| On the morning of 24 July, 2002 the
ERNESTINA motored out of the river from New
London in the gathering daylight and rounded up
before Race Rock Light to raise sail. The ship,
now under sail alone, turned eastbound from the
Race, traveling at approximately 9 knots. The
wind was out of the Northeast at about 18-20
knots. Our intention was
to make Nantucket by Friday evening with UMASS
Boston participants aboard in the midst of a
weeklong program. We were just a couple miles out
of the Race when we began to take a series of
waves hard on the bow. This was not particularly
unusual for the region given the weather
conditions and our speed through the water, but
was sending a high volume of spray and some green
water over the forward part of the vessel. The
ship was plunging gamely through the waves on a
close reach, like the true Gloucesterman she is,
and our participants just as gamely climbed down
into the fo’c’sle for the second
seating of breakfast at 0700.
Around 0715, a particularly
heavy wave came over the bow, inundating the
foredecks in about 2-3 feet of water. In this
deluge, the lashed dories lifted out of their
cradle, and several crewmembers immediately began
re-securing them. The UMASS group gathered on the
afterdeck, some standing turns with the helm and
lookout, according to their normal watch
responsibilities.
The vessel was immediately hove
to in order to secure the dories and our
inflatable tender. Within 5 minutes our focsle
and main hold bilge alarms began to sound.
Investigation revealed that the water level in
the bilges was very high and our engineer brought
one of our two bilge pumps on-line to begin
pumping out the seawater. Within a few minutes
the bilge water had risen the sole plates in both
foclse and main holds, and the second pump was
brought on line. At that point we called the
United States Coast Guard.
The best course of action was
to head down wind for shallow waters of eastern
Long Island in case we could not stem the flow.
Coast Guard arrived in the form
of a 41' vessel from New London, 47' vessel from
Montauk and a 60' helicopter from Cape Cod.
Auxiliary pumps were transfered across the rail
to Ernestina's deck and deployed in short order.
In addition, participants, with life jackets
donned, began to transfer to one of the Coast
Guard vessels as a precaution. However, once the
pumps brought the influx of water under control,
all participants returned to the Ernestina for
the rest of the passage in to dock at the
Railroad Dock in Greenport, NY. Ernestina
continued to travel under her own power.
Douglass Marine provided divers
who explored the hull for leakage; their remote
camera/viewing system allowed Capt. Morse and
Chief Mate Erica Sachs to see from on deck what
the divers saw below the water. Our afternoon was
consumed in working with the Coast Guard to
document the days events and plan for repair,
arranging for additional resources and
assistance, and fielding press visits.
In addition to the able and
attentive assistance from Douglass Marine, we
received terrific support from a number of
schooner friends here in Greenport. Josh Horton,
Town Supervisor, generously accommodated our 15
participants at his home and assisted with
various logistical arrangements. Jane Rohman,
Greenport Maritime Museum staffperson, stepped
forward with immediate practical and logistical
support for the galley, which was out of
commission. The proprietor of Preston’s
Marine Chandlery, George Rawson, came to the
crew’s rescue with 15 hot and tasty pizzas
for lunch. Many people helped with providing
showers, additional food, and logistical support.
We couldn’t have received a warmer welcome
in a time of the ship’s distress.
Not long after our dinner on
the dock, the UMASS group all came by the boat
for a visit (before their dinner in Greenport) to
offer moral support to their ship and shipmates.
They generously offered to join our cleanup
efforts for an hour before their ferry departure
for New London in the morning. It was good to see
them all looking refreshed after showers and a
respite at Josh Horton’s. By 2100 an
exhausted crew fell into semi-sleep (with a
schedule of 2-hour, 2-person dock watches as our
auxiliary pumps were set to run through the
night), edgy but gratified that the 108-year-old
Ernestina is safe at dockside.
Excerpted log entries
for the day follow:
0505
Underway from New London Harbor, City Pier
0544
Clear "1" and "2" Buoys,
North New London Channel
0550
Alter Course to 170 degrees by the compass
0620 - 0645
Set Mainsail, Foresail, Jumbo and Jib, change
course to 185 degrees by the compass (You can see
the manuevering of the ship for sail setting at
the top of the chart off Fishers Island)
0648
Abeam Race Rock Light, change course to 135
degrees, under sail alone
0730
Wave hits and dories shift, tack to starboard
tack, bilges reported high
0740
USCG Long Island Sound contacted, flooding
evident
0815
USCG cutters arrive including a 41'er from New
London and a 47'er from Montauk, one alongside,
w/ auxiliary pump. A 60' helicopter was also on
scene.
0817
Pump deployed
0822
Second pump deployed, 2 officers aboard
0825
Some participants offload to cutter
0845 - 0855
Strike jib and mainsail, participants back aboard
0905
Bilge levels decreasing
0920
Strike jumbo, foresail
1013
Enter Greenport Harbor
Pumps operating at 500 gal/min
1055
Main Engine secured, alongside Railroad Dock,
Greenport, NY on Long Island
1545
Peter Douglass dives on hull, finds open seams
between garboard and keel from stem to main
shrouds, pumping continues.
Captain: Sophie Morse
|
 UMASS Boston participants and
staff sailing Ernestina
US Coast Guard equipment deployed includes two
pumps.
Fo'c's'le bilge at the Foremast step with
suction working. This shows the level after it
had been significantly drawn down.
Bilge suction at after end of fo'c's'le
Missy DeValles (above) and Katie Krause
(below) running the pumps and clearing strainers.
The water level rise is evident on the side of
the hydraulic generator in the engine room.
The UMASS Boston group were in great spirits
knowing the Coast Guard's pumps were effective in
stemming the flow of water.
|
