shipwrecks.

The weather is favorable and moderate. Sailing here from the Chesapeake Bay was interrupted by weather changes beginning late yesterday and lasting through the night.

Before the weather changes PRIDE sailed out of the Chesapeake Bay under all working sail (full main, foresail, staysail, jib & square foretopsail) with a beam breeze from the NE-E of around 15 knots. Making between 7-9 knots the day was pleasant and comfortable. As PRIDE was sailing out of The Bay off in the distance the reproduction J Class Yacht HANUMAN was coming up from the south heading into the The Bay. We know this because our 2nd Mate John Pickering was the engineer for HANUMAN last year and he knew she was likely to be entering The Bay as PRIDE was departing because of information exchanged with HANUMAN’s crew via FaceBook during PRIDE’s sail down The Bay. In the days before such technology we would have been left looking with binoculars at an interesting sailing rig and wondering what/who it was. Maybe we would get on the short range VHF radio and introduce ourselves or they call us with similar curiosity. But no radio conversation was had…we both knew who the other was and there was nothing additional to converse about…all information had already been exchanged…remotely. Interesting.

The sailing fun was due to change as PRIDE gained her southing toward Cape Hatteras and also a weather disturbance moving eastward off shore just about right at Cape Hatteras. By evening time the approach of rain seen on echo returns of the RADAR signaled the imminent arrival of wind change from E’rly to SE and bringing with it increasing wind strength. Crew got the mainsail in, then the jib, then the foretopsail. Wind got up to around 20 knots for a short time. As the rain went away after supper time the wind dropped to less than 5 knots and returned to blowing from the north. Not enough wind to make much happen so we did not reset any sail. In fact we struck the foresail to protect it from flogging in the sloppy sea swell while PRIDE drifted and bobbed her way south. Around midnight the wind from the north increased a bit and the square foretopsail was reset. Deckhand Rohan Rao got his first experience being aloft in a rolling and heaving PRIDE and took quite a while to get the gaskets holding the topsail tight undone. Eventually, with help from recently joined deckhand Kris Jones the topsail was made ready to set and with Rohan and Kris down from aloft the topsail was set. PRIDE sailed faster than she had been drifting at around 2-3 knots dead downwind with just the square foretopsail and staysail till 4 AM when, due to the wind veering more to the NE hence more to the side of PRIDE rather then right from behind the foresail was set as well the jib. Now, at 1030 AM PRIDE is approaching Diamond Shoals, the shallow water that sticks out from Cape Hatteras, with somewhat stronger winds from the NE-E and is making from 4-6 knots depending on the vagaries of wind strength.

The weather forecasts indicate 10-15 knots of wind veering slowly from NE to SE over the next 48 hours. Assuming all this plays out, PRIDE should be able to sail all the way around Cape Hatteras today and get some distance toward the SW along the coast as well.

Cheers,
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II
Acting Executive Director

At around 1030 AM today (Saturday) PRIDE is sailing out of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay with a light NE’rly breeze and small sea swell. Sky party cloudy. Temperatures still cool, but not as cold as yesterday.

Looking forward weather forecasting indicates a disturbance passing Cape Hatteras tonight. Winds from all directions as it passes by…somewhat quickly. Between Virginia Beach and Hatteras is forecast a bit of a boundary between the passing disturbance passing Hatteras and the end of the high pressure that came in yesterday. Forecasting indicates Sunday the disturbance continuing eastward to sea with another cold front passing over…that ought to bring NW-N-NE (favorable) winds of moderate strength for going around Hatteras. So we are not especially in a hurry to reach Hatteras. It would not do to get caught up in the passing disturbance.

Looking behind us we had an easy and steady slide down the Chesapeake Bay that started with fresh NW’rly winds softening late in the day and veering to N & NE. This morning we set the mainsail at breakfast time and passed through the north gap in the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge and pointed out toward the off shore areas of the Virginia shore south of Cape Henry.

The moderate and steady conditions last night have permitted us to keep steady progress towards Savannah in comfortable sea conditions giving time for crew acclimation to overnight procedures as well gain some rest. Sailing can be exhausting. This comes about most often with rapidly changing weather and lively sea conditions. Steady, moderate wind conditions with relatively smooth seas means the watch cycles go through 4 hour changes without having to disturb the “stand-by” watch to get needed manpower for sail handling. Not calling the stand-by watch means they can accumulate as much as 16 hours of off watch time in a 24 hour day. Several days in a row of such conditions can result in a tiredness of being rested…if you can imagine such a circumstance. Shore life provides lots of distraction for those with a lot of personal time. Shipboard life offers only life in your bunk or maybe back on deck or maybe the main saloon settee. Books and hobbies and more sleep…but no chance to run out to “town” or other away from home distractions. Aboard, you live and work in the same physical space. Coming after a long duration in port with full seven day a week work days of 8-10…maybe even 12 hour work days with shore life not far away…even if one got a day off maybe once every week or two…having no distractions while living aboard offers the first chance for this crew to catch up on rest in a very long time.

Even when sailing is lively and tiring, the regular routine with few external distractions can be a form of mental rest. Work is not usually long hours in a row. Watches are 4 hours long. Then 4 hours of rest. Then 4 hours of maybe rest…but maybe come up and help for short durations. The cycle repeats every 12 hours. The routine can be restful for its regularity and lack of distractions. Come Savannah there won’t be any rest. Lots of public visiting aboard, maybe in the evenings as well. But when time off does come around…maybe a day off as well…what would you do after a long day of work in Savannah…sleep? By the time PRIDE departs Savannah the crew will probably be glad for the isolation of being at sea as a means to catch up on their rest…until the next port.

Cheers,
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II

We are passing by Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore. Fresh NW breeze has PRIDE making 9+ knots in the gusts under comfortable sail of foresail, staysail and square foretopsail. When it is not gusting we are near 8 knots. NW winds represent beam to broad reaching so the steering is an easy “follow the compass course” process rather than when close hauled trying to get to windward and altering course for every nuanced wind shift, or gibing down wind because of running out of sea room.

Saluting Fort McHenry

We got off to a “bang” of guns saluting our friends of Baltimore like the headquarters of Under Armour and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine crowded with kids learning about the creation of our country’s National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. Saluting Fort McHenry is fitting considering the writing of Star Spangled Banner came about because the British Navy came to Baltimore to specifically burn down the shipyards of Fell’s Point, which were building the fast and maneuverable Baltimore Schooner Privateers that PRIDE is closely representative of. Without such entrepreneurial thinking by the Chesapeake Bay boat builders slowly evolving such fast vessels that occurred over the more than 100 years leading up to the War of 1812…it might have been the British would never have come to Baltimore and not forced a singular and seminal defense of Baltimore by the Americans…leaving an eye witness, Francis Scott Key to be moved upon seeing the American “Banner still wave” to write the song depicting the emotion felt of a successful defense against a mighty force.

Every year, the first voyage out of the Chesapeake Bay aboard PRIDE is its own seminal event in the lives of the “new” crew about the ship. It is also a most wearying preparation process. For those aboard, they get what they want…to go sailing on a voyage to somewhere distant out of The Bay.  For those we leave behind, they get a little relief from the constant demand created of having PRIDE in home waters with all of the organizing details that include the usual administration of the company but also include errands for the ship. There is still work that needs doing by all…but not quite as time demanding. For those aboard, the 24 hour day will be divided and sleeping during the day will occur…as much as staying up at night will occur. For those back at home, the work hours become a little more regular…not much call to work past 5 pm…and weekends often remain free.

Into the distance

Whatever the adventure or the work or the free time we all look forward to, I would like to extend my thanks to all that prepared the ship for this voyage. We are now stowed for sea. We are finishing up the training for the day. Soon we will break into watches. The ship and her crew are ready for their first voyage. I did little to help with any of this because I was fulfilling my “executive” role at the office. I feel a little like maybe what it feels like for the yacht owner that has a professional crew to do all the preparing and all that is left to me is come aboard and sail. A novel experience I am happy to compliment others for good work! But one that leaves me wondering if I am devolving into a not so little or young “Lord Fauntleroy”.

My Sincere Compliments to All!

Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II

Dockside Education Programs and Public Deck Tours Aboard Pride of Baltimore II
National Sailing Center and Hall of Fame

Pride of Baltimore II, the world renowned Baltimore-built top sail schooner iconic of the War of 1812, will kick off the 2012 sailing season on Wednesday, April 11 at 5:00 p.m. when she sails into Annapolis, MD with cannons ablaze.  The ship will be alongside the National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF) dock through Tuesday, April 17.  In partnership with the NSHOF, Pride of Baltimore II will welcome more than 500 Anne Arundel County students aboard the vessel to participate in Pride’s 1812 Dockside Education Program and NSHOF’s “Learning Math & Science through Sailing Initiative.”  The general public is invited aboard to explore the top deck and talk with the crew during FREE Deck Tours on Saturday, April 14 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 15 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Pride of Baltimore II will depart Annapolis for Baltimore at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18.

The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) and Pride of Baltimore, Inc. are pleased to announce a strategic partnership for providing students unique educational experiences focusing on both War of 1812 History, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 

To inaugurate this partnership, the world renowned War of 1812 privateer, Pride of Baltimore II, will be docked at the National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame in Annapolis from April 11^th to 18th.  500 Anne Arundel County school students will visit the reproduction 1812-era Baltimore-built Topsail Schooner, the type of vessel that helped a fledgling America prosecute the War of 1812 and assert its right to freely ply the world’s oceans with maritime commerce. In addition, Anne Arundel County high school students participating in the NSHOF’s “Learning Math & Science through Sailing Initiative” will board the ship as part of their scheduled educational programming. Pride of Baltimore II will also be open to the public for free dockside deck tours.

Drawing on nearly two decades experience educating Maryland students about their state’s maritime history, Pride of Baltimore, Inc. is unveiling new programming to highlight the pivotal role played by both Baltimore Privateers and Marylanders in the War of 1812. 

With the new partnership, the NSHOF looks to enhance its existing STEM programs with Anne Arundel County Public Schools and to create a history component to its Education Program using the 1812 Bicentenary Celebrations and Pride of Baltimore II as a key platform for that effort.

 The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) is a non-profit educational facility and virtual institution dedicated to preserving the history of sailing and its impact on our culture, honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to American sailing, teaching math, science and American history through sailing, inspiring and encouraging sailing development, and providing a landmark for sailing enthusiasts. 

 The 157-ft Pride of Baltimore II is the world’s most renowned American War of 1812 Privateer sailing in the 21^st Century.  The ship is owned and operated by Pride of Baltimore, Inc., the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the voyages of Pride of Baltimore II on behalf of all Marylanders.  Pride of Baltimore II preserves and advances the living maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay and, wherever she sails, is an ambassador for the innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and patriotism that forged and continues to define Maryland’s maritime identity. 

Schedule of Educational Programs and Public Deck Tours, April 11-18:

April 11     Arrival                                 5:00 p.m.
April 12     Elementary Schools       2:00 pm – 3;00 pm
                     Middle/High Schools    4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
April 13     North County STEM       8:15 am – 1:00 pm
                     Elementary schools       1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
April 14     Open to the Public           4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
April 15     Open to the Public          12:00 – 5:00 pm
April 16     Elementary Schools       9:30 am – 2:45 pm
                     Middle/High Schools    4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
April 17     Elementary Schools       8:30 am – 2:15 pm
April 18     Departure                           10:00 a.m.

Alongside, Portsmouth, VA
Sunday, April 8, 2012

Tomorrow (Monday) we will be getting underway bound for Annapolis and a partnership of education and fund raising events with the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Today the crew continue to work on bending on sail and making sure running rigging (sheets, halyards, etc.) are properly rigged. Meanwhile, we Captains are attending to the myriad of organizational details such as making sure the 2012 dry-dock file is up to date and refining the actual voyage plan based on weather updates and crew progress on sailing gear set-up, with an eye to the actual arrival.  Arrival is set for Wednesday, April 11 at 5 PM, and is to be a show-off sail-into-port with cannons blaring occasion.

A very distracting aspect of this process of achieving ship readiness has been in the engineering department. One of the major maintenance events over the winter involved lifting the engines off their mounts, one at a time, and making repairs to the secondary oil containment system. Re-mounting the engines involves a lot of wiring to sensors supplying data to instruments for engine speed (RPM), temperature, pressure etc. With double instrumentation, one set in the engine room and a second set in a box on deck…and some 24 years of age…it became evident we had to replace the deck mounted instruments. Not such an easy thing to do because of wiring harness age realities. Only today, actually this morning, has the engineer Abigail Iverson been able to have success with the new instruments. For the last three days running she has spent the whole of each day tracing problems with the wiring for new tachometer, temperature and pressure gauges.

Imagine for a moment, hiring an outside professional technician to do what Abi has been doing. At whatever hourly rate of pay, the cost would be significant. Admittedly Abi is not an expert in the area of engine instrumentation. But she educated herself diligently via the internet and phone calls. This project actually began almost as soon as Abi came aboard at the end of February. First it was locating instruments to replace the old instruments, which needed to match senders on the engines so that the instruments could actually “understand” the information coming from the senders on the engines. Then came replacing some senders due to problems followed by actual connecting to new instruments. Then came figuring out why nothing…or almost nothing worked. Which meant identifying voltage coming from senders and following them up to the on-deck instrument box. Then figuring out why the instruments still did not read the data. Verify the compatibility of the senders with the instruments. Change out some senders yet again. This went on and on and on since late February, most intently over the last three days.

The final frontier of challenge related to “the ground”. Engine instruments depend on a “clean” ground. Two engines means a ground system for one engine does not mess up the other engine’s instruments. More than two decades of previous maintenance plus a conversion from 12 volts to 24 volts probably had a mischief making roll in the overall process of upgrading as well. Today it seems, Abi, through her attention to detail, diligent self study and tireless trouble shooting, has achieved the goal of functioning engine instruments on deck. WaHoo! Good on you Abi!

But I digress. I must return us two Captains responsibility of reassessing ship readiness to get underway tomorrow…probably just before daylight. There are only another 8 hours of daylight left today.

Cheers,
Jan C. Miles, a Captain of Pride of Baltimore II

Pride II Passing Old Fort Jackson (Photo by Megan Dove)

Savannah has never before hosted a Tall Ships Challenge Festival. “Tall Ships Challenge” is annually organized by Tall Ships America, the United States national organization of sail training interests in America. Every year, on a different American coast and shore (East Coast, Great Lakes, West Coast), Tall Ships Challenge is a series of sail training races between hosting ports. In those hosting ports the ships agree to make themselves available for general public visitation and the ports agree to create “happenings” for the trainees.

It sounds sort of simple…but in fact it is very complicated. There are national and local security concerns. There are docking concerns trying to address how to moor the vessels safely where they are both close together and safely and easily accessible to the public. These issues represent government regulation and economic challenges. In Savannah’s case the city has been a major supporter and partner with private sectors in the support of making this Tall Ship Festival come together and be as much an entertainment and education success as possible.

Little “thank you” flourishes to recognize such dedication for a first time ever effort that involved a stunning number of different and sometimes competing interests are as important as it is for the organizers to make all the arrangements for such a complicated event.

Pride of Baltimore, Inc. was able to provide a uniquely special “thank you” to the City of Savannah. The presentation was a formal event inside the chambers of the Mayor and Council (some eight council members) and with representatives from different agencies of the city. Below you can read what my Partner Captain Jamie Trost wrote, and I very slightly edited for smoother flow, for the presentation. We have been repeatedly told by witnesses that Jamie’s and my presentation was extremely appreciated and a singular high point to the start of the festivities. I provide for your judgment what was presented…

“Madam Mayor, Council Members, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that we Captains for Pride of Baltimore II present your fair city with this authentic reproduction of a War of 1812 United States National Ensign in appreciation of the City of Savannah’s role as the inaugural Tall Ships Challenge Port for the War of 1812 Bicentennial. This “Star-Spangled Banner” has flown over Fort McHenry, in the very same spot where the proud flag inspired Francis Scott Key’s famous song, and also over Pride of Baltimore II, the goodwill ambassador for Maryland and the signature sailing reproduction of Baltimore’s famous 1812 Privateers. Ships may come and go with the tides, and our stay in Savannah will be all too short. But let this flag remain to mark the magnificent occasion of a visit by the worlds Tall Ships and to serve as a reminder that, of all the ports commemorating this year’s Bicentennial of America’s struggle to assert her freedoms, Savannah was first.”

What do all of you think? Did we captains do a good job…or what? All kidding aside, on behalf of Pride, Inc. and we two partner captains, I would like to thank Fort McHenry’s Ranger Scott Sheads for his and his team’s efforts to provide us with the gift of a Star-Spangled Banner actual flown over Fort McHenry.

Cheers,
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II
Acting Executive Director