N E W S L E T T E R

Schooner Ernestina reappeared on the New England seascape to celebrate her Centennial year refitted, freshly painted, with new foremast and major hull work completed. She begins her second century "ship shape and reg'lar built," as fine a vessel as ever sailed the seas! With her new paint, joinery and re-rigging has come major financial support, some basic organizational changes, a newly appointed Massachusetts Ernestina Commission, a revitalized volunteer organization and waves of enthusiastic support from many quarters. It is a new day for this venerable ship.

The summer was an amazing series of successes, from the rerigging and refitting activities of May and June to the many public and educational events, daysails and coastal transits of July, August and September. Schooner Ernestina: returned to the life she has known for over a century, as she continues to work, to explore and to share the lessons of her 100 years.

A New Role for Ernestina's 2nd Century

Ernestina's mission as an educational and cultural resource continues with programs for all ages. She is a powerful setting for teaching math, science, sociology, history and the arts. Humanities-centered work uses primary sources from the ship's unique history, drawing from a rich and diverse multicultural heritage.

Programs include:

• Dockside ship visits for younger students focusing on local and maritime history, sociology, coastal ecology and other topics tailored to the specific needs of visiting groups.
• Half or full daysails for middle school and high school groups linking single subject areas or multi-disciplinary programs to the proven impact of sail training and shipboard interaction.
• Live-aboard experiences from 2 to 5 days -- an ideal setting for team building, diversity training and youth leadership seminars. The ship is also a great venue for educational and recreational programs for adults and seniors.

Highlights of Summer '94

With her repairs completed at the end of June, Ernestina began a full schedule. Here are some of the season's highlights.

After attending the July Blessing of the Fleet and SummerFest in New Bedford, Ernestina hosted an educational daysail for UMass Dartmouth "Upward Bound" high schoolers. Next, she headed off to Fall River as a featured tall ship with the Sloop PROVIDENCE, Schooner ALEXANDRIA and Fall River's H.M.S. BOUNTY.

Back to New Bedford for painting and sprucing-up (with much appreciated help from some Mansfield Boy Scouts) and a quick trip out to Martha's Vineyard for a daysail with Sail Martha's Vineyard, a sail-training program for MV resident youngsters.

Later in August, the ship sailed from New Bedford to Martha's Vineyard once again for an overnight program with the Boston-based "Teens Against Gang Violence."

September found Schooner Ernestina plying the coastal waters just as she did decades ago. She joined the Schooner ADVENTURE, Gloucester's pride and joy for Gloucester's schooner race weekend. The two old sisters looked great dockside together and share a common heritage: Ernestina and Adventure are among only six surviving Essex-built schooners. The staff, crew, and volunteers from both vessels share a similar pride, purpose and mission. ADVENTURE is also involved in community-based educational programming.

A one-day coastal passage put Schooner Ernestina in the center of the Providence Waterfront Festival; the city was thrilled to have the rejuvenated schooner return to India Point. Over 4,000 visitors enjoyed tours of the vessel given by Ernestina's professional and volunteer crew.

September also brought Ernestina to north'ard once again for the Gloucester Seafood Festival, followed by the Boston Chowderfest, at the Charlestown Navy Yard where Supt. William Foley and the National Park staff helped Ernestina feel like an honored guest.

Mid-September was packed with activities celebrating Ernestina's Centennial at Rowes Wharf in Boston (special thanks to the Boston Harbor Hotel!). State officials, educational leaders and civic luminaries saluted Ernestina September 21 and 22. Events included a special reception for event planners hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, as well as a reception that drew political and business leaders and featured Marty Linsky, Chief Secretary to Governor William Weld. Mr. Linsky eloquently underscored the significance of the ship. He voiced the Governor's support for the project and wished Ernestina well as she sails into her second century.

New England Museum Educators Floating Seminar

Having taken her bows, Ernestina stepped from the limelight and went back to the work of her fourth life as a teacher. She served as home and school for an overnight seminar of museum professionals from throughout eastern Massachusetts, gathered to discover Ernestina as a future resource and to discuss museum educational issues.

Moviestar Ernestina!

For two weeks in October the old schooner was hard at work under the lights for two film projects. "Spirits With the Wind," a feature length historical drama traces the lives of five famous schooners. Ernestina is, of course, the one that survived them all and led the most exciting history. Bruntouch Productions, a Nova Scotia-based company is producing this film for television distribution sometime next year. The final sequences were filmed on location in New Bedford and on Buzzards Bay. In her final week of sailing, Ernestina was a real actress: she portrayed another ship, the DEI GRATIA, and was filmed by a Hollywood production company for a January 1995 episode of the popular TV show Unsolved Mysteries. The show will feature Ernestina sailing with SHENANDOAH on Vineyard Sound as they act out the tale of the MARY CELESTE, a famous ghost ship story from the annals of sea lore.

Ernestina Participates in Mass. Maritime Presidential Investiture

On Ernestina's return from the Vineyard and stardom, she stopped at Massachusetts Maritime Academy on October 8, to add her unique historical presence to the investiture of the Academy's new President, Dr. (and now Admiral) Peter Mitchell.

Ernestina Centennial Celebrated in Home Port of New Bedford

On October 14, the New Bedford Whaling Museum hosted a reception honoring Ernestina and the many devoted supporters who have given their time and effort to keep her afloat. Whaling Museum Director Anne Brengle welcomed the large gathering, which included many from Ernestina's extended family: the Morrissey family, the Bartlett epoch and the Mendes / Cape Verdean packet trade era.

President Deborah Clark of the Ernestina / Morrissey Historical Association (EMHA), and past President and now Ernestina Commissioner Carl J. Cruz, presented the ship with a monumental bronze plaque identifying her as a "gift from the People of the Republic of Cape Verde to the People of the United States." Schooner Ernestina Commission Chairman H. James Brown accepted the commemorative plaque, which will be installed on the ship in November.

Winter's Work

Off-season is a misnomer when speaking of historic preservation or quality education. While the schooner is not out sailing, maintenance and physical improvements are on-going. Likewise, her role as a teacher and as a living classroom never stops. Programs constantly evolve for the upcoming sailing season and requests for school visitations and dockside programs arrive daily.

During winter '94-'95, we'll develop programs for the next sailing season in Gloucester, Quincy, Boston, Fall River and Providence. Along with a focus on serving the school children and residents of New Bedford, these tasks of organization and coordination are crucial for well planned educational events next spring and summer.