To the right is the group photo
of the exended Morrissey family members who
sailed on the Ernestina ex-Effie M. Morrissey
today. Effie was Clayton Edward Morrissey's
sister and William's daughter. Although Clayton
and his wife Bessie had four children, Athelstan,
Winifred, Arethusa (Sue) and Burt Rudolf, the
family members who sailed today where from Burt
and Peg's part of the family.
Thanks so much to Peg (Burton) Morrissey and
Capt. Amanda Madeira for putting this sail
together and the stalwart family that sailed rain
or not!
To the right you can see a representation of
the family tree. We hope we didn't miss anyone
that came for the sail!
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This morning's intermittently heavy rains
threatened without success to keep us from
sailing with twenty-eight members of the
Morrissey family. Members of the 'first family of
Ernestina', descendents all of William E.
Morrissey (owner/builder/captain) and his son
Clayton (famed schooner captain), gathered from
all over Gloucester and beyond to come sailing
onboard the ex-Effie M. Morrissey this
morning at 0930. Captain Amanda checked in with
group leaders as the family boarded, and, true to
heritage, all were eager to sail on out into
Gloucester Harbor and taste the experience of
sailing their ancestor's schooner in wet New
England weather. Cozy in
the fo'c's'le, folks of all generations browsed
through photographs of the ship's and their
ancestors' history, and compared notes on stories
and relationships they'd learned.Several family
members took their turns at the helm, under the
able eye of Capt. Amanda; and a few talked with
crew about schooner construction and
model-building or swapped stories with the crew.
By 1300 it was time to bid
farewell-but not before we'd collected names and
addresses of all the family members and taken a
few group photographs around the wheel...as it
was in the old days: How many photographs have
been taken of maritime family members, at the
wheels of how many Gloucester fishing schooners,
from that old Gloucester Marine Railways [now
Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center] pier?
Countless hundreds or thousands, no doubt-but few
as rich or rare as this in the range of ages -
both of the people and of the schooner deck they
stood on!
After a brief lunch break for
the crew, we boarded 14 members (current and
prospective!) for our transit member sail down to
Salem. It was a rolling sea as we headed out, but
after steaming into the wind past Eastern Point
breakwater for a ways we tacked to head downwind
due west for Salem Harbor. The more peaceful tack
allowed for some opportunities to play with knots
and talk a bit about the ship's and Cape Ann's
history while the engine was off from about
1600-1730. Coming into Salem Harbor re-sparked
our appreciation for the challenges of early
navigation in the heyday of Salem's worldwide
shipping trade. One member inquired whether we
carry the American Practical Navigator, also
known as Nathaniel Bowditch's tables. The bridge
of Ernestina, like many a prudent ship's bridge,
would not leave port without this enduringly
essential navigational resource.
By 1830 we disembarked all our
members and tucked into the focsle for a welcome
supper of turkey, potatoes, and
vegetables-warming enough for body and soul on
such a cold rainy night as this!
Program coordinator: MaryHelen
Gunn
Captain: Amanda Madeira
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Morrissey reunion sail in
Gloucester Harbor.
Member Transit to Salem Maritime National
Historic Site.
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