A Historic Landmark Goes to Sea

"I must go down to the sea again

For the call of the running tide,

It’s a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied."  

 John Masefield

        Every year majestic wooden ships and boats of the past disappear.  The once useful vessels sag and rot in boatyards around the country.  Vessels sit under tattered covers.  Plants grow through what were once watertight hulls.  But every once in a while someone takes notice and sees the history and value of saving a ship. The Charles W. Morgan, the only wooden whaling ship left in the world, is one of those lucky vessels.  After a five-year restoration that cost $8 million, the 172-year-old whaling ship will return to the water on the anniversary of its initial launch on July 21, 2013. She will be slowly lowered back into the Mystic River at the historic Mystic Seaport Henry B. DuPont Shipyard.  Designated a National Historic Landmark, the Morgan was originally built in New Bedford, Mass. The 113-foot vessel served as a whaling factory ship for 80 years making 37 voyages chasing whales around the globe. 

Charls W. Morgan on the hard

“The Charles W. Morgan is an exceptional and truly unique artifact of our shared maritime heritage,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White. “She is the last remaining wooden whale ship in the world and the sole survivor of a fleet of American ships that once numbered more than 2,700. The Charles W. Morgan is quite simply an American icon and a living portal into an important chapter of American history.”

Before taking off to the sea in the fall of 2009, Ed and I attended a family wedding in Connecticut.  A side trip delivered us to Mystic Seaport. We couldn’t miss the massive Morgan propped upright on the hard with restoration underway. We climbed a platform of wooden steps and walked newly planked decks of the massive whaling ship. 

Ed and I ducked as we walked below decks through the tryworks where whale oil was once rendered and stored in casks.  We imagined the heat, the smoke, and the peril to crew and ship trying to balance on the rolling sea.  The danger of hot oil splashing from the large iron cauldrons set into the brick furnace was very real.  Tryworks played an important role in the factory ship.  Large sections of sliced blubber would be tossed into the pots and heated to separate the oil from the blubber.  Cooled oil would be stored in wooden casks of the cargo hold. 

During that summer trip, carpenters busily worked to make the historic ship tight.  Others worked on the rails. The restoration project, which began in November 2008, repaired areas of the vessel from the waterline down to her keel and structural work in the bow and stern. During restoration oak trees destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Ike were utilized.  Fabric to weave the sails came from India and some rope from Holland.

The Charles W Morgan is one the most ambitious restoration projects undertaken at Mystic Seaport, A Museum of America and the Sea.  The newly restored ship joins the other watercraft collection of living history housed at the museum seaport museum. 

During her glory days the Charles W. Morgan was one of America’s most successful whaling ships. She came back from each trip lower on her waterline and filled with valuable cargo.  Built for durability, not speed, she made long voyages in the pursuit of whales. When the cry, “There she blows,” bellowed from the crow’s nest at the top of a mast, crew would lower small whaleboats chasing their prey with harpoons. After the hunt, the whale would be towed back to the ship to be processed for its oil, bone, teeth, baleen, and ambergris. Voyages were long. Long periods of boredom were followed by a frenzy of terror, death and exhausting work.

The Morgan characterizes a ship type that played an important part of America’s maritime and economic history. Whale oil and the profits generated helped fuel the industrial revolution. Capital from whaling was often invested in new ventures–textile mills, railroads, and manufacturing. The Morgan brings to life the history that whaling played in the development of American economic growth. Once could say whale oil brought light to the world.

The Morgan enjoyed a brief movie career as a set in the films “Down to the Sea in Ships” and ”Java Head,” after retirement from whaling in 1921.   Later, the ship was displayed at the waterfront estate of a wealthy investor in Massachusetts. Upon his death, the ship sat derelict and weathering the elements until 1941.

The Morgan’s lucky streak stayed with her through the devastating Hurricane of 1938.  Winds pounded the coast at 121 mph and gusts of 186 mph.  Wave heights climbed to 50 feet off Massachusetts.  Seven hundred souls died, 600 in New England. An estimated 63,000 were left homeless and 3,300 boats were destroyed. The Morgan survived. This survival was extended when the historic vessel was moved to Mystic Seaport in November 1941.

Once again the majestic ship has captured the attention of Hollywood.  Recently movie director Ron Howard toured the historic whaling ship. According to the Hollywood press, Howard is considering his next movie based on the Nathaniel Philbrick book “The Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whale ship Essex,” another famous whale ship of its time.

After a period of refitting and sea trials based in New London, Conn., the ship will begin its 38^th voyage, 92 years after her sails were once stowed.  The Morgan will sail to Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston. In a joint venture with NOAA, she will sail in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary near the Massachusetts Bay to study whales before participating in the centennial celebration of the Cape Cod Canal during 2014.

More than 20 million people have walked the decks of the Charles W. Morgan. Newly restored, her most valuable cargo in this era is knowledge of bygone days reminding us of our heritage on the high seas.

“The Charles W. Morgan is an exceptional and truly unique artifact of our shared maritime heritage,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White. “She is the last remaining wooden whale ship in the world and the sole survivor of a fleet of American ships that once numbered more than 2,700. The Charles W. Morgan is quite simply an American icon and a living portal into an important chapter of American history.”

Before taking off to the sea in the fall of 2009, Ed and I attended a family wedding in Connecticut.  A side trip delivered us to Mystic Seaport. We couldn’t miss the massive Morgan propped upright on the hard with restoration underway. We climbed a platform of wooden steps and walked newly planked decks of the massive whaling ship. 

Ed and I ducked as we walked below decks through the tryworks where whale oil was once rendered and stored in casks.  We imagined the heat, the smoke, and the peril to crew and ship trying to balance on the rolling sea.  The danger of hot oil splashing from the large iron cauldrons set into the brick furnace was very real.  Tryworks played an important role in the factory ship.  Large sections of sliced blubber would be tossed into the pots and heated to separate the oil from the blubber.  Cooled oil would be stored in wooden casks of the cargo hold. 

During that summer trip, carpenters busily worked to make the historic ship tight.  Others worked on the rails. The restoration project, which began in November 2008, repaired areas of the vessel from the waterline down to her keel and structural work in the bow and stern. During restoration oak trees destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Ike were utilized.  Fabric to weave the sails came from India and some rope from Holland.

The Charles W Morgan is one the most ambitious restoration projects undertaken at Mystic Seaport, A Museum of America and the Sea.  The newly restored ship joins the other watercraft collection of living history housed at the museum seaport museum. 

During her glory days the Charles W. Morgan was one of America’s most successful whaling ships. She came back from each trip lower on her waterline and filled with valuable cargo.  Built for durability, not speed, she made long voyages in the pursuit of whales. When the cry, “There she blows,” bellowed from the crow’s nest at the top of a mast, crew would lower small whaleboats chasing their prey with harpoons. After the hunt, the whale would be towed back to the ship to be processed for its oil, bone, teeth, baleen, and ambergris. Voyages were long. Long periods of boredom were followed by a frenzy of terror, death and exhausting work.

The Morgan characterizes a ship type that played an important part of America’s maritime and economic history. Whale oil and the profits generated helped fuel the industrial revolution. Capital from whaling was often invested in new ventures–textile mills, railroads, and manufacturing. The Morgan brings to life the history that whaling played in the development of American economic growth. Once could say whale oil brought light to the world.

The Morgan enjoyed a brief movie career as a set in the films “Down to the Sea in Ships” and ”Java Head,” after retirement from whaling in 1921.   Later, the ship was displayed at the waterfront estate of a wealthy investor in Massachusetts. Upon his death, the ship sat derelict and weathering the elements until 1941.

The Morgan’s lucky streak stayed with her through the devastating Hurricane of 1938.  Winds pounded the coast at 121 mph and gusts of 186 mph.  Wave heights climbed to 50 feet off Massachusetts.  Seven hundred souls died, 600 in New England. An estimated 63,000 were left homeless and 3,300 boats were destroyed. The Morgan survived. This survival was extended when the historic vessel was moved to Mystic Seaport in November 1941.

Once again the majestic ship has captured the attention of Hollywood.  Recently movie director Ron Howard toured the historic whaling ship. According to the Hollywood press, Howard is considering his next movie based on the Nathaniel Philbrick book “The Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whale ship Essex,” another famous whale ship of its time.

After a period of refitting and sea trials based in New London, Conn., the ship will begin its 38^th voyage, 92 years after her sails were once stowed.  The Morgan will sail to Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston. In a joint venture with NOAA, she will sail in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary near the Massachusetts Bay to study whales before participating in the centennial celebration of the Cape Cod Canal during 2014.

More than 20 million people have walked the decks of the Charles W. Morgan. Newly restored, her most valuable cargo in this era is knowledge of bygone days reminding us of our heritage on the high seas.

Life in the fast lane

 Imagine a turtle racing down a major highway.  Even at top speed the critter is likely to turn into road kill.  After several months of moving an average speed of 6.5 knots (7.5 miles per hour) I can relate to that turtle.  Two recent trips to Philadelphia and a several from New Jersey to Delaware quickly turned into an adrenaline-spiked adventure. 

Doesn’t anyone use turn signals anymore?  Cars zip in and out of traffic lanes without warning.   Speed limits, forget it!   On the way to visit the folks in Jersey, I noticed that traffic was moving along at 75 miles per hour (mph) in the slow lane.  Talk about a culture shock.  After setting the cruise control for 65 mph, a semi loomed in my rearview mirror.  I was determined not to let that intimidate me.   After a few minutes, the impatient driver did use a turn signal, moved to the left lane, and passed me before moving one vehicle ahead.   I thought, “Okay bud!  That move is sure to get you to your destination quicker.”  

The adrenaline rush began to settle when a black BMW attempted to zoom from the left lane, which was beginning to back up, into mine. Apparently BMW’s (and many other newer cars) don’t have blinkers.  When the driver noticed that my lane (right) was suddenly slowing and that there was not enough room to pull in, he zipped back to the left lane, narrowing missing a car moving forward.  I slammed the breaks and waited for the car behind me to turn my vehicle into an accordion.  Yep! The adrenaline rush was back

Was driving always this treacherous?   Is it because there are more cars on the roadways?   Are more people in a hurry because traffic is heavier?   What’s up with not using blinkers?   A guy on a cell phone driving a truck pulled out in traffic from convenience store turning left, cutting me off.  He used no blinker to indicate a turn. 

Maybe I’m just getting old?  How the heck do much older adults, whose reflexes are not so quick, get around?   Maybe it is because I’ve lived a slower life for the last nine months, or not?  Whatever the reason, today’s drivers seem to be working hard to make defensive driving more like an arena game.  Perhaps weaving in and out of traffic without signaling and riding someone’s rear to speed them up is the new normal.

I take some deep breaths and try to focus on the road.  I work to maintain a constant speed.  I watch the break lights of the cars in front of me and say a silent prayer when I’m out of heavy traffic.   

The most important thing is that I don’t beep or make gestures to the offending driver.   I learned that lesson the hard way.   Before sailing off into the sunset, a man in a beat up truck cut in front of me.  He gave me the one-fingered salute. I shook my head and mouthed idiot. The angry man turned and followed me into a parking lot where he called me a few names and threatened to pull me from the car.   Another driver who witnessed the entire event intervened and came to my aid.   I reported the incident to the police.

According to Fox News, over 40,000 people are killed in automobile accidents each year.  Many of these accidents can be prevented.  Using common sense probably gives one the most preventative means to avoid an accident. The list includes driving sober, slowing down (which also conserves gas consumption), and avoiding distractions such as cell phones and answering texts while driving.   Another word of advice to prevent an accident is not to drive when drowsy.  Pull off the road or give the wheel to someone else.  Bad weather events such as fog, heavy rain, or snow is a good time to slow down and put distance between you and the car ahead.  If you can, pull over or stay off the road entirely.

Following these tips can help keep you safe on the road, but one must also remain attentive and aware of other drivers.   These are the drivers who tailgate, refuse to signal, and pull out from stop signs or lights.  Scan ahead and keep an eye open for unexpected moves from other drivers.  Watch out for drivers talking on cell phones, or those weaving in an out of traffic.  Be extra vigilant and slow down through construction zones.  Look out for bicyclists and those on motorcycles.  Many organizations such as AARP offer defensive driving courses.  Consider taking one and get a discount off most auto insurance policies.  It’s a war zone out there on those roads.

Most importantly, wear a seatbelt to protect yourself and your loved ones in the event of an accident.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Association reports that more than half of all accident fatalities involve drivers and passengers who were not wearing seatbelts.  Seatbelts prevent one from being thrown through a windshield or around the inside of a crashing car. 

I suspect that as traffic becomes heavier, roads more congested and drivers more stressed accident ratios will increase.  I will wear my seatbelt, breathe deeply, keep my eye on the other driver, and remember that I’m not traveling 6.5 knots this summer.  As for the turtles, when I see one on a Salem County road, I pull over and help move it along.  There is no way that God’s critters were created to race with cars.

Blue Water Calls

Two days back on terra firma, the motion of the ocean continues.  A slight case of land sickness follows me down the dock.  It only takes a quick turn of the head... up, down or to the side to bring a brief sensation of surfing down a wave.  

The barrage of questions have begun.. "Well, have you got it out of your system yet?"  "Are you done?" "How can you bear living in such a small space?" And the most heartbreaking question of all, "When are you moving home forever Mom Mom?" hits hard.  The answers are no, no, it's big enough to be comfortable, and finally, dear seven year old granddaughter Lexi, I don't know, but I will carry you my heart wherever I go.

Imagine will soon leave its watery berth for a spot on land for the summer.  Major maintenance projects will fill the hot summer days and most likely cause me to wonder why I want to continue to do this thing called cruising.  Images of aquamarine waters, deserted beaches, and kayaking over reefs while family and friend scrape ice and snow from their cars should keep me on track. 

The entire head (toilet) will come out.  The floor and pedestal must be rebuilt.  Hoses that only a contortionist can reach must be replaced under the sink.  The overhead (ceiling) will be dismantled so that all cabin top deck hardware can be re-bedded.  That means all 14 over head lights must be taken down as well.  The mast boot that keeps water from coming in needs to be replaced.  Anchor chain must be replaced.  A shackle that doesn't fit through the bow roller will be upgraded.  It gets old lifting the 45-pound anchor over the roller each time the anchor is deployed and  brought back on board.

That is only the beginning of the fun.  The entire bottom paint must be removed and sanded down to fiberglass as large chips are flaking.  The deck around rear stanchions have cracks than must be ground out and re-glassed, courtesy of a storm at sea which caused the straps holding a dinghy in the davits to chafe.  That in turn caused the dinghy to swing violently enough to bend the davits and cause the cracks.  The non-skid needs to be repainted and bright work as well. Are you tired yet?  I am.  

Canvas must come off for repairs at the snaps.  Saltwater plays havoc on the zippers. Some have to be replaced.  The radar must be fixed.  The water maker needs a new end cap.  The 30 year old propane oven and stove will be refitted.  Portholes will also come out for re bedding.  Old gaskets on all hatches and portholes will be removed and replaced. New copper sheathing will be run inside along the hull for the single sideband radio connection quality.

Oh yes, in case you haven't guessed.  Imagine has a leak, a major leak coming from over the starboard settee, but only when it rains or when salt water washes over the decks. 

Ed and I will do all repairs and upgrades ourselves.  We will probably get into a few arguments over how to get the work done.  I lean towards the perfectionist side.  He is more of a minimalist.  Sometimes compromise is in order, sometimes not. 

When things get overwhelming and I feel like chucking it all and going back to the status quo kind of life, I'll have to stop and remember why the blue water keeps calling me back.  

Durning nearly 20 years working at Meals on Wheels  too many clients and volunteers lamented about dreams they never lived.  The story goes, "We were always going to do that, but my wife (or husband) got sick."  Living a dream sometimes means sacrifice.  In my case. I seem to always be saying goodbye to family and friends.  I miss my grandchildren.  I get to do boat maintenance that I'd rather not.

On the flip side, I get to kayak along sea turtles and dolphins.  I watch starfish move ever so slowly along a white sandy bottom.  At night I watch meteor showers streak across the sky.  Beaches offer treasures of shells and sea glass.  There are uninhabited islands to explore.  Soft tropical breezes caress my face.  

Sailing has gifted me with experiences that have etched into my memories.  The brilliant indescribable hues and colors of water that change from moment to moment as the sun and clouds move across the sky never cease to capture my imagination.  Blue holes, tropic birds, and ghost crabs that scamper across the fine white sand of an empty beach cause me to appreciate nature at its best.

I've watched pods of pilot whales breach in Exuma Sound.  Pink Iguanas came out from the brush and rocky hiding places to greet us on the beach at Leaf Cay.  On other days, I hiked through blooming tropical bushes on the way to the beach.  Colorful anolis  lizards sporting colors of green and blue race across the path to hide in the foliage.  In the morning evidence that hermit crabs and sea turtles roamed the beaches at night are left by a criss crossing if tracks.

Working on the boat isn't going to be fun, but that's why it's called work.  Living on a boat requires a lot of maintenance.  The call of the blue water beckons.  The work must get done before the call can be answered again, at least for one more year.  

A long journey home

The call of home becomes louder as the month of May leans towards June.  It hasn't been the easiest return trip, but it has been full of adventure.  Some I could have done without. 

Imagine left Frazers Hog in the Berry Islands on May 11 heading for Fort Pierce, Florida and then into Vero Beach.  Of course, we became a motor sailer as the wind died and came around behind us.  

The adventure began around 2:00 a.m. when the building clouds obscured the moon and the stars.  The grey horizon quickly became black.  Winds picked up to 30 knots and lightening crackled the sky.  I huddled in the cockpit keeping my eye on our rhumb line and wondering why the heck I was doing this anyway.  The fortunate thing about squalls is that they don't last long.

As they squall line moved southeast, Imagine bobbed northwest moving along at 9.2 knots with a boost from the Gulf Stream.  That's when I noticed a boat coming towards us.  I changed course ten degrees to port which would give the other boat plenty of room to pass on Imagine's starboard stern.  That's when the mysterious boat turned towards Imagine again. I hailed the vessel to determine its course. No one answered.  I made a decision to tack 40 degrees starboard.  It worked. The other vessel was now on a perpendicular course off our port beam.  

The next step was to get back on the rhumb line for Fort Pierce.  I glanced left and noticed that the boat which had been moving away had turned and was heading back towards Imagine.  The red and green bow lights grew brighter as it moved closer.  At that point the adrenaline began to pump.  

What is going on?  I hadn't heard about any pirates near Bahamian waters.  Was a drug boat waiting for another boat and mistaken Imagine for it?  Why aren't they answering the radio?  Then blinding spotlights light up the night shining into the cockpit.

I yell for Ed to wake up.  "Something funny is going on. You need to get up here quick!" I shout.  He peeks out and is immediately awake.  He grabs the radio and asks the vessel to identify itself.

At that point the United States Coast Guard announces that it is a Coast Guard cutter and asks us our last port of call and destination.  The questions via radio continue, boat documentation number, names, birth dates, home address and are we carrying any illegal cargo?

Finally the Coast Guard explained that they stopped us because they couldn't identify our light configuration.  They could see we were under sail but the light configuration indicated a trawler, a white light under a green.  Our steaming light was on because we were a sailboat with sails up, but under power.  The tri-color light on the mast head was in working order.  "Oh now I see it," The young coast guard man replied when Ed asked if the red light was working on the tri-color.

The coast guard wished us a safe journey and thanked us for our cooperation.  It's nice to know that the Coast Guard is out on the waters at night.  They were doing their job patrolling the seas.  However, it would have been nice to know who they were before I nearly wet my pants.

Twenty-nine hours later Imagine sits quietly on a mooring ball at Vero Beach City Marina.  After three days in Vero, re-provisioning, doing laundry and resting, the journey north resumes.

The next stop was near the Kennedy Space Center, anchored north of the Addison Point Bridge.  We had a front row seat for the U.S. Air Force rocket launch, which put a global positioning device into space.  The low rumble followed the fiery trail of the rocket as it disappeared into the atmosphere.

Before dawn, Imagine began chugging north along the Intracoastal Waterway going through 15 bridges, seven of them opening bridges.  Manatees greeted us at Haulover Canal.  Dolphins enjoyed wallowing in our wake. Fishing kayaks, skiffs and boats dotted the waterway.  At its edges fishermen stood chest deep in waters looking for a catch while bald headed pelicans looked for free handouts.

It was a long 12.5 hour day to the mooring ball at St. Augustine, but the scenery was beautiful.  Mangroves and live oaks with grey moss beards. Fishing camps and mansions offer a myriad of views to break up the day. 

The next three days would be spent out on the Atlantic Ocean heading towards Beaufort, N.C. Inlet and up to Bear Creek where we would finally get a good night's sleep.

The best thing about that leg were the dolphins.  They must hear the boat cutting through the waves because they come leaping out of the water, catching air and diving again and again as they leapfrog towards Imagine and then begin frolicking in the wake at our stern.

The worst thing was that the weather forecast for a slim chance of an isolated squall became a dark squall line that followed us for several hours.  The winds during the storms gusted to 30 knots and the two to four foot seas become six to eight.  Imagine raced under a double reefed mainsail.  Rain and hail pelted into the open sides of the cockpit.  Turning five miles off course helped us avoid most of the nasty weather.  Needless to say I was more than happy to get off the squally lumpy sea.  

As this is written, Imagine is tethered to a dock in Coinjock, N.C.  The next leg of the journey will put us in the Chesapeake Bay and only three days from GRANDCHILDREN!  It's been a long 3,222 miles since Imagine left port last fall.  Coming home might just be my most favorite part of the trip.