29th Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival

On Saturday August 31 Maritime Gloucester hosted their Maritime Heritage Day as part of the three day Gloucester Schooner Festival.  The occasional downpours didn’t

Volunteers Mary Meehan, Al Bezanson and Chet Brigham

dampen the enthusiasm of our volunteers or the many visitors who stopped to talk.  Some had their first introduction to Ernestina ex Effie M. Morrissey and some shared family lore of parents and grandparents who were dorymen on the Morrissey or had other connections to the “salt-banker” days.  The vessel will always have a second homeport in Gloucester!

SEMA also collected signatures asking Massachusetts Congresspersons to

SEMA Director Kurt Hasselbalch

support the reintroduction in the 113th Congress of H.R.6145 — New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Resources Assistance Act (Introduced in House – IH) introduced in the 112th Congress by Representative Frank and Representative Keating.  Schooner Ernestina ex Effie M. Morrissey is an important historical and educational resource and the ship deserves their support.  This drive will continue through the Working Waterfront Festival at the end of September.

On Sunday Schooner Adventure, one of Ernestina‘s Essex sisters came in second (with just 4 lowers) by only 4 minutes to Virginia (with topsails) in the Esperanto Cup race.  We congratulate all the folks who worked so hard to make this happen after a 20 year campaign to return the vessel to sailing.  Ernestina won the Esperanto Cup in 2001.  We look forward to the day when she will compete again!