Another busy morning this morning as it marked the last day of the Portland Opsail event as well as the cumulating tall ship 2000 summer extravaganza for the Schooner Ernestina. We will all miss the spectacle and the grandeur of tall ship gatherings, but at the same time we all look forward to a quieter pace for the rest of the summer.

The waterfront was crowded again this morning with people wanting to view the ships and we busied ourselves preparing for our PKU Challenge trip which was to begin at noon. This trip was organized by Suzanne Todd, a vision that she has worked through the past couple of years. Suzanne and Michael
Todd have both volunteered on the Ernestina and wanted to share this experience with these Teens.

Twelve teens challenged by medical conditions joined with parents and psychologist arrived for lunch on deck with introductions and orientation. The majority have been dealing with a disorder called PKU. Our new shipmates proved to be a spirited bunch.

PKU is a metabolic disorder that causes a person to inaccurately break-down phehylalanine (which is one of the essential amino acids that make up protein). PKUers are vegetarians without having a choice. Their strict diets enable them to lead healthy lives, otherwise they are 99.5% at risk of mental retardation ( the phennylanine-protein builds up in the brain and causes lots of damage).

Our hats off again to Laurie Weitzen our steward to accommodate a rather more complex and expanded menu to say the least. A learning curve for us all.

Our new crew learned the ways of the ship well enough to depart Portland harbor under fore and jumbo to anchor in Richmond Cove just south of Cape Elizabeth by dinnertime. The fog and drizzle held off long enough to enjoy a few songs before most of us retired for the night.

To visit Brian and Mike Goertz's site with images and an expedition log book ~click here~

Wind: S'ly and light
Visibility: fog and light rain in the evening.

Captain: Amanda Madeira
Program Coordinator: Crista Mellican