| After boarding her passengers in the
bright sunshine and light SW winds, the Ernestina
slid away from Fan Pier and out into Boston
Harbor for a sailing tour of its islands. The 21
representatives from numerous governmental
departments and agencies as well as members of
the press helped raise the four lower sails, and
within a short while we were gliding out the main
channel, leaving Boston and its heat behind. You
can see our track in red to the right. The first day of summer was a perfect
one for a harbor island cruise, and while the
ship made her way out President Roads and through
Nubble Channel, the fine sailing weather was
enjoyed and appreciated by all. Once Ernestina
made her way around George’s and
Gallop’s Islands and into Nantasket Roads,
the ship’s company were treated to a few
presentations. There were talks about
island-related environmental issues and informal
discussions of the various uses, historic and
present day, of each island.
Those making formal
presentations were: George Price, the Project
Manager / Superintendent of Boston Harbor
Islands, A National Park Area; Peter Lewenberg,
Special Assistant for Harbor Islands from the
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs for the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Doug Welsh from
Island Alliance; and Gregg Swanzey, the Executive
Director of the Schooner Ernestina Commission.
You can see the wind-powered generator that
supplies electricity to streetlights and Hull
High School at Pemberton (Windmill Point) in the
background.
After lunch and a peek at
Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, the
schooner made her way back through the Narrows
behind Lovell Island and back up President Roads
and into the heat and noise of the city.
A few hours later, the
Ernestina boarded 54 members and headed back out
into Boston Harbor for an evening cruise, this
time making her way straight out President Roads
to the north end of Lovell before tacking and
heading back to Fan Pier. This Member Sail track
is shown in blue on the chart.
There was concertina-playing
and singing as well as story telling by Tom Goux,
and a lesson about the history of the Ernestina
by ship’s engineer, Steve Swift, and then
back into town again!
Waiting on the pier was a small
crowd of people looking forward to seeing
"Moby Dick", (the 1954 version with
Gregory Peck), so after disembarking the members,
the crew raised the foresail one last time and
the projector began. It was another full day for
the good ship Ernestina.
Submitted by Amanda Lake.
Captain: Willi Bank
Program Coordinator: MaryHelen Gunn
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