| Transit Sail Boston to Portland with
Members After a calm and
quiet night alongside the Courthouse Dock at Fan
Pier in Boston Harbor, the crew of the good ship
Ernestina awoke. We had some crew depart the
ship, and relief joined us. The newcomers, and
certainly visitors alongside could hardly tell of
the events of Friday morning by looking at the
schooner. Not a scratch on her, no blistered
paint; only a slightly charred sternline and
minor smoke damage on the mainsail.
After a fine breakfast in the
focs’le from Doralee,all hands turned to for
the passage to Portland, Maine. Morning chores,
and galley cleanup was followed by the arrival of
24 Members. Voyaging crew were shown to their
bunks, and following an introduction to the crew,
and safety briefing, we were ready to depart.
The weather was dominated by
High Pressure over Canada, presenting clear
skies, but a foul NE breeze.
110 Nautical Miles to Portland,
and straight to weather.
At 0840, once we left the dock,
all hands set the mainsail (and dumped alot of
water from yesterday’s fire hoses on the
deck), and foresail and jumbo. We motorsailed out
the harbor, and followed the ebb through the
North Channel. The current met the contrary winds
and produced a steep chop as we entered
Massachusetts Bay. The bowsprit dipped under the
sea a few times, ad we carried on slowly to the
East . Some of the voyaging crew felt ill with
the motion. A complete safety orientation took
all 3 watches through the ship before lunch was
served on deck.
The wx moderated off Cape Ann,
and around 1700 we shut down the main engine, and
set the jib and jib topsail. A light southerly
filled in, and Ernestina sailed on a starboard
tack, "by and large". Just before
supper, the Schooner Spirit Of Massachusetts
appeared over the horizon. They had sailed to
Newfoundland this summer, and after a chat on the
VHF, Ernestina’s crew gave a salute
("ziggy"). They carried on to
Stellwagen Bank (to the South) looking for
‘charismatic megafauna’. We sailed over
Scantum Basin, looking for whales as well. (A
sailing vessel from New Bedford searching for
whales, is this the 19th Century?).
After supper on deck, watches
prepared to sail through the night, and the JT
was struck, as the forecast called for the
Southerly to build overnight.
After dark, the wind continued
to veer, and our cruise track shows the changing
course. The seas became a little confused with
the change of the wind, and the vessels motion
uncomfortable. Members participated in the
operation of the vessel by watch.
At 0230, after we crossed the
Southern Traffic Lane for Portland, the midwatch
tacked the ship, and we roared off on a beam
reach towards the "P" buoy at the
entrance to Portland Harbor. The wind had come
around West by North.
All hands on deck at 0600 as
the schooner sailed by Portland Head against the
ebb. Breakfast by watch below, and then a quiet
sail into the harbor. The sun broke through and
warmed the morning, and we struck sail off the
dock at Portland Yacht Services. The Schooners
Lettie G. Howard,and Harvey Gamage were already
alongside in preparation for the cooperative
program with Greens Farms Academy.
At 0845 we were secure
alongside, and all hands turned to for the daily
chores. At 0930, after travelling together 123 NM
, we said farewell to our voyaging crew. A fine
transit with members aboard.
No time to rest, for the crew
had to prepare for the multi-day sail beginning
at 1700.
What a great ship to be a part
of!
Captain: Willi Bank
Program Coordinator: Crista Mellican
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