It was a busy and exciting Sunday for the Ernestina up in Portland, ME. In the afternoon we boarded about sixty people for a great sail around Portland Harbor, setting our four lowers and giving everyone a brief glimpse of life under sail.

Ernestina welcomed back one very special guest to her decks: Austen Colgate, who sailed under Bob Bartlett in 1940, came back to sail on the boat that brought him within 580 miles of the north pole when he was just a teenager. That trip clearly made a profound impression on him, as he recalled many of the tales of the trip that he made over sixty years ago.

After the day sail and the stories of Bartlett's adventures, Ernestina boarded another group of teenagers in search of adventure. This time, they came from Green Farms Academy in CT. These twenty students have come to learn something of the sea, and to experience the rewards of working together.  They will operate this great boat as she explores the coast of New England and helps these young people to explore themselves. Tonight was their first of five nights aboard, and after a tasty dinner and a thorough orientation, we crawled into our bunks to rest up for our trip.  

Program Coordinator: Patrick Merrill
Captain: Willi Bank

Austen Colgate and Capt. Willi Bank midships in Portland