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A meeting of the National Friends of Ernestina/Morrissey was held in Providence, RI on April 10, 1983 to strengthen and focus the efforts of the group. Representatives from New York and the New England area gathered to amend the by-laws and register the National Friends as a non-profit in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Voting members were to be the chairs of the local friends groups including Joe Cardozo (Bridgeport), Donald Frost (Gloucester), Ed Andrade (New York), Carl Cruz (New Bedford), Oling Jackson (Providence), Michael Platzer (Rye), and Alfred Cardoza (Wareham). Officers appointed were Laura Pires Houston, president, Fred Littleton, secretary, Austen Colgate, treasurer, John Santiago, clerk, Joe Cardozo, membership secretary, Julius Britto, executive director.

"The Ernestina is at a crossroads in her life." said Laura Pires Houston, national chair of the friends group.

Excerpts from an article in the Gloucester Daily Times, July 15, 1983:

Schooner Ernestina may leave next week The schooner Ernestina, tied up in Gloucester for nearly a year, may leave next week. Repairs to the historic Gloucester-built fishing vessel have been delayed by bureaucratic infighting. But Daniel Moreland, recently hired as captain, says the 107-foot vessel will be hauled out at Gloucester Marine Railways at Rocky Neck, then towed to New Bedford.

Then it will go on a tour of New England ports, partly to raise the $300,000 Moreland says is needed to put the vessel in "complete operating condition."

Moreland said he was hired to act as skipper to work with the Friends of the Ernestina/Morrissey and the Massachusetts Schooner Ernestina Commission and "get the ship moving." "We expect to get the work done and tow the boat to New Bedford next week," he said. "We’ll do some work on the ship there. Then we’ll go out fund raising this fall."

During the tour of New England ports, he said, "we’ll be looking for money from anyone who wants to contribute, from a nickel to $10,000."

Excerpts from an article in the New Bedford Standard-Times August 3, 1983:

Ernestina returns to New Bedford for repairs, by Jack Stewardson

New Bedford - The historic two-masted schooner Ernestina arrived back in the city today where supporters are hoping to enlist volunteers to start repairs on the 89-year-old ship.

Britto said it is hoped that by fall the ship will be able to have a new engine installed and sail to ports in New York, Connecticut and Wareham. The engine is expected to be installed at the Gloucester Marine Railway Co.

Capt. Dan Moreland came to Ernestina as technical advisor after contacting the Connecticut Friends of Ernestina with an offer of help. He had recently come off a stint as boatswain on the sail training ship Danmark for four years and prior to that mate on the around the world cruising brigantine Romance with Capt. Arthur Kimberly.

In fall 1983, in an effort to kindle support for the ship’s restoration, Schooner Ernestina spent two months on a goodwill tour of New England including stops in Wareham Sept 20, New Bedford for the First Annual Ernestina Festival, Sept 31, Boston, Oct 8-9, Bridgeport, Oct 22-23, New York City, Nov 1 and Rye, Oct 30-31, 6-7.

Daniel Moreland, skipper of the Ernestina, has submitted a winter fund request to Gov. Michael S. Dukakis’ office. "We can do a lot with a little," Moreland said, "but we can’t do anything with nothing."

State Sen. William Q. MacLean, Jr., D-Fairhaven, recently inserted a $400,000 capital outlay request in the state’s fiscal 1984 budget. The request will be before the Senate Ways and Means Committee next week and MacLean said he is hopeful of getting at least part of the funds.

Margaret Xifaras, an aide to the governor, said the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Office of Administration and Finance currently is reviewing the Ernestina’s winter budget request. She said she couldn't say what its fate would be.

Ernestina supporters meanwhile can take heart in this fall’s cruise, its first major public exposure since arriving from Cape Verde [it included a visit from Aristides Pereira, president of the Republic of Cape Verde]. Moreland estimates that between 3,500 and 4,000 people, including several student groups, visited the schooner during its fall tour.

Dan Moreland brought the Ernestina sailing in New York Harbor with an assist enroute from Charlie Mitchell and the Tug Jaguar. The sail in the harbor was in company with Sloop Clearwater (not in picture) captained by Gregg Swanzey.

Much work needed to be completed. The entire rig as well as the accommodations needed to be recreated. The donated Cummins Diesel needed to be installed.

Chris Scott at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management facilitated a $200,000 appropriation and worked with the Massachusetts Historical Commission to place Ernestina on the National Register of Historic Places. Chris also worked on matching funds that could increase the state agency commitment of $200,000 and negotiated a contract with the city of New Bedford to free up $40,000 promised in the early ‘80s.

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