Although the plan had called for this transit sail back to New Bedford from Providence to leave this morning at 10am, we called all the members to let them know we had to change the plan. The weather forecast called for a gale Sunday afternoon into the evening and, if we were to avoid the higher winds, sailing over night made more sense. We departed 12 hours early at 10 pm Saturday night and, with three watches set, sailed overnight.

Fran Hancock, Jeremy & John Lambolot, Jo Mooney, Ralph  Saunders, William Peterson, Jack Dolan, Rob Davies, Susan Wright, Peter Staniezs, Peter Sheridan, Isabel Barten, Linda & Stefan Platzer and Steve Hopkins sailed alongside our crew for the overnight, nonstop trip. It did rain some but the wind stayed fairly moderate.

You can see in the chart images to the right portions of our track and the tidal conditions at the time. The 58 mile passage took 10 hours with a departure at 10 pm Saturday night and arrival in New Bedford at 8 am Sunday morning.

Members of the voyage transatlantic in 1982 were aboard along with us today. Stefan Platzer and Steve Hopkins were part of the American crew who flew to the Cape Verde Islands for a month of work and then a 42 day passage to arrive in Newport, RI on August 24, 1982. Upon our arrival in New Bedford, Steve Brown, also a member of that 14 person crew of Cape Verdeans and Americans, joined us as well.

Captain: Gregg Swanzey
Program Coordinator: Steve Kirk

Ernestina has just passed Newport at the mouth of the Narragnaset. Here is where we feel the sea change as we come out of the lee of the land and the effect of the steady SW wind becomes apparent in the motion of the ship to the roll.

Our approach to New Bedford Harbor entrance in Buzzards Bay. You can see the first pair of buoy on the heading marker where we turn left to travel on a Northerly course to get into the narrow entrance channel. You can see that we are pushing against a 3/4 knot current as the tide ebbs.

(Right to Left) Stefan Platzer (1982 crew), Steven Brown (1982 crew), Traudi Coli (Ernestina staff), Steve Hopkins (1982 crew) and Director Gregg Swanzey.

Stefan Platzer and Steve Hopkins at the wheel.

William Peterson at the wheel.

Coming through the New Bedford/Fairhaven Hurricane Barrier.

Crew and members on the aft deck as we come in to New Bedford after all night at sea enroute from Providence.

The requisite group photo once we made the dock at Tonnessen Park on New Bedford State Pier.