Schooner Ernestina sailed away with the trophy this year with Capt. Willi Bank in command and Reed’s Nautical Almanac Editor Carl Herzog sailing as tactician. In light air, not typically an advantage for a ship that sails best in 20 or 25 knots, the strategy is what can capture the day. What will the wind do in the afternoon? How will the tide run? How can we get a little more out the sails? With more than 8,200 square feet of sail drawing, Capt. Bank threw every bit of canvas on! Then the decision to go on the inshore tack with other vessels favoring the offshore gave Ernestina what she needed in the building afternoon sea breezes.

"No, it wasn’t the tactics, it was Ernestina’s great karma!" hypothesized Capt. Amanda Madeira. One may be apt to believe this explanation considering the large round of support for the ship from the audience as Senator Ted Kennedy presented the trophy to Capt. Willi Bank and crew during the evening ceremonies.

Ernestina’s time for the ~18 mile race was 5 hrs. 50 minutes (not much wind!), with Schooner Lettie G. Howard coming in second at twelve minutes behind Ernestina and Schooner Liberty Clipper third.

Other images show Chris Newlan aloft tending the topsail, Mary Helen and 'Ebo' trying to get Laurie to go back down into the galley (so what Ernestina is winning!!!) and the Ernestina Polar mascot celebrating the triumphic return into Gloucester's Inner Harbor.

Congratulations to the crew and thanks to Gloucester for all the great hospitality shown these schooners during this three day Labor Day weekend every year!

Captain: Willi Bank
Tactician: Carl Herzog