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Date: Thursday, October 17, 2002
Friends Academy ~ Working on the Water

 
Working on the Water Program, 0900-1100

It must be fall now, because today was the first of at least 6 days of dockside Working on the Water programs alongside the New Bedford State Pier. The Friends Academy brought about 40 fourth-graders onboard to live a day in the life of a New Bedford fisherman in the 1890’s.

In four groups, students imagined a diet of ‘fish hearts and onions’ and ‘blood-end stew’ and told their own fishing stories and compared them to the tales of dory fishermen from a century ago. They learned how to navigate their way around a nautical chart; and imagined themselves as captains of a Grand Banks Fishing Schooner. Volunteer Paul Anthony was on hand once again, to lend his special touch to the workings of a block-and-tackle system. And, most important of all, they got a taste of the vital role of fish salter on a salt-banker. The group enjoyed their lunch in Tonnessen Park, then made their way up to the Seaman’s Bethel in town.

After the program, crew got to work preparing our topsails for down rig. Chief Mate Jed, with deckhands LeeAnne and Kristen, unbent our jib topsail and hauled it off the bowsprit. Jay and Frank climbed aloft to de-rig our main topsail. Our fore topsail had been de-rigged in Boston when Gwen was onboard. All hands helped to coil sheets, downhauls, outhauls, etc., put rig tags on blocks and lines and sails, and fold and bind the sails for storage. Jed repaired a small hole in the jib topsail before we put it away for the winter. It’s sad to think that our full-sails-flying trips are over for this year. It was a good start for the season’s downrig in November.

Program Coordinator: MaryHelen Gunn

Chief Mate: Jed Deering

 

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Copyright 1997-2002
Schooner Ernestina
89 North Water Street, P.O. Box 2010, New Bedford, MA 02741-2010
phone 508.992.4900 -- fax 508.984.7719
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