The May 12 work day has been confirmed! As part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s Volunteer Day,  DCR and SEMA are cooperating in a workday for Ernestina on Saturday, May 12.  NP staff will be ready at 8:30 am at the Visitor’s Center at 33 William St New Bedford.  You need to stop by there first to register before you come to the ship.  We will start work at 9 am and work until approximately 12:30 pm when, following the morning’s projects, there will be a complimentary “All-American Cookout” in the National Park Visitor Center Garden for those volunteering, sponsored by the Whaling History Alliance.

Please CONTACT us if you will be volunteering so we can prepare for refreshments and can plan the working groups.

DCR has released a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the Rehabilitation, Operation and Management of the Schooner Ernestina ex Effie M. Morrissey.

This is the first step in offering the ship for a long-term lease under the Historic Curatorship Program (HCP).

The purpose of this RFEI is to:

• Gauge the interest in potential public private partners
• Identify new rehabilitation and reuse potential opportunities and challenges
• Assist in the development of a formal Requests for Proposals (RFP)

Please refer to the entire text of the REFI to read all the details.  Additional helpful links are found on the DCR HCP website.

If you have any questions or interest or comments after you have reviewed this information or for hard copies of the documents or more information on the program, send an e-mail to HCP.Requests@state.ma.us, call 617-626-1361, or write to Historic Curatorship Program, Department of Conservation and Recreation, 7th floor, 251 Causeway St., Boston, MA 02114.

A great crew turned out to clean and scrape and oil for DCR’s Park Serve Day.  The weather started cloudy but the sun soon heated the deck area under the winter cover.  By the end of the day vents were cut in the cover to allow some cool breeze in.

Vents in the cover allowed cool fresh air relief on deck. photo credit Justin Keith

The over 30 volunteers demonstrated Ernestina‘s appeal as Massachusetts Official Vessel with people traveling from across the Commonwealth to help.  From Lenox in the Berkshires to Charlestown, Jamaica Plain and Brockton and of course the Greater New Bedford area, volunteers arrived to “show Ernestina some love”

Thanks to all who volunteered to work toward getting Ernestina shipshape and thanks to DCR carpenter Manny Silva and Manager Don Matinzi who worked to make the day possible.  The next work day is scheduled for May 12.  Check back for details.

The day finished with the treat of yummy, cheesy pizza from Nelson Hockert-Lotz and Domino’s Pizza Team New Bedford.  Thank you Nelson!

Matt and Erin cleaning the Mate's cabin

Dianne and Steve cleaning the Engineer's cabin.

Erin and Mary cleaning the Fish Hold.

Gigi cleaning foc'sle photo credit Justin Keith

Former crew and new volunteers shared stories during coffee break.

Mayor Scott Lang and Councelor Joe Lopes discussed how New Bedford can help.

Katie, Chuck and Fred oiling the spars.

Commissioner Fred Sterner (right) with the oiling crew.

Steve worked on the mechanical systems in the Engine Room.

Paul scraping the pin rail.

Scraping the starboard rails and bulwarks.

Scraping the port rails and bulwarks.

SEMA Director Buddy Andrade preparing the rails for painting.

Justin takes the wheel. Justin and Gigi's Dad, Vasco Nicolãu Galvão, arrived in the US on Ernestina in 1956

Ernestina’s 1956 trans-Atlantic voyage

SEMA Director Buddy Andrade arranged with Domino's for pizza donated for lunch.

Join us April 21 for a Work Day with projects to maintain Ernestina.  This first work day of 2012 is in conjunction with DCR’s Park Serve Day with volunteers working in parks across Massachusetts to prepare for the summer season.  Please sign up by following the link to the registration page.  Scroll down to Schooner Ernestina in the “select a park” box to select Ernestina and fill in the rest of the registration form.  Work starts at 9 am and is planned to be finished by 1 pm.

Last years Park Serve Day was a great success!  Sign up Today!

We look forward to seeing an enthusiastic work crew turning out to State Pier, New Bedford at 9am on Saturday, April 21

This is the closing comment from Leon Poindexter’s 2012 Conditions Survey Report With Recommendations and Rehabilitation Cost Estimates for Schooner Ernestina .

There are other educational and tourism reasons but THIS important reason explains why we all need to work to get Ernestina SAILING again.  This important National Treasure will not survive as a permanent dockside attraction.

“This report has addressed only what tasks and funds are perceived necessary to return Ernestina to safe sailing service. There is a substantial difference in time and money in restoring the vessel to qualify for re-instatement as a sub chapter “T” (passenger carrying) vessel as opposed to continuing a full restoration including replacement of deck timbers, decking and bulwarks as was done with the bow section. Time-wise it is essential to return Ernestina to service as quickly as possible as a regularly operating vessel in the very near future or the vessel will continue to deteriorate and become even more costly to restore. As a dockside attraction at her present level of maintenance, she will continue to deteriorate at an accelerated rate. For a large wooden vessel to survive, it needs the attention of a full time captain and crew and most importantly salt water. When a vessel is in use she is constantly immersed in salt water from spray and waves and her deck often gets a good dousing. Rainwater is the most destructive element to a wooden ship, and sitting at a dock she gets nothing but rainwater. Salt is a preservative to wood while rainwater destroys wood. There is an old, very wise, saying on the waterfront, “Use it or lose it”. And it would be most regretful to lose this important maritime treasure, the very last vessel of her kind and one with such a colorful history. The immediate goal should be to put Ernestina back into active service as quickly as possible.”

You can download the entire report.

Visit the American Schooner Association booth

at the Maine Boatbuilders Show in Portland this weekend.

We’ll have the latest news about Ernestina.

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The 2012 Conditions Survey Report With Recommendations and Rehabilitation Cost Estimates for Schooner Ernestina was presented to the Schooner Ernestina Commission at

The aft deck was rebuilt in Cape Verde 30 years ago.

the February meeting.   Leon Poindexter was present at the meeting to explain his report and answer the Commission’s questions.  The repairs recommended would return the ship to Coast Guard certification Subchapter T.  They include some repairs to the aft deck to satisfy the Coast Guard but not the replacement of the deck and if needed, deck beams.  Mr. Poindexter explained that the forward deck which was completely redone at Boothbay Shipyard, ME in 2008-09 was original from 1894.   The aft deck was rebuilt in Cape Verde 30 years ago.   The reframing done at that time was mostly of African hardwoods and “remarkably sound”, but Mr. Poindexter admitted that the aft deck “will have to be revisited at a later time”.   The Commission asked DCR manager Don Matinzi to provide an additional estimate of the costs to rebuild the aft deck in order to assure informed decision making going forward.  The Commission had hoped Ernestina could make some port visits this summer but Mr. Poindexter advised that Ernestina should only be moved to a shipyard for repairs.

Don Cuddy’s article contains responses from Senator Montigny and Representative Cabral.

Traudi sent this for you to enjoy:

“Amigos,  

Uma storia…. in Criolu

My friend Zizim Figueira from São Vicente living in Paris, France wrote this story when I had contacted him years ago.  Ate logo se Deus quiser,

Traudi”

You can download the article here.

Schooner Ernestina Commission Programming Committee members Barbara Burgo and Chuck Smiler coordinated a wonderful event for AHA! February 9 at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Programming Committee chair Laura Pires-Hester and volunteers Annie McDowell and Chuck Smiler prepare the Ernestina history display

The celebration began with an introduction of the Schooner Ernestina Commission.

Barbara Burgo interviewed DCR manager Don Matinzi and Commissioners Fred Sterner, Gene Monteiro, Laura, Brian Rothschild, Captain Norman Gomes and Supt. Jen Nersesian

Barbara welcome the newest Commissioner Brian Rothschild

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell cut the birthday cake

Laura, Mayor Jon Mitchell, SEMA President Mary Anne McQuillan, Brian

and the celebration continued with video, dancing, lectures and a parade as described in this note and with photos from the organizers, Barbara and Chuck.

If you were at AHA!’s Carnevale and Schooner Ernestina‘s 118th birthday party youprobably can still hear the music, feel the drum beat and are probably still smiling at the thought of the wonderful time we had on February 9th at the National Park Service’s Visitors Center in New Bedford.  In addition to Commissioners, DCR representatives, and Captain Norman Gomes who are pictured here, a special thank you goes out to the many local leaders, friends, family and residents who came to help us celebrate, including but not limited to Rep. Tony Cabral, Mayor Mitchell, City Council members Brian Gomes, Bruce Duarte and Henry Bousquet, School Committeeman Jack Livramento, Carlos Almeida, Advisor of the Cape Verdean Student Association at UMASS Dartmouth, local musicians Tony Cruz and Beto Santos and their band Tuegeda, and the Zezinho Semeda, Vanila Silva-DaRosa and Tida Rodriques of the Kominhu Longi Project, and exceptional youth dancers from Our Sister’s School taught and brought along by Vanila.

Thanks to Ruth and Abby, the National Park’s 19th Century ladies, who brought their special presence and mask makers to the party.

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We thank Captain Gomes for his presentation of memories of the Ernestina’s return voyage from Cape Verde in 1982 with additional comments from Captain Tommy Grace.  Watch for more celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of this voyage later this summer.

…and Muito Obrigado to photographer Tootsie Russell and Tom Lopes, owner of  CVN COOL!

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For presentation of this evening we thank the ever-faithful volunteers on the planning committee as well as AHA! Director Lee Heald, for getting out the word, for bringing cable access coverage, and a donation of celebratory bead necklaces and SEMA for providing the refreshments.

Viva Carnaval! and Filis Aniversariu, Effie M. Morrissey/Schooner Ernestina!!!

your friends, Barbara Monteiro Burgo and Chuck Smiler

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Congratulations to Carol Dutra who won the door prize of a Jeff Eldredge print of Ernestina in full sail.

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