Mystic seaport magazine, spring summer 2013

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Charles W. MoRGANJ u l y 2 1 , 2 0 1 3

WHY LANDLOCK YOUR KIDS this summer when a whole new world awaits on the water? From day camps to overnight camps and sailing programs aboard historic vessels like the Joseph Conrad and Brilliant, Mystic Seaport offers all sorts of unforgettable ways for children of all ages to earn their sea legs. Learn more at www.mysticseaport.org/summercamps

REXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AT ITS BEST!

OVER 60 YEARS of

SUMMERCAMPSAt Mystic Seaport

FROM A MEETING IN MID-DECEMBER 2012 BETWEEN MYSTIC SEAPORT AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE BUILDING WHALEBOATS FOR THE MUSEUM. FRONT ROW: D. HEWSON (MS), G. MCKAY (LOWELLS BOAT SHOP), N. BENJAMIN (GANNON AND BENJAMIN), B. SAUERBREY (BEETLE BOAT SHOP), M. PALOMO (BEETLE BOAT SHOP), G. MCKONLY (ROCKING THE BOAT), AND E. ANSEL (MS). BACK ROW: H. CRIM (ALEXANDRIA SEAPORT FOUNDATION), M. STACKPOLE (MS), B. WOMACK (BEETLE BOAT SHOP), B. MACKENZIE (INDEPENDENCE SEAPORT MUSEUM), Q. SNEDIKER (MS), AND W. ANSEL (MS).

2013S P R I N G / S UM M E R

SPRING / SUMMER 2013 | Mystic Seaport Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

3

Mystic Seaport magazine is a publication of Mystic SeaporT

President STEPHEN C. WHITE

executive vice presidents SUSAN FUNK MARCY WITHINGTON

Editor Gran R BUCKHORN [email protected]

PRODUCTION Susan HEATH

contributors

Design Karen WARD THE DAY PRINTING COMPANY

PHOTOGRAPHY

CONTACT USVISITOR INFORMATION: 860.572.5315 888.973.2767

ADMINISTRATION: 860.572.0711

MEMBERSHIP: 860.572.5339

PROGRAM RESERVATION: 860.572.5322

MUSEUM STORE: 860.572.5385

MARITIME GALLERY: 860.572.5388

VOLUNTEER SERVICES: 860.572.5378

DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER THE MUSEUM WILL BE OPEN DAILY 9AM-5PM

ADDRESS: 75 GREENMANVILLE AVE. P.O. BOX 6000 MYSTIC, CT 06355 -0990 WWW.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG

IN THIS ISSUE

SEASCAPES ................................... 4

ADVANCEMENT NEWS .................. 5-7

RESTORING AN ICON .................... 8-9

WHALEBOATS ........................... 10-12

LAUNCHING THE MORGAN ...... 13-16

MUSEUM BRIEFS ..................... 17-19

MALLORY FELLOWSHIP GRANT REPORTS ..................... 20-21

ON BOOKS ................................ 22-23

EDITOR'S PICKS ............................ 23

MY MYSTIC SEAPORT ................. 24-25

FROM THE COLLECTIONS .............. 26

On the Cover: 1926 WATERCOLOR:CHARLES W.MORGAN 1841 OUTWARD BOUNDBY FREDERIC SCHILLERCOZZENS (1846-1928)2011.18. (THE IMAGE HAS BEEN DIGITALLY RESTORED.)

8

5

10

TM

EVELYN ANSELMARY K. BERCAW EDWARDSMARIBETH BIELINSKITRUDI BUSEYSarah CahillDEBRA COATSCHRIS FREEMAN

ANDY GERMAN

GLENN GORDINIER

DAN MCFADDEN

AMANDA NICHOLAS

PAUL OPECKO

KRYSTAL ROSE

MATTHEW STACKPOLE

EVELYN ANSEL

THE APPRENTICESHOP

BETTLE BOAT SHOP / BILL SAUERBREY

Sarah Clement

Great Lakes Boat Building School

MARK Lovewell (for the Vineyard Gazette)

LowellS Boat shop

DENNIS MURPHY

AMANDA NICHOLAS

ANDY PRICE

Rocking The Boat / Joaquin Cotten

Krystal Rose

Harley Stevens

Suki Williams

MYSTIC SEAPORT PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES

PHOTOGRAPH EVELYN ANSEL

&

W hen I asked the editor if he had a suggested theme for Seascapes, he offered that it would come to me from the overall content of this issue of the Mystic Seaport Magazine. He was correct. In fact, I didnt get past page 4 this page. One

look at the painting by Anthony Davis, Up Close and Personal, which accompanies

Seascapes, and the answer was there. How could one look at those waves and not be

reconnected with ones personal relationship with the sea? The

painting speaks to both the beauty and power of a restless sea

that draws us to its edge and invites us to sail to distant horizons.

In early February, author and sailor John Rousmaniere spoke

at the American Schooner Associations annual meeting at Mystic

Seaport about seamanship and the hard lessons that we have

learned (or not learned) from going to sea. John began his talk

with a segment regarding the mystique and awe of the sea, and

he asked us to reflect back on our first sail and the feelings it

evoked as the water rushed by the leeward rail. He referenced

Joseph Conrads The Mirror of the Sea and suggested it be re-read

annually as food for the maritime soul. Johns words reminded me of maritime historian

Gaddis Smiths assertion that the sea connects all things, which Im sure would also

resonate with a room full of ardent schooner sailors.

Weve all had our own deep and personal experiences from and with the sea, and we

are fortunate that Davis, Rousmaniere, Conrad, and others add their own interpreta-

tions to our evolving collection. As mariners, we understand what lies at the core of

their work, and we are grateful for their expressions of the sea ethic. At Mystic Seaport,

we, too, present a tangible, diverse interpretation of our maritime heritage. Our skilled

teachers, interpreters, shipwrights, instructors, and curators provide insight and access

to our nations maritime heritage for seasoned seamen and women, as well as neo-

phytes. Some are given their first encounter with the sea, be it from the shore or their

first experience rowing a boat. Our goal is that our visitors Mystic Seaport experiences

will significantly influence how they understand our maritime history and heritage and

will ultimately lead toward developing interested and responsible citizens of the sea.

This summer will be a most noteworthy one at the Museum: Civil War Naval Encamp-

ment, Sea Music Festival, WoodenBoat Show, the launch of the Charles W. Morgan,

Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous, Antique Marine Engine Show, and the Antique

Vehicle Show and that is just for starters!

Be sure your membership is up-to-date and plan on Mystic Seaport being your

place of choice for a summer filled with maritime heritage and the celebration of same.

See you on the grounds.

S E A S C A P E S

The image detail used in Stephen Whites Seascapes is by ANTHONY DAVIS, Up Close and Personal, 22" x 36" PASTEL

For more information on this artist, please contact:The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, 860.572.5388

SPECIAL EVENTS at MYSTIC SEAPORT

MAY 18-19 PILOTS Weekend 25-27 Lobster Days 27 Decoration Day

JUNE 1-2 Civil War Naval Encampment 6-9 Sea Music Festival 12 to Sep. 8 Plein Air Painters of the Maritime Gallery 28-30 WoodenBoat Show 28-30 Small Craft Workshop

JULY 4 Independence Day 19 to Sep. 8 The Maritime Gallery Celebrates the Charles W. Morgan 20 Pre-Launch Party 21 Anniversary and Launching of Charles W. Morgan 27-28 Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous 31 to Aug. 1 Moby-Dick Marathon

AUGUST 8-11 Model Yacht Regatta 17-18 Antique Marine Engine Show

SEPTEMBER

15 International Marine Art Exhibition 15 Coastweeks Regatta 22 Antique Vehicle Show 27 Members Annual Meeting 15 to Dec. 31 International Marine Art Exhibition

OCTOBER 5 Beer Tasting 12-14 Chowder Days 17 2013-2014 Adventure Series begins 18 Sights & Frights begins 19-20 PILOTS Weekend 31 Trick-or-Treat

STEPHEN C. WHITE President

| Mystic Seaport Magazine | SPRING / SUMMER 20134

MYSTIC SEAPORT PRESIDENT STEPHEN C. WHITE

Up Close and Personal

S A V E T H E D A T E !

Friday, September 27, 2013

ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING & AFTERNOON TEA3 -4:30 p.m. River Room

State of the Museum Reports Board of Trustees ElectionsMilestone Member Recognition Memorial Tribute

SPECIAL MEMBER ACTIVITIES4:30-5:30 p.m.Tours & Programs

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG OR CALL 860.572.5331.

Mystic Seaport Members

Annual Meeting

K

ADVANCEMENT NEWS


WoodenBoat is being challenged to

continue to chart new courses for the fu-

ture. And so is Mystic Seaport. In fact, were

being challenged to find whole new ways of

navigating. Were challenged to find new

ports and harbors while carrying essen-

tially the same cargo that weve carried from

the beginning.

Now, it might seem as if that cargo

is composed of, in part, our artifacts, our

subject matter, our material goods our

exhibits, and our [magazine] issues. But

we have to remember that our true cargo

is INSPIRATION.

When we stand upon the deck of a work-

ing vessel... When we hold an issue of the

magazine in our hands When we gaze

upon an exhibit When we row or sail an

exquisitely built and balanced boat... Or

when we learn how to build, or row, or sail

such a boat in the very ways it was carefully

crafted to be built, rowed, or sailed what

then happens to us almost defies descrip-

tion, its power captures our hearts.

That is the true cargo we convey around

the world. Its the heart of INSPIRATION

and of the traditions of America and

the Sea.

These thoughts were excerpted from re-

marks made by Jon Wilson, the 2012 recipi-

ent of the America and The Sea Award when

it was presented to Jon and WoodenBoat at

a Gala Dinner on October 27, 2012, under

a beautiful tent at Latitude 41 Restaurant

at Mystic Seaport.

With its commitment to the celebration

and preservation of the skills, treasures, and

traditions of the sea and shore, the mission

of WoodenBoat is in total consonance with

the mission of Mystic Seaport. We are a

museum that strives to inspire an endur-

ing connection to the American maritime

experience.

This event, the seventh annual Gala,

generated $320,000 in support for Mystic

Seaport. This wonderful result is a testament

to the quality of character of our honoree

Jon Wilson and due in large measure to

the support of his many, many friends. It is

also an endorsement for work being done

at WoodenBoat and Mystic Seaport which

gives us all a reason to be hopeful about

the future, our history, tradition, maritime

skills, and wooden boats.

Chris Freeman is Interim Director of Advancement at Mystic Seaport.

J O N W I L S O N A N D W O O D E N B O A T R E C I P I E N T S O F T H E

WALTER ANSEL (LEFT) AND JON WILSON.

and to

and to

ADVANCEMENT NEWS

Ninety persons (55 PILOTS and 35 wives) assembled promptly at noon on Saturday,

May 5, at the Seamens Inne to take part in what promises to be a new dimension of

member involvement at Mystic Seaport. Enthusiasm ran high from the outset as the

group dispersed throughout the grounds after lunch to study at close range the many

specific challenges we face in five principal areas: large vessels, small craft, museum

exhibits, library and education/youth training.(From the report of the first meeting of

the PILOTS held at Mystic Seaport May 5-6, 1973.)

And thus the PILOTS program commenced 40 years ago. The PILOTS have certainly

fulfilled the promise of demonstrating new dimensions of member involvement in

the Museum.

The year 1973 was an important one all on its own for the Museum: Sabino arrived

for a one-year trial charter, the lift dock was completed, and the Morgan floated free

for the first time in 32 years. Much has been accomplished at Mystic Seaport over the

succeeding four decades. Among the highlights: the granite sea wall and Chubbs Wharf

were constructed; the Williams-Mystic Program was instituted; the Rosenfeld Collection

was acquired; the Rossie Mill was acquired, restored, and converted into the state-of

the-art Collections Research

Center; the Freedom schooner

Amistad was built; the eastern-

rig dragger Roann was acces-

sioned and restored; and the

James T. Carlton Marine Sci-

ence Center was constructed.

As if that were not enough,

countless other artifacts have

been accessioned to the col-

lections, literally dozens of ex-

hibitions have been mounted,

hundreds of thousands of stu-

dents have participated in our

educational programs, schoo-

ner Brilliant made an attempt

to best her 1933 Trans-Atlantic

passage record and the list

could go on and on.

Trustee leadership, staff

and volunteer effort, and fi-

nancial support from mem-

bers and friends across the

country have helped to ensure such steady and consistent progress.

Through four decades of evolution, growth, and success, the PILOTS have been a

steadfast presence. This group of members has been coming to the Museum two week-

ends each year to work side-by-side with staff and share their enthusiasm for Mystic

Seaport. The PILOTS have put their hands, backs, shoulders, minds, and hearts into

their work and posted a worthy record of accomplishment along the way. They have

shared a lot of laughs together.

Mystic Seaport is confident in our future success precisely because groups of en-

thusiastic supporters like the PILOTS are there to help us on the way. Please join us in

recognizing the PILOTS for four decades of support for the Museum.

To learn more about the PILOTS program, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/pilotprogram or contact Chris Freeman at [email protected] or at 860.912.3121.

MUSEUM PILOTS PROGRAM TURNS 40


Through four decades of evolution, growth, and success, the PILOTS have been a steadfast presence. This group of members has been coming to the Museum two weekends each year to work side-by-side with staff and share their enthusiasm for Mystic Seaport.

MYSTIC SEAPORT

is an ideal destination,

especially by boatLocated on the charming and historic Mystic River, Mystic Seaport offers an ideal location and access for boaters. Our docks are well protected, located north of both bridges. Enjoy the sights as you travel up the river, just a short distance from Long Island Sound. Experience the grounds by yourself in the evenings reported by many to be the most magical part of the experience dine at Latitude 41 or walk to downtown Mystic to enjoy fine dining and shopping. Dockage includes power, water, wireless internet, and other amenities as well as use of the grounds during your stay for you and your guests arriving on board.

Reserve your dock space for the 2013 season today. Members receive discounted dock rates. If youre not a member, its not too late to join! Contact us to join or make a reservation by calling 860.572.5391 or email to [email protected] membership is not required.

and to

and to

As of December 31,

2012, Museum members

and friends have invested

slightly more than $8.2

million in the restoration

and the 38th Voyage of the

Charles W. Morgan. This

progress represents 70 per-

cent of our total campaign

goal and ensures that the

Morgan will be launched

on schedule on July 21 of this year. Much of

the physical work on the Morgans hull has

been completed. Once she is afloat again on

her own keel, our shipwrights will spend the

summer months completing the work on her

hull. They will then turn their focus to fitting

her out, and our riggers and other specialists

will begin in earnest, with the fabrication

and procurement of spars, rigging, sails, and

other materials.

Our success thus far has been energized

by two leadership donors, who gave $2 mil-

lion and $750,000, respectively. Their support

has inspired more than 700 other members

and friends to contrib-

ute another $5.45 mil-

lion. Important funding

has also been provided

by the State of Connecti-

cut and several private

and family foundations.

With our launch date in

sight, we are now enter-

ing the next phase of this

campaign.

In 2014, the Morgan will go to sea once

more, for the first time in more than 90 years.

This ceremonial 38th Voyage will take her

back to her home port of New Bedford, MA,

and up the New England coast to NOAAs

842- square-mile Stellwagen Bank National

Marine Sanctuary at the entrance to Mas-

sachusetts Bay, where significant whale re-

search is conducted, and then on to Boston.

During this voyage, a global audience will

witness a whaleship under sail for the first

time in nearly a century. They will see that

the spirit of American enterprise is alive and

well and that Mystic Seaport is fulfilling the

highest ambitions of our early founders to

be an inspiring force for the future through

innovative educational initiatives and lead-

ership.

On this voyage, the Morgans cargo will no

longer be oil and whalebone; instead, it will

be knowledge and inspiration. The lessons

learned from this important artifact will be

cast in a new light. Lessons about courage,

teamwork, innovation, enterprise, and lead-

ership will come alive for new generations

who will take these lessons and apply them

to our modern age.

Mystic Seaport is a museum that strives

to inspire an enduring connection to the

American maritime experience. Our suc-

cess can significantly influence how new

generations engage with our nations past,

present, and future. Please join with those

who have already made an investment in our

success by contributing to the next phase of

the campaign for the Charles W. Morgan: The

38th Voyage. Make a difference, play your

part in helping the Morgan sail again and

the Museum continue to fullfill its mission.


THE 38TH VOYAGE: THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE CHARLES W. MORGAN

Whaling and merchant ship logbooks

make a fascinating read. It is, however, nev-

er more fascinating than when reading the

words of a seafaring ancestor. One of the

great pleasures of my work at the Museum is

to place in front of a visitor a written record

of a family members exploits, says Paul

OPecko, Vice President of Collections and

Research and Director of the G.W. Blunt

White Library at Mystic Seaport.

Recently, the staff of the G. W. Blunt White

Library was able to help a visitor, Judey Saw-

yer Buckbee, with research on her familys

maritime history. Thrilled with their discov-

eries, Mrs. Buckbee says, The entire Blunt

White staff provided an invaluable research

service and has given me a priceless gift by

enabling me to hold and read not only my

great-great grandfather William Albert Saw-

yers log from the George Moon, but also his

brother-in-law Charles Sissons log from the

Jeremiah Thompson. She continues, Both

are a huge part of my familys history, and

I would love to help publicize the treasures

that are to be found within the walls of the

G.W. Blunt White Library!

Thanks to the generous support of our

members and friends, the logbooks are safely

preserved in the Library housed in our state-

of-the-art Collections and Research Center,

OPecko says. The Collections Research

Center, with its secure, climate-controlled

spaces, protects one of the worlds best mar-

itime collections of art, artifacts, photos,

books, manuscripts, ships plans, film, and

more. The collections now have a chance to

survive hundreds of years and be available

for future generations.

I hope that you will help us continue to

preserve and maintain our premier maritime

collections by making a gift today to the An-

nual Fund, OPecko says. It truly makes a

difference.

Thank you for your support!PAUL OPECKO, VICE PRESIDENT OF COLLECTIONS AND RESEARCH.

PRESERVING FOR THE FUTURE

ADVANCEMENT NEWS

By EVELYN ANSEL

a t 7:02 a.m. I sidle into the carpenters shop and sit in one of the mismatched chairs surrounding the low shop table. I grab my steel-toed boots from beneath the ten-foot slab of live

oak and crouch to lace them onto my feet. The other

apprentices* are assembling around the table as they

trickle in, leaning over benches and chair backs, sipping

coffee and talking quietly while waiting for our foreman,

Rob Whalen, to announce todays marching orders.

He pulls a bundle of notecards from his back pocket,

shuffles for a moment, and clears his throat its another

Monday morning on the Charles W. Morgan.

While Rob assigns tasks for the day, I look around

at my companions. Currently, there are ten apprentices

and eighteen shipwrights working in the yard. Among

the apprentices, our interests are as varied as our mo-

tives for signing on. For us, the Morgan restoration is a

waypoint; some intend to make a living as boat builders

while others hope to pursue careers in museum studies

or maritime policy and law. Our backgrounds are simi-

larly diverse, from the children and grandchildren of local

ship smiths, lobstermen, and shipwrights to the sons and

daughters of bankers and doctors. In the yard hierarchy

we rank at the very bottom, but collectively comprise a

A Morning inthe Shipyard

RESTORING AN ICON

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A SHIPWRIGHT PREPARING FOR THE INSTAL- LATION OF THE APRON. ON TOP, FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE SHOP.


vital cog in the mechanism that

is a functioning and productive

shipyard. Our assignments are

often less than heroic, but we

work alongside and learn from

some of the most talented ship-

wrights in the industry.

My attention returns to the

group as we are counted off in

twos and threes. As has been the

case since my arrival last spring,

much of the apprentices time

this week will be spent support-

ing the four shipwrights on the

planking crew. This is presently

the most intensive of the fronts on

which we are engaged; the stem

and transom are equally critical

but also more focused projects

with fewer shipwrights dedicated

to each task. The apprentices as-

sist the shipwrights at all stages

of the planking cycle as we work

up towards the waterline: plan-

ing, steaming, hoisting into place,

fastening, fairing, oiling, caulking.

This pattern clocks continuously

around the boat. Each team of

apprentices has a somewhat

specialized skill set, and so we

shift around the hull accordingly.

Though I do my share of trunnel-

ing and fastening, I have primarily

worked as a caulker since signing

on to the project.

Our foreman turns to me:

Miss Evelyn. Topsides. I nod

reefing out rotten oakum and re-

caulking the stretch of planking

above the waterline has been my

assignment for the past few weeks.

I head over to the bench I share

with my father to grab borrowed

and inherited irons, a mallet, and

a milk crate for my pound of cot-

ton roving. I stop by the door to

pull half a dozen skeins of oakum

from the mountains spun during

that stretch of days last August

when the heat index hovered re-

lentlessly over a hundred. I sling

my gear under one arm and duck

out the door, across the lift dock

and towards the tent. Later, the

entire shop wall at my back will

swing away to allow forklifts to

come and go, planks and beams

swinging ponderously, balefully,

from fully extended booms. For

now it remains shut, sustaining

the 7 a.m. cool left from the night.

I hike up to the third level of

scaffolding, which strikes slightly

below the Morgans deck. The sun

is well up now. From above, I can

see the whole yard, even past the

pole barn, the story-high ships

saw, neatly stickered stock, 40'

lengths quietly awaiting planing

and shaping, the mountain of

offcuts, crooks, and knees. I can

feel the light beginning to warm

what I affectionately think of as

our sprawling, overgrown, OSHA-

approved treehouse.

Before putting earmuffs on

to guard against the noise of my

own mallet, I stop for a moment

to listen to the yard waking up be-

low me. Sounds and smells that

formed an incomprehensible sen-

sory knot when I first arrived have

begun to tease themselves out into

distinct and recognizable strands:

the citrus-sweet smell of WD-40,

the warm contrast between the

brightness of yellow pine plank-

ing, and the live oak behind it,

a muddy dark smell, so strong

you can almost taste it. The oily

texture of oakum spun over your

knee on a stretch of canvas, that

distinct rising scent of smoky black

tea. I can hear the difference be-

tween a saws-all growling through

wrought iron drifts and a power

planer stalling out while fairing

planking, the rising notes of a

trunnel being driven inch by inch

into plank and frame, the call-and-

response rhythm of shipwrights

bucking and riveting back and

forth through the hull. Out in the

gravel yard, our two forklifts grunt

and cough, warming up, turning

over, complaining loudly over the

drone of the planer. So the week

begins, and now floating above it,

through my earmuffs, is my added

tattoo of mallet on iron, driving

cotton and oakum into miles of

seams, one inch at a time.

*For the purpose of this article, apprentice is used in the traditional sense of the word as there currently does not exist a formal apprenticeship program at Mystic Seaport.


CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: INNER BULWARK PLANKING ON THE STARBOARD SIDE FORWARD; RYAN STOKES AND SEAN KELLY FASTENING PLANKS ON THE PORT SIDE AFT; ROGER HAMBIDGE AND DOUG PARK PREPARING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE APRON; A PLANK MIDWAY THROUGH FASTENING; A VIEW OF THE SHOP FROM THE SECOND LEVEL OF SCAF-FOLDING IN THE MORGAN TENT.

Evelyn Ansel, who is working in the Henry B. duPont Preservation

Shipyard, is also a skilled photographer and has shot the photographs

for this article. In this photograph, she has her father

Walter Ansel, who is a senior shipwright, on her right and her

grandfather, Willits D. Ansel, a retired shipwright, on her left.

BUILDING WHALE-BOATS FOR THE MORGAN

BEETLE BOAT SHOP

GREAT LAKES BOAT BUILDING SCHOOL

By MATTHEW STACKPOLE

In 2008, when the Charles W. Morgan was hauled out to undergo a major resto-ration, essentially being rebuilt

from the waterline to the keel,

Mystic Seaport knew this was a

complex project. Certainly the

stewardship responsibility of

preserving and authentically re-

storing the worlds last wooden

whaleship, the nations oldest

floating merchant vessel, and the

Museums single largest artifact,

presented many challenges be-

yond a typical rebuilding project.

For example, detailed documen-

tation was required, as we were

uncovering parts of the vessel

not seen since she was built in

1841.

Mystic Seaport as a museum

is, in its most fundamental sense,

an educational institution whose

mission encompasses preserv-

ing and understanding tradi-

tional tools, techniques, and

skills just as much as collecting

artifacts and documents. An

exciting outcome of the Mor-

gans restoration is the training

of a new generation of Ameri-

can shipwrights in large timber

wooden vessel construction and

the understanding and use of the

traditional tools and techniques

used in 19th-century shipbuild-

ingall learned from working on

an authentic real ship, a National

Historic Landmark vessel.

This complex project includ-

ed building the seven 28-foot

double-ended open whaleboats

she typically carried to pursue

whales on her 37 voyages around

the world, and which she also

will require for her 38th Voyage

in 2014. How would we be able

to build them on top of every-

thing else the project demanded?

What we did not anticipate was

the answer that would evolve.

We built several in the

1970s, two in the 1980s, one in

the 1990s, and the latest one in

2002. Those built in the 1970s

were ferrous-fastened and have

long since become unservice-

able. The later boats, while still

sound, have a vital place in our

daily visitor demonstrations and

therefore will not accompany

the Morgan on her 38th Voyage.

It then occurred to us that per-

haps some other like-minded

organizations might be inter-

ested in building whaleboats.

But who and how could that ef-

fort be organized to assure that

we had authentic whaleboats of

the highest quality, as the fin-

ished boats would be part of the

Morgan?

Fortunately Willits D. Ansel,

a long-time shipwright at the

Museum, had researched and

written the definitive book on

the design and construction of

whaleboats, The Whaleboat,

which Mystic Seaport published

in 1978. Equally fortunate, his

son Walter, now one of our se-

nior shipwrights, had built a

whaleboat here with his father

in 2002 and could be a lead re-

source along with our Shipyard

crew to advise anyone building

a boat. As an interesting side

note, Walters daughter Evelyn

is working on the Morgan proj-

ect, tooa remarkable third gen-

eration Mystic Seaport Shipyard

family!

While attending a Council of

American Maritime Museums

meeting, Mystic Seaport Presi-

dent Stephen White raised the

question of whether someone

other than us would be inter-

ested in building a whaleboat, as

did our vice president and Clark

Senior Curator for Watercraft

Dana Hewson at professional

meetings he attended. Subse-

quently, we were approached

by John Brady, a colleague at the

Independence Seaport Muse-

ums Workshop on the Water in

Philadelphia, which has a highly

respected boat building program

as part of its ongoing operations.

Brady asked if they raised the

resources required and worked

closely with us, they could build

a whaleboat to donate to our

project. He also told us they

had a sponsor who was willing

to support this endeavor. Given

that they are a sister museum,

the generosity of their offer, and

the demonstrated quality of their

work, we immediately and en-

thusiastically said yes. Not only

did the Workshop on the Water

do a great job building the boat,

they did an equally wonderful

job of featuring it as an exhibit

both in the shop and online so

that others became aware of

what they were doing.

Brady also brought Rocking

10 | Mystic Seaport Magazine | SPRING / SUMMER 2013

As of the beginning of 2013, these are the participating organizations and the building stages of their boats:

Alexandria Seaport Foundation (VA): committed, not started

The Apprenticeshop (ME): started

Gannon and Benjamin Boatyard (MA): started

Great Lakes Boat Building School (MI): started

Independence Seaport Museum (PA): nearly finished

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (VT): committed, not started

Lowells Boat Shop (MA): started

New Bedford Whaling Museum/Beetle Boat Shop (MA): started

Rocking the Boat (NY): started

Wooden Boat Factory (PA): committed, not started

It is Mystic Seaports hope that some of these whaleboats will be exhibited at the WoodenBoat Show on June 28-30, 2013.

The Museum is now faced

with a delightful dilemma: What

to do with a newly created fleet

of ten whaleboats? While the

answer is not yet totally clear, it

is beginning to evolve. What we

do know is that we will have new

opportunities to tell the whale-

boats own stories in a variety

of ways.

Mystic Seaport is committed

to having each of the new boats

on the Morgan for some portion

of her 38th Voyage, as she will

carry seven at a time. While the

Museum envisions at least five

boats remaining on the whale-

ship as part of her exhibit role

after the voyage, we also picture

some of the boats joining our

dynamic demonstration squad

in their daily activity. There

could also be special events

on the Mystic River involving

these whaleboats, with one or

two perhaps going on the road to

participate in whaleboat events

elsewhere or serving as a travel-

ing exhibit.

After the 38th Voyage, the do-

nating organizations that have

built a boat can, if they wish,

bring their own boats back for

special occasions or exhibits. The

New Bedford Whaling Museum,

for example, plans an active use

of their boat in the whaleboat

races that already take place in

New Bedford and, potentially,

as part of their exhibits and out-

reach programs. Other organiza-

tions may follow suit.

With the exception of the

38th Voyage and the exhibit

part, none of this is set in stone.

The number of boats being built

provides great flexibility that

we have not had before. We are

sure that ideas on how best to

use these boats will continue to

develop just as the building of

the boats did. M.S.

W H A T T O D O W I T H T E N N E W W H A L E B O A T S ?

the Boat in Bronx, NY, into the picture. We were familiar with them, as they had

exhibited at the WoodenBoat Show, which has been held annually at the Museum

since 2007. Rocking the Boats mission is to empower young people challenged by

severe economic, educational, and social conditions to develop the self-confidence

to set ambitious goals and gain the skills necessary to achieve them. Students work

together to build wooden boats, learn to row and sail, and restore local urban wa-

terways, revitalizing their community while creating better lives for themselves.

Meanwhile Lowells Boat Shop in Amesbury, MA, began inquiring in 2011 about

building a boat and, by spring of 2012, had committed to build one. Established

in 1793, Lowells Boat Shop is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in the

country and is cited as the birthplace of the legendary fishing dory. A National

Landmark and a working museum, Lowells Boat Shop is: dedicated to preserving

and perpetuating the art and craft of wooden boat building.

Also in the spring of 2012, Tom Jackson, WoodenBoat magazines senior edi-

tor, mentioned the whaleboat project in his column Currents, which generated

more interest. During last summers WoodenBoat Show, Eric Stockinger from the

Apprenticeshop in Rockland, ME, Bud McIntire from the Great Lakes Boat Building

School in Cedarville, MI, and Bill Womack from the Beetle Boat Shop in Wareham,

MA, began discussions about building whaleboats for us. And then another amazing

thing happened. Peter Kellogg, a great advocate and supporter of traditional wooden

boat building, who supported the two first efforts, on his own contacted a group of

museums and boat building schools offering to donate $25,000 of start-up money

for these organizations if they wished to build a whaleboat. To say Mr. Kellogg has

been a catalyst for this project is an understatement!

His offer resulted in a series of conversations with various organizations. Eventu-

continued on page 12

THE APPRENTICESHOP LOWELLS BOAT SHOP ROCKING THE BOAT

GANNON AND BENJAMIN BOATYARD. MARK LOVEWELL, FOR THE VINEYARD GAZETTE.


ally the New Bedford Whaling Museum

in partnership with the Beetle Boat Shop,

the successor organization of the famous

Beetle Boat Building Company, signed

up, as did the Wooden Boat Factory in

Philadelphia, which is using the Inde-

pendence Seaport Museums Workshop

on the Waters shop, and the Alexandria

Seaport Foundation in Alexandria, VA.

Most recently, the well known Gan-

non and Benjamin Shipyard of Vineyard

Haven on Marthas Vineyard, supported

separately by donations restricted to

their project, committed to building a

boat and included several young vol-

unteers in the effort. Having a boat built

on the Vineyard is particularly appropri-

ate as the first Captain of the Morgan,

Thomas Adams Norton, and five other

of the ships total of twenty-one captains

hailed from the island. Lastly, the Lake

Champlain Maritime Museum commit-

ted in mid-January to build a boat as part

of their excellent boat building program.

In all, ten organizations are building

or planning to build whaleboats. All of

the boats will provide increased visibility

for the Morgan project in communities

and constituencies from Virginia all the

way North to Maine and Vermont and

West to the Great Lakes, accomplished

through passionate high quality work by

like-minded organizations and people

who share similar missions and values

as Mystic Seaport.

The necessity to build authentic

whaleboats to go on the whaleship, ac-

curate in every detail, expands the educa-

tional opportunity to pass on traditional

knowledge and skills beyond the Morgan

to small boat construction, all as part of a

nationally important historic restoration.

By building one of the finest examples

of an American-developed small boat,

one whose remarkable seaworthy design

was required by the boats function, the

builders are our partners in an extraor-

dinary enterprise to help our country

remember and learn from its maritime

past in all of its complex elements.

Matthew Stackpole is the Museums Morgan Restoration Project historian.

Building Whaleboats continued from page 11

A PHOTO FROM THE 2011 RACE; THE MYSTIC SEAPORT TEAM IS IN THE FOREGROUND.

Catch positions! Six people waiting for the call: Power 10! Keep the rhythm, row

hard, row together. Were gaining! Silent power 10! The boatsteerer is the eyes of the boat;

the rest of the crew is too focused on pulling. Steady, watch the stroke! All the blades hit

the water together, one sound, one motion. This is a whaleboat race

For Mystic Seaports demonstration squad, the whaleboat drill is one of our favorites.

It lets us use the techniques of the past every day to educate Museum visitors on this

amazing boat. For some of us, however, that love of the whaleboat has transcended into a

competitive sport. Mystic Seaport has sent one or more teams to compete at New Bedfords

Working Waterfront Festival in MA every September for the last four years. The teams are

composed of whoever is willing to get up early to row before work or stay after a long day

on squad to get in some oar-time.

The race is one mile long: twice around a figure-

eight. Knowing how not to tire out your crew on

the long straightaways is the key to keeping up the

power in the four turns. The boatsteerer has to

maintain the inspiration to keep the crew going.

During the 2010 race, the coed team even broke

out into a rowing chantey to calm everyones

nerves and get back on the right track.

The boats used in the races are fiberglass versions of the Beetle whaleboats that we

row daily at Mystic Seaport. However, although they are identical in design, with their

carbon fiber oars and greater buoyancy, they are quite different to row. Many a night the

teams would drive up to New Bedford to get some rowing time in these boats.

Every year our whaleboat team gets better and better. In 2011, our coed team won

the coed division and came in second overall. For the 2012 race, the team only had one

woman and therefore rowed in the mens division (two women are required to race in the

coed division). They came in first in the mens division and first overall. Where can we go

from here? It looks as if 2013 will be a great year for rowing at Mystic Seaport. As long as

the weather cooperates, you might see us out on the Mystic River in early spring we are

getting ready for the next race.

Debra Coats is a member of the Museums demonstration squad and Mary K. Bercaw Edwards is fore-man of the demonstration squad.

W H A L E B O A T R A C I N G : To Calm Your Nerves with a Rowing Chantey

12 | Mystic Seaport Magazine | SPRING / SUMMER 2013


LAUNCHING THE

Charles W. MorganJULY 21, 2013

B y D a n M c F a D D e n

The launching of a ship is a moment of great excitement. The vessel, carefully prepared, is ready to slide down the ways and touch the water for the first time. A crowd gathers: shipyard workers, the owners and company officials, special guests, perhaps a notable public figure or two, and those interested in seeing the spectacle. Speeches are made, words said, and at the culmination a bottle of champagne is

broken over the bow. The wedges and blocks holding back the ship are knocked out and if all goes as planned the

vessel is off with great fanfare and hits the water with a huge splash. After months or years of construction, this is

a special moment; the point when the hull takes on a life of its own and begins a career that may be entirely

predictable or, in the case of the Charles W. Morgan, it took the ship on an adventure to the far corners of

A VOLUNTEER REEFS OUT CAULKING BETWEEN SOME OF THE OLDER PLANKS.

LEAD SAWYER SCOTT NOSEWORTHY USES A TEMPLATE TO PLAN THE CUT FOR A HANGING KNEE.

SHIPWRIGHT TOM DANIELS EXAMINES THE PRECISE FIT OF A PLANK.

CHARLES WALN MORGAN (1796-1861). 2004.48.1.

HOW THE ARTIST JOHN F. LEAVITT DEPICTED THE CHARLES W. MORGAN BEING BUILT AT THE HILLMANS SHIPYARD IN NEW BEDFORD. 75.167.


the globe and a lifetime that has lasted

far longer than anyone present at her

original launch could have imagined.

Little is known about the details

of the first launch of the Morgan on

July 21, 1841, in New Bedford, MA.

The only newspaper account, which

appeared in the morning edition of

the New Bedford Mercury, simply

said, A fine ship of 350 tons burden,

intended for the whalefishery had

been launched. Her owner, the suc-

cessful whaling merchant Charles

Waln Morgan, made a brief entry in

his journal. He wrote:

A fine warm day but a busy day

This morning at 10 oclock my elegant

new ship was launched beautifully

from the Hillman yard and in the

presence of about half the town and a

great show of ladies.

Clearly pleased with his new ves-

sel, he continued: She looks beauti-

fully on the water.

Interestingly, she was launched

without a name. That came several

weeks later when nephew and part-

ner Samuel Griffitts Morgan named

the ship after his uncle. Initially,

Charles W. Morgan was not particu-

larly happy with the decision, noting

in his diary on August 9, I dont

entirely like it. In the end, he let

it stand.

When Mystic Seaport launches the

ship in the Henry B. duPont Preser-

vation Shipyard this summer on the

172nd anniversary of that first foray

into the Acushnet River, it too will be

a busy day. The Morgan has been out

of the water since November 2008

and the Museum will mark the event

with appropriate pomp and ceremo-

ny. Prior to the launch, the scaffold-

ing and plastic that has protected the

ship from the elements for the last

several years will be removed so her

cradle can be pulled out and centered

on the concrete pad leading to the

shiplift. She will then be hauled out

onto the lift dock, ready to be lowered

into the water.

On the day of the launch, the cer-

emony will begin at 2 p.m. to coincide

with high tide on the Mystic River.

Tradition calls for speeches to mark

the occasion. The keynote address will

be delivered by Ric Burns, the award-

winning documentarian filmmaker.

Best known for his series New York: A

Documentary Film, Burns began his

career with the celebrated series The

Civil War, which he co-produced with

his brother Ken. He has since tackled

a variety of notable projects for PBS

including Coney Island, The Donner

Party, The Way West, and Andy Warhol:

A Documentary Film. Burns has a spe-

cial connection to whaling and Mystic

Seaport that makes him the ideal

candidate to articulate the importance

of the day. In 2010, he wrote, produced,

and co-directed a film for the PBS

series American Experience about the

history of the whaling industry, Into the

SHIPWRIGHT PHIL ANDREWS INSTALLS COPPER SHEATHING ON THE SHIPS KEEL.

A project the scale of the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan can only be accom-plished with the help of lots of people. One of the groups that has been essential to the project is the Museum volunteers. A core team has been at work on the ship from the beginning, scraping paint, sanding, repaintingwhatever needs to be done.

A particular success of the volunteers was the sales of trunnels to visitors. A trunnel, a term derived from treenail, is a large peg, about 18 inches long, that is one of the primary fasteners throughout the ship.

Last July, shipwright Rob Welch suggested that one way to increase public involvement and raise funds for the restoration along the way would be to sell trunnels. For $5 a person could buy, sign, and perhaps leave a message on a trunnel that would later be used on the ship. That way their names and thoughts would become part of the hull for posterity.

Since the Shipyard could not support the staff to man the sales table, the volunteers stepped in to make it happenand the sales rolled in. Through the end of 2012 a dedicated team of ten managed to sell 2,061 trunnels, which raised $10,308 for the Morgan. In addition, ten trunnels were auc-tioned off for $1,000 each at the America and the Sea Award Gala last October.

Thanks to the volunteers and to everyone who bought a trunnel!

a Volunteer effort


Deep: America Whaling & the World.

The film is the story the Museum seeks

to tell with the Charles W. Morgan, and

in fact the ship provided a set for some

of the scenes in the film.

As in most any launch, when the

big moment arrives a bottle will be

broken over the bow of the ship.

While it would be preferable to follow

history and recreate the original mo-

ment, as noted there is no record of

what, if anything, was used in 1841.

Precedent at the time would have

called for a wine or spirit, perhaps

even a beer, but Charles W. Morgan

was a Quaker and it is unlikely he

would have approved of an alcoholic

beverage to christen his ship. The

decision of what to use is presenting

the Museum with an opportunity to

mix historic protocol with a look to

the present and future.

Contrary to the popular image, in

this launch there will be no dramatic

rush down the ways punctuated with

a great splash. The shiplift is designed

to carefully raise and lower historic

vessels and minimize the stress on

their hulls and rigs. Once the signal

is given, a switch will be thrown and

the Morgan, decorated with flags and

bunting and sporting a temporary

mast, will slowly lower into the river.

The Shipyard estimates it will take

about 20 minutes from the moment

her keel enters the water until she

floats freely over her blocks and pop-

pets. What it may lack in momentary

drama and excitement, this launch

will make up for with anticipation.

The current restoration is the

fourth major one undertaken since

the Morgan arrived at Mystic Seaport

in November 1941. The primary focus

was on the hull below the waterline

and addressed planking and frames

many of which dated to her original

construction. A substantial recon-

struction of portions of the bow and

stern were required as well. Prior

topsides work in the 1950s and 1980s

suffered from fresh water intru-

sion which lead to rot and had to be

replaced. After a period of evaluation,

analysis, and documentation involv-

ing both traditional techniques and

the most modern laser scanning, a

plan of restoration was finalized and

work could begin in earnest. The ceil-

ing planks that line the inside of the

hold were removed to provide access

to the ships frames. Over the course

of many months, the futtocks that

make up the frames, timbers six-foot

long or larger of dense live oak, were

inspected and painstakingly replaced

as needed. Once finished, new ceiling

was installed so attention could turn

A PLANK FOR THE MORGAN COMES OUT OF THE STEAM BOX AS THE JOSEPH CONRAD LOOKS ON.


Dan McFadden is Director

of Communications at

Mystic Seaport.

THE PROPOSED STOPS ON THE MORGANS 38TH VOYAGE IN 2014.

to the exterior planking. This order of

work was crucial to preserve the shape

of the hull. With the ceiling out and

futtocks being replaced, it was up to

the exterior planking and the cradle to

maintain the shape of the hull. Once

the internal work was complete, those

members could then maintain the

shape while the exterior planking was

worked on. All told, about 140 planks

will have been replaced when the job is

done. It is estimated that 15-18 percent

of the ships original fabric will remain,

including the same keel that was laid

down in New Bedford in 1841.

A major challenge for the Museum

was to find suitable materials for

the job. Live oak, longleaf pine, and

white oak of suitable dimensions and

quality for shipbuilding are extremely

difficult to source today. However,

this provided an opportunity to find,

save, and reuse materials that other-

wise would have gone to waste. Grand

live oaks brought down by Hurricanes

Katrina and Ike were sculpted into

futtocks and hanging knees, a cache

of wood buried and long forgotten at

the former Charlestown Navy Yard

in Boston was unearthed, donated to

Mystic Seaport by the Spalding Reha-

bilitation Hospital and Walsh Brothers

Construction Company, and trucked

to the Museum. Within days the wood

was being cut and shaped for use on the

Morgan. Carefully selected and cut by

master shipwrights at the height of their

trade in the 1860s, the Charlestown

wood could not have been more perfect

for the job. And early this year, with the

help of trustee Barclay Collins, several

trees downed by Hurricane Sandy at

the New York Botanical Garden were

donated for use on the ship. The selec-

tion of white oak and fir will find a new

life on the Morgan, which while not as

ideal as their former role, does provide

a fitting use for such special trees.

The end result of all this work is

that this is the most comprehensive

restoration since she was built.

There is no reason not to think she

will last another 170 years, observed

Quentin Snediker, director of the Henry

B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, It is a

rebirth for a new generation.

But even though the launch of the

Morgan will be a milestone, the restora-

tion is not yet complete. There is still a

lot to be done before she can embark

on her 38th Voyage next year. There

is substantial interior carpentry to be

done. The focsl, captains cabin, and

chain locker need to be reassembled.

The davits and various elements of deck

gear need to be reinstalled, there is a lot

of painting to be done, and, of course,

she needs to be re-rigged.

Taking her back to sea also requires

the installation of a number of modern

systems. The ship will need bilge pumps,

a generator, fire-suppression equipment,

a new electrical system, and a navigation

and communications suite. While this

may sound intrusive, every effort is be-

ing made to preserve the ships historic

status and screen the modern gear from

visitors. Once she returns from the 38th

Voyage, everything not necessary will

be removed as she returns to being an

exhibit at her berth at Chubbs Wharf.

The launch of a ship is a spiritual

moment for those involved in building

her. The hull is the body of the ship and

when she touches the water and begins

to move for the first time on her own

bottom, it is a form of animation. In this

case, the launch will be setting her back

in motion, but after almost five years

high and dry on the hard, that motion

will be just as momentous.

Walter Ansel, one of the senior ship-

wrights on the project, worked on the

Morgan during the major restoration in

the 1980s. When asked what was differ-

ent this time, he said, This effort was

larger because in the back of our minds

we know she is going back to sea and

that raised the bar. In a way that made

her much more of a live ship.

MUSEUM BRIEFS

When they gathered at a New York

steak house 91 years ago to share their

enthusiasm for offshore sailing, twelve

men created a club that now numbers

more than 1,200 men and women around

the world. The Cruising Club of America

(CCA), as they named it, still observes the

goals the founders proposed: to create a

club for those who favored long-distance

cruising rather than day sailing and rac-

ing; to establish an offshore race between

two countries, which almost immediately

turned into management of the biennial

race to Bermuda; to promote the devel-

opment of safe boat designs and safety

equipment; to encourage ocean sailing by

establishing the annual Blue Water Medal,

which recognizes well-planned and well-

executed long-distance or extreme ocean

voyages; and to collect and publish in-

formation on best sailing practices and

members expeditions to promote safe

ocean sailing.

Without a central club house, the

Cruising Club of America has long con-

sidered Mystic Seaport to be its unofficial

headquarters, and its archive is located

there. So an exhibit on the CCA is equally

at home at the Museum, especially in the

ful, interactive exhibit with large photo

murals, which was fabricated by The

Taylor Group.

CCA members leave their wakes in

the Arctic, off Antarctica, and in the track

of the first solo circumnavigator, Captain

Joshua Slocum. But you can catch up

with them, and the influential work of

their club, in the Museums new exhibit

in the G. W. Blunt White Building, Ad-

venturous Use of the Sea: The Cruising

Club of America.

Andy German is the former editor of The Log of Mystic Seaport and the former director of Publications at Mystic Seaport.

room that honors one of its most influential

members, the yacht designer Olin J. Stephens

II (1908-2008) of Sparkman & Stephens. For

several years a committee of CCA members

and Mystic Seaport staff met to work out an

exhibit plan that reflects the Clubs origins

and ongoing work, including a section on

influential designs by Olin Stephens. Exhibit

designer Charlie McMillan designed a color-

NEW EXHIBIT: ADVENTUROUS USE OF THE SEA


MUSEUM BRIEFS


Tom Brillat, director of the Interpretation

Department at Mystic Seaport since October

2012, has a passion that fits right in with his new

job. To clarify Tom was president of the League

for Advancement of New England Storytelling

prior to joining Mystic Seaports role players as

Captain Thomas Nelson. He recalls the fervor he

felt when assigned as an interpreter aboard the

Charles W. Morgan his first summer on staff. Fast

forward three and a half years, and Tom now has the fresh and

exciting challenge of managing the Interpretation Department

and formulating a strategic plan for the future.

Tom speaks from experience when he says, Theres a marked

difference between explaining an exhibit and actually acting as

a particular person of the 1800s era. Whats most important for

any interpreter is feeling comfortable in front of people; you

dont need to be a schooled actor or actress. He rates the talent

amassed within the Interpretation Department as extraordinary.

I want to utilize that talent in ways that will engage visitors more

get them personally involved. Tom feels good

communication within the department is the

key to bringing future goals to fruition.

Candidly, Tom admits sailing for long periods

is a little out of his comfort zone, but he has

raced competitively, and his ancestry attests

to a strong seafaring connection in the family

genes. He is certain of one thing: If Im offered

the opportunity to be on board when the Charles

W. Morgan sails in 2014 Ill be there!

It was at the U.S. Naval Academy, where Tom majored in

history, that his interest in naval and maritime American history

became firmly rooted. After graduating and completing his Navy

commitment, Tom experienced sailing old square-rigged vessels

and ultimately served as executive director of the Tall Ship Bounty

Foundation. A glance at Toms curriculum vitae tells a story itself

and is proof positive that Mystic Seaports Interpretation Depart-

ment is in very good hands.

Trudi Busey is a volunteer at Mystic Seaport.

MUSEUM PARTNERS OFFER LUXURY AND STYLE

Since 1868 the Ocean House has sat on

the hill above nearby Watch Hill, RI, and

welcomed guests to spend their vacation

at the shore. A fine example of the grand

resort hotels that were once common up

and down the New England coastline, the

Ocean House is now the only remaining

hotel out of six that once stood in this

town. Beautifully rebuilt and reopened

by a new owner in 2010, the Ocean House

again welcomes guests to enjoy the shore-

line in style and luxury.

Mystic Seaport has been pleased to

partner with the hotel on a variety of

projects in the last couple of years. Our

traveling exhibit of photographs from

the Rosenfeld Collection, The Art of the

Boat, was displayed at the hotel and ar-

tifacts from the collections rotate in the

lobby and common rooms.

The Museums Maritime Art Gallery

participated in the hotels Artists in Resi-

dence program in 2012 and will do so again

this year. Gallery artists Robert Noreika, H.

Gray Park IV, David Monteiro, Cindy Baron,

and Director of the Maritime Art Gallery

Jeanne Potter each spent a long weekend to

use the hotel and grounds as their muse and

share their work and expertise in programs

for the guests.

Longtime Mystic Seaport member Jack

Spratt has generously donated his time

and boats to offer Ocean House guests

exclusive day sails and excursions on his

vintage catboat Trim Again and repurposed

Mackenzie Cuttyhunk swordfishing boat

Encore with all proceeds going to benefit the

Museum. Capt. Jack would pick up guests

at the hotel, drive them to the dock in his

Model T, and then treat them to a variety of

trips on Fishers Island Sound, including a

sunset cruise, seal watching off Stonington,

and a special behind-the-scenes tour of the

Museum. So far his work has raised almost

$20,000 for Mystic Seaport.

For more information about staying at

the Ocean House or Jack Spratts benefit

cruises, please call the hotel at 401.584.7000.

Dan McFadden is Director of Communications at Mystic Seaport.

TOM LOVES TO TELL STORIES


The 2012 recipient of the

Orion Award for Excellence in

Experiential Education is Mi-

chael Graham, who is a history

and civics teacher at the Charles

Morgan School in Clinton, CT.

He has been a key collaborator

in the development of the Mu-

seums Online Learning Com-

munity and the Adventures in

Research experiential educa-

tion program. Grahams ap-

proach in his teaching is to bring

students out of the classroom

and into the field for first-hand

encounters with the places, ar-

tifacts, and activities that allow

students to develop critical 21st

century life skills. He is a great

partner for Mystic Seaport and we are lucky to have such a talented and

inspirational educator on our team.

Sarah Cahill is Director of Education at Mystic Seaport.

For information about the Orion Award, and to nominate teachers to receive this award, please go to www.mysticseaport.org/orionaward

LIGHTING UP THE SKYOn November 10, Mystic Seaport celebrated the

whaleship Charles W. Morgans 71st year in Mystic

with free admission and fireworks in the evening

that were sponsored by the Mohegan Sun, a local ca-

sino. With the weather gods on our side, the Morgan

Day was a great success, with around 4,400 visitors

on the grounds during

the day. To this figure

can be added more

than 2,000 visitors who

watched the spectacu-

lar fireworks from the

Museum shore. Count-

less other spectators

were standing on the

other side of the river

or watching from the

drawbridge in down-

town Mystic.

It was a welcome

celebration and dis-

traction on a dark No-

vember night, or as one grateful visitor put it in a

letter to Mystic Seaport: Tonight, we attended the

Fireworks. There were so many people there, and

looking around the Museum/out across the river, was

so beautiful. People are weary from the economy, from

the election, from the storm [Sandy]. Thank you so

much for a beautiful evening and Fireworks display.

What a nice thing to do, during such trying times.

In short, we can all do with a little sparkle in our

lives now and then.

2012 ORION AWARD WINNER: MICHAEL GRAHAM

MYSTIC SEAPORT THROUGH THE CAMERA LENSA majority of the photographs in the Mystic Seaport Magazine are taken

by the Museums skillful photographers Dennis Murphy and Andy Price.

Whether an event at Mystic Seaport is big or small, either Andy or Dennis or

both are there with their cameras to perpetuate the event and the people

attending. Of course, of all the pictures they shoot, only a fraction will be

used or show up in the Mystic Seaport Magazine. This spring, beginning

May 1, the Museums website will feature a selection of photographs by Andy

and Dennis chosen by them to entertain and amuse our website visitors.

To see for yourself, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/photos

DENNIS MURPHY (LEFT) AND ANDY PRICE, THE MUSEUMS SKILLED PHOTOGRAPHERS, ARE GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT MISSION: TO GET A GOOD PICTURE FOR THEIR UPCOMING EXHIBIT ON THE MUSEUMS WEBSITE.

MICHAEL GRAHAM RECEIVING THE ORION AWARD FROM SARAH CAHILL.

FUNDING STUDENTS PROGRAMS Mystic Seaport has received $100,000 from the

Beagary Charitable Trust to engage all 5th-grade stu-

dents in ten school districts in northeastern Connecticut

with activities in-school, at Mystic Seaport, and virtu-

ally. This funding is critical to provide access to Mystic

Seaport for students who otherwise would not be able

to participate in our programming. Each year for three

years, every 5th-grade student will be able to experience

an on-site educational program at the Museum, an in-

school program, and a virtual field trip. The funding

will also be used to develop educational programs to

celebrate the Year of the Charles W. Morgan during the

academic year 20132014. Participating school districts:

Brooklyn, Canterbury, Eastford, Killingly, Pomfret, Plain-

field, Putnam, Sterling, Thompson, and Woodstock.

MUSEUM BRIEFS

DONALD MCDONALD ON BOW WATCH AS REAPER CRUISES PAST BASS ROCK IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH.

BARRY KEENAN ADJUSTING REAPER'S GANGWAY DURING HER VISIT TO WHITBY, ENGLAND.

AMANDA STEERING REAPER DOWN THE EASTERN COAST OF SCOTLAND.


By AMANDA NICHOLAS

T he Scottish Fisheries Museum, tucked away in the town of Anstruther on the southeast-ern coast of Scotland, has forged a rela-tionship with Mystic Seaport since the early 2000s. It

began with Williams-Mystic professor Rich King taking

time from his graduate studies at the University of St.

Andrews to volunteer alongside the museums Boats

Club. These museum members are a special group of

men and women who work tirelessly on the museums

floating emissary, the herring drifter Reaper. Built in

1902, the 70-foot Reaper is home to exhibits detailing

Scotlands fishing heritage. Started in 1985, the Boats

Club is one of three special member groups who meet

at and support the Scottish Fisheries Museum. The

club consists of twenty active participants who come

from across the United Kingdom from all professions.

Several are retired fishermen and skippers, but all of

them are incredibly devoted to Reaper.

Thanks to the generosity of the Mallory Fellow-

ship Grant, I continued a growing tradition of visits

to and from this institution and Mystic. (The Boats

Club sent twelve members to visit Mystic in 2007). It

was fantastic how everyone associated with the club

quickly welcomed me into their lives, work, and homes

throughout my three-week stay in February last year.

Within the first afternoon my schedule was packed

with museum meetings, excursions, and visits to many

homes for tea. Besides scraping paint on Reaper and

helping re-caulk her sister vessel, White Wing, I jumped

at any opportunity that was offered to me. I experi-

enced accessioning artifacts, rowing a St. Ayles skiff

with the Rowing Club, conducting interviews, joining

their knitting club, journeying to Dundee, Edinburgh,

and Pitlochry, and of course, trying haggis. In addition,

I shared Mystic Seaports experiential programs with

their staff and board in a special presentation before

attending their board meeting.

Through the kindness of club president John Firn,

his wife Marion, and so many other members, the trip

expanded from three weeks to include a few days in

London and a return excursion in August. The London

leg allowed me the opportunity to explore the capital

city of the U.K., collect educational supplies, and meet

fellow public historians. Thanks to the support of Dr.

Robert Prescott, a renowned maritime historian and

influential member of the Boats Club, I met with the

overnight education coordinator for the HMS Belfast.

Through our conversation it became clear that whether

aboard Belfast or the Joseph Conrad, the same chal-

lenges face overnight programs on the River Thames

and the Mystic River.

In August, I returned to see Reapers mission in

action as I joined her crew traveling down the eastern

coast to Whitby, England, for the Whitby Folk Week

and Whitby Regatta. Reaper remained dockside during

this festival, open to visitors and collecting donations.

The vessel was interpreted to thousands of visitors

during our stay by seven incredible crew members,

fellow Mystic Seaport employee Barry Keenan, and

myself. Throughout my trips it was inspiring to see

Boats Club members not only maintaining Reaper,

but sharing her mission with the visitors.

Whether it was exploring Scotlands historic vessels,

meeting with museum professionals, or exchanging

my old Nantucket recipes for the Tea Room manager

Shelias Scottish ones, I will cherish my work abroad. I

made life-long friends and am honored to have con-

tinued the professional development between these

two institutions.

Every second year, Mystic Seaport staff has the oppor-tunity to apply for funds from the Mallory International Ex-change Fellowship Program for professional develop-ment activities and research abroad. Three applicants were picked for the 2012 program: Amanda Nicholas, who is Program Manager of Anchor Watch, went to the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, Scotland; and Maribeth Bielinski, who is the Collections Access Man-ager, and Krystal Rose, who is the Project Manager of the Online Learning Community, traveled to the Azores in the wake of the Charles W. Morgans voyages there.

Scraping Paint, Caulking, and Taking Reaper down to England

MALLORY GRANTS

SPRING / SUMMER 2013 | Mystic Seaport Magazine |

LIGHT-UP WHALEBOAT ON DISPLAY AT SEMANA DOS BALEEIROS FESTIVAL.

TEAMS FROM AZOREAN VILLAGES PREPARE FOR WHALEBOAT RACES.

PHOTOGRAPH OF A LARGE BULL SPERM WHALE CAUGHT OFF LAJES DO PICO, AZORES IN 1965. 1965.889.1.

By MARIBETH BIELINSKI

and KRYSTAL ROSE

M ore than one hundred years ago, in what was a frequent event for many whaleships during that period, the Charles W. Morgan dropped

anchor at the islands of the Azores. In addition

to the obvious goal of hunting and processing

the elusive sperm whale, the visits allowed

ships to stock up on provisions and recruit

native islanders to fill out shorthanded crews.

Flash forward to the current day as we

embarked on a similar island voyage. The

goal of our trip was not to hunt, but instead

to take part in the celebration of the sperm

whale Semana dos Baleeiros (Festival of the

Whalers) and to study the history of Azorean

whaling and the islands connection to the

Charles W. Morgan. After a four-hour flight,

and once safely on the island of So Miguel,

we began our whirlwind tour.

During our two-week trip,

we visited four of the nine

islands of the Archipelago

of the Azores: So Miguel,

Flores, Faial, and Pico.

While visiting each of the

islands, we were struck by

their unique beauty and the

obvious role that whaling

continues to play (despite the

international ban on com-

mercial whaling ratified in

1986) within the local com-

munities. Flores, the most

undeveloped of the islands,

had us immediately sympa-

thizing with the plight of crew

members of the Morgan, who

unquestionably had to resist

the urge to abandon ship and

reside permanently in this paradise. Hydran-

geas, beautiful waterfalls, quaint stone cot-

tages, and a breathtaking coastline pulled

us back into the past. Aside from telephone

wires and the occasional automobile passing

us by, little has changed on this island since

the Morgans last visit roughly one hundred

years ago.

The citizens of the Azores have made

impressive efforts to preserve their culture.

Through celebration, they pass on their way of

life and their whaling past to subsequent gen-

erations. One such example (and the highlight

of our trip) was the annual whaling festival in

Lajes do Pico. This week-long religious festival

culminates with the procession of the statue

of Our Lady of Lourdes, the patron saint of

whalers, out to and back from the sea in sym-

bolic representation of the safe return of all

whale men. Our invitation and subsequent

participation in the whaleboat races was truly

In the Wake of the Morgan in the Azores

21

OUR LADY OF LOURDES, PATRON SAINT OF THE WHALERS.

KRYSTAL ROSE (LEFT) AND MARIBETH BIELINSKI.

an honor and privilege that we did not expect.

The sight of more than a dozen brightly painted

whaleboats manned by multiple generations of

local family members is an experience that we

will cherish forever.

In summation, we were extremely pleased

with the opportunity to travel to the Azores

and represent not only Mystic Seaport but the

American maritime community as well, on a

trip that was made possible by the generosity of

the Mallory International Fellowship Exchange

Program. Our time on location went by quickly

but was well spent, as we have established many

professional contacts that we hope to further

cultivate in the months and years to come. The

travels of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan and

its interaction with the peoples of the Azores

is an ongoing endeavor, a project that we are

thrilled to be part of.

ON BOOKS

ROOSEVELTS NAVY by James Tertius de Kay

Many books have been written about Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or FDR, as president of the United States. One of the most recent bi-ographies, published last year, is Roosevelts Navy: The Education of a Warrior President, 18821920.

Author James Tertius de Kay spins a good yarn of a story about the privileged young FDR, his years at Groton School, and his resolute climb of a sometimes not steadfast po-litical ladder. One of the most important turning points in the young FDRs life was when his fifth cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, became president after President McKinley died from the wounds of an assassins bullets. It was Cousin Teds favorite niece, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, whom FDR would marry and not always be faithful to. In this easy read of a book, de Kay concentrates on FDRs first 38 years, including his eight years as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Woodrow Wilson. The author emphasizes the formative influence of those years on the man who would become the 32nd president of the United States.

THE MORTAL SEA by W. Jeffrey Bolster

The western Atlantic fishing banks, which stretch from Cape Cod to Newfoundland, have attracted fish-ermen for more than five hundred years. In The Mortal Sea: Fishing the Atlantic in the Age of Sail, historian Jeffrey Bolster makes a convincing case that these waters have been

overfished for a long period, even before factory trawlers set out to make fishing an industrial enterprise. Drawing on a mix of extraordinary explorers and fishermen, maritime biology and ecological awareness, the author tells a riveting story about one of the worlds largest ecosystems that is headed for an environmental catastrophe.

THE IMPOSSIBLE RESCUE by Martin W. Sandler

For anyone interested in the Arctic and good old adventure stories, Mar-tin Sandler has penned an exciting true saga of old-fashioned heroism

in his The Impossible Rescue. In September 1897, several whaleships were surprised by early, heavy ice in the Arctic Ocean at Point Barrow in north Alaska. In all, nine whalers found themselves trapped in the ice. Captain Tilton man-aged to get his vessel Alexander free, and she immediately headed back to her home port San Francisco to inform the authorities that 265 men were stuck in the ice in a dire situation and would soon face starvation. By order of William McKinley, president of the United States, a rescue party was sent out on the Bear, a vessel belonging to the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. The Bears mission was to get as far north as possible and set three officers ashore who would then trek 1,500 miles to Point Barrow with a herd of reindeer as food for the stranded whalemen. Would they get there in time? Not only does Sandler tell a fascinating tale, the book has an appealing design with black and white photographs taken by one of the rescuers.

Clash of Eagles

After Napoleon Bonaparte had moved his army into the Otto-man Empire in 1799, the year following his invasion of Egypt,

there was an awakening interest in the Western world about

Palestine. While Palestine had been a separate country in the

Roman Empire, the Ottomans considered it part of Syria and

regarded it as a simple backwater of their Empire.

In 1847, close to five decades after Napoleons invasion,

U.S. Navy Lieutenant William Francis Lynch, who had ac-

quired a taste for exploration during voyages to South America

and China, suggested a scientific expedition to Palestine to John Mason,

Secretary of the Navy. Though the official mission of the expedition was to map the

Dead Sea, Mason hoped that it would also advance the character of the Naval service,

especially as the U.S. Navy at the time played a minor part in the Mexican-American War.

While Mason saw the voyage more as a publicity stunt that would give the Navy some

much-needed headlines in the newspapers, Lynch had an agenda of his own.

At this time, the world still offered some unexplored spots on the map. For many years

several European countries had sent explorers and scientists to put their countries flags on

newly discovered pieces of land. Lieutenant Lynch wanted to be part of this competition

against the Old World as he believed, with many of his countrymen, that it was Americas

destiny to take on the challenge to fight for a preeminent place among nations. To this

purpose can also be added a more religious mission, as Carol Lea Clark writes in Clash of

Eagles: America was Gods new chosen country, and Lynch hoped that the exploration

would firmly establish an American stake in Palestine, Gods original Promised Land.

On November 20, 1847, Lieutenant Lynch, commanding the USS Supply with a

crew of fourteen officers, sailors, and volunteers including his own son, Francis, left the

Brooklyn Navy Yard for a four months voyage to Haifa. On April 1, 1848, Lynch and his

men, after having gone through the usual Ottoman bureaucracy, received permission

from the authorities and started their journey through the desert in a caravan with local

Muslim tribesmen acting as guides and guards. When it came to their own safety, the

Americans only trusted themselves. They were probably the most well-armed Western-

ers moving across these parts since Napoleons failed campaign to conquer Palestine.

To be able to sail or paddle the Sea of Galilee and travel down the Jordan River to reach

the Dead Sea, Lynch had brought with him two reassembled metal boats mounted on

carriages. The carriages were dragged through the desert by camels, ships of the desert,

which Lynch later described as clumsy-jointed, splay-footed, wry-neck, vicious [. and]

incomparably the most disagreeable creature.

The Lynch expedition was largely forgotten, perhaps because it took place at a time

when the Bible was regarded as literal truth and religious beliefs still cast a shadow over

scientific proof. With its thrilling components of facts about a journey of several weeks

under a hot sun among sheikhs, Bedouins, sometimes hostile tribes, and brave American

sailors (who probably were the first undisguised Western Christians to visit certain holy

areas since the Crusaders), Clash of Eagles reads like a boys adventure book. Clark bases

her story on Lieutenant Lynchs own writing and reports from the expedition, which were

published a couple of years after the American explorers had fulfilled their mission to

measure the Dead Sea. Her book is a good read.

Gran R Buckhorn, who is the editor of the Mystic Seaport Magazine, has some experience himself traveling through a desert. Exactly 25 years ago this spring, he and two Swedish friends crossed the largest and hottest sand desert in the world, the Sahara. They were driving an old 1968 VW bus, which was as temperamental as Lynchs camels, from Tunis in the north to Lom in the south.

BY CAROL LEA CLARK (LYONS PRESS, 2012, 280 PP)Reviewed by GRAN R BUCKHORN


WHEN AMERICA FIRST MET CHINA by Eric Jay DolinHas the Chinese century begun? Is Americas star on the wane? If the past is prelude, When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs and

Money in the Age of Sail can us help under-stand the present and perhaps prepare for the future. Dealing with vast and complex issues in a single volume is always a challenge, but Eric Jay Dolin has proved his facility for doing so with his Leviathan and Fur, Fortune and Empire. In this, his most recent book, Dolin examines the first century of this nations relationship with the Middle Kingdom. The cast of characters in-deed includes emperors, presidents, merchant princes, exotic ladies, ship captains, pirates, and drug dealers. The first voyage from the U.S. to China, an empire that had existed for two mil-lennia, began even before the treaty ending the War for Independence was ratified. The author casts his net wide as he explores the origins of this relationship that continues to seek a point of balance. His book is as intriguing as it is of value.

Glenn Gordinier, Ph.D., is Mystic Seaports Robert G. Albion Historian.

Gunsmoke!Travel back in time at Mystic Seaport when 150 Civil

War reenactors from all around Connecticut and the

U.S. Naval Landing Party of Massachusetts will set up

camp on the Museum grounds. We promise our visitors

a thrilling weekend filled with drills, demonstrations,

lectures, a troop landing, and the firing of muskets and

cannons (June 12).

Chant Way-ay-yaEveryone is invited to the 34th Annual Sea Music Fes-

tival, one of the worlds premier sea music events.

Together with the Museums chantey staff, a core of

performers from maritime cultures around the globe

will sing and play music from the golden age of sail.

The weekend festivities include concerts, special per-

formances for children, workshops, and more. Special

tickets are needed for the evening concerts (June 69).

Boats, Boats, BoatsFor the seventh year in a row, the Museum will host the

famous WoodenBoat Show. For three days visitors can

browse through exciting exhibits, watch demonstra-

tions, buy merchandise from vendors, and just enjoy

being around 13,000 other wooden boat enthusiasts.

In conjunction with the WoodenBoat Show, Mystic

Seaport will also hold the Small Craft Workshop, where

you can get out on the water in all kinds of small wa-

tercraft (June 2830). One month later, join us for the

dazzling Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous. On display

will be antique vessels such as cruisers, sailboats, and

runabouts (July 2728).

For Those Young at HeartWelcome to the 22nd annual Marine Engine Show at

the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. This is the

largest marine engine show in the country with more

than 100 exhibitors who will have hundreds of pieces on

display. Steam, gasoline, diesel, electric, and naphtha

engines will huff and puff away to please your eyes and

ears (August 17-18).

Messing About in BoatsWatch as women and men, boys and girls, juniors and

masters race down the Mystic River in their beautiful

shells at the 22nd annual Coastweeks Regatta, which

starts the fall head racing season in New England. Do

you have a boat of your own? Sign up to be part of the

fun (September 15).

EDITOR'S P ICKS

Whats Up?

TO ORDER THESE OR OTHER BOOKS, please call 860.572.5386. or email [email protected]

DONT FORGET YOUR 10% MEMBERS DISCOUNT! REMEMBER WE SHIP ANYWHERE!

COMMANDERby Stephen TaylorIn his marvelously written bi-ography of Edward Pellew, the greatest frigate captain of the age of sail, who nowadays is forgotten but in his time was an admired hero of the Royal Navy, Stephen Taylor states that

Patrick OBrians fictional character Jack Aubrey is based on Pellew. This swashbuckling captain was as brave as any famous

Mystic seaport magazine, spring summer 2013

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