| OpSail 2000 is today. We gathered
together to shuttle over to the waterfront for
boarding at 5am in Liberty Landing Marina. All
present and accounted for including Rob and Jamie
Trowbridge (Rob is at the helm below left) and
families from Yankee Publishing, our Millennium
Sail Sponsor, Judge Bettina Borders, Schooner
Ernestina Commissioner, and Dr. Vic Mailey and
family, Rick Lopes from Lopes Picture Company and
family, the New Bedford after-school program
kids, Nancy Richardson from the American Sail
Training Association and Girl Scouts of America
and others. We steered a
course through the morning fog shown on the upper
chart image to the right, leaving the Liberty
Landing Marina and coming to anchor at Gravesend
Bay in great company with the Amistad, Soren
Larsen, Clearwater, Pride of Baltimore, Lettie G.
Howard, Harvey Gamage, Spirit of Massachusetts,
AJ Meerwald (official vessel of NJ) Californian,
and many others.
Gradually, through the lifting
mist sailed first the Eagle, then Danmark,
Pogoria, Sagres, Rose, Kaiwo Maru, Gazela of
Philadelphia, Picton Castle and many other Class
A ships. We fell in to flank the Brasilian Ship,
Cisne Branco, for our passage 20 miles up the
Hudson River to make the turn under the George
Washington Bridge and return.
We were especially pleased to
bring the ship past the thousands of people from
communities in Harlem in northern Manhattan who
came to RiverBank Park and lined the shore all
the way to the piers supporting the bridge. You
can see the little red lighthouse, star of a
popular children's book, in the image to the
right with spectators lining the shore.
As Schooner Ernestina passed
the Carrier John F. Kennedy moored off the Statue
of Liberty, the Ernestina crew lowered the main
gaff thus dipping our American flag in salute.
Great job by Laurie Weitzen and
crew with food for 80 that never stopped!
Incredible fireworks and Wynton Marsalis concert
back in at Liberty State Park!
Thanks to Yankee
Publishing for
sponsorship of Ernestina during her Tall Ship
events of the summer! If you are interested in
subscribing to Yankee and supporting the
Ernestina go to the subscription
page.
Wind: light
Visibility: Fair
Captain: Willi
Bank
Program Coordinators:
Crista Mellican (ship), Polly Zajac (After-School
Program)
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