Join us for the 42nd Annual Cape Verdean Recognition Parade

Schooner Ernestina Commissioners Laura Pires-Hester and Gene Monteiro invite you to march with the Schooner Ernestina representatives.  CONTACT us for details.

The Charles W. Morgan is coming to town and thousands are expected to visit New Bedford State Pier.  This is a great opportunity to share Ernestina-Morrissey, Massachusetts’ Official Vessel, with all those visitors.  DCR personnel and SEMA volunteers will staff the ship for eight “Open Ship” sessions, 11 am -3 pm from Sunday June 29 until July Sunday July 6.  We need YOUR help.  Please CONTACT us and let us know when you can stand a watch (or several) as deckhand for Open Ship during The New Bedford Homecoming. Since safety training needs to be organized for all the volunteers we would like to fill the roster soon.  Please let us know when you can help!

2010 Working Waterfront Festival Commissioner Fred Sterner sharing "Tools of the Trade" with visitors

2013 Working Waterfront Festival Tom Nixon drew a crowd while presenting Ernestina-Morrissey history as he did all summer as DCR Interpreter.

Ernestina needs two good hands.  Are  you a rower?  Will you join the dory crew?

Ernestina's dory is all fixed up and ready to go.

Ernestina’s dory will have a place of honor in the Boat Parade on Sunday June 29th during the celebration of the Charles W. Morgan’s Homecoming.   CONTACT US and we’ll let Fred Sterner know that you can help.

Parade of Boats Call to Captains Flyer

It will be a lot easier than the year there was no wind at the Gloucester Schooner Race and the dories were launched to help move Ernestina toward the starting line until the tide turned fair and the wind filled in.

Yes, that's Capt. Willi Bank with Peter Marshall and Phil Smith is in the lead dory.

Here they are, by popular demand, kid’s sized t-shirts:

The Families of Ernestina: the children of Captain Willi Bank and Captain Crista Bank and the children of SEMA Director Derek Stevens who is the great-grandson of Henrique Mendes

How can you order these shirts?  Send us an order and we’ll mail them to you.  There are toddler and youth sizes.

If you want to make a donation by check the donation is $15 which includes mailing expenses.  Please CONTACT US for instructions.

If you want to order online with a credit card or PayPal the donation is $15 which includes mailing expenses.  Please visit PayPal and enter $15 in the “donation amount” box.   Log in if you have a PayPal account OR to use your credit card, click “continue” next the the credit card icons.  Fill in your information and indicate the size shirt you need and mailing instructions by clicking “add special instructions to the seller” and we’ll send you your shirt.  Follow this link to our PayPal account. and click the “Donate” button.  If you have any questions CONTACT US

Of course we have adult sizes too.

Paul Alexio, DCR Supervisor, and volunteers have been busy since the winter cover came off.  And the planning for Ernestina-Morrissey’s future continues.

Capt. Harold Burnham and Naval Architect Garrett Norton conduct stability tests with water filled barrels

Harold is consulting for DCR on the plans for Ernestina.

Aft cabin hatch repaired.

The galley hatch has been re-glazed and repaired.

Ernestina has a new Charlie Noble thanks to a donation from SEMA and the expertise and labor of Dennis Tetrault’s Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies students at Greater New Bedford Regional-Vocational Technical High School.

We love it when Ernestina-Morrissey’s lives intertwine!

David Langdon, who's the Great-Great-Great Grandson of John Fletcher Wonson the first owner of the Morrissey met SEMA Director Derek Stevens, who's the Great Grandson of Henrique Mendes the Cape Verdean Captain who renamed the ship Ernestina in 1948

The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park sponsored a Park-wide clean-up recently.  SEMA volunteers took that opportunity to organize Ernestina’s interpretive materials in preparation for the Charles W. Morgan New Bedford Homecoming.  If you would like to help please CONTACT us.

Chuck Smiler paces of the largest Ernestina Banner

Cleaning and organizing the interpreter's shed.

Annie, Sarah and Chuck organizing the interpreter's materials for the summer season

Volunteers for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park's Lend-A-Hand Day clean the planting beds at Coast Guard Park, Ernestina's front yard.

The New Bedford Historical Society sponsored an exploration of Cape Verdean culture at the National Park recently.  SEMA President Julius Britto and Director Derek Stevens participated.  Derek is Henrique Mendes’ great-grandson.  Julius spoke passionately about the importance od the great sailing Cape Verdean packet ships, well described in this Standard Times article. Click on Len Cabral’s photo to scroll through the rest of the photos.

Ernestina has a new Charlie Noble thanks to a donation from SEMA and the expertise and labor of Dennis Tetrault’s Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies students at Greater New Bedford Regional-Vocational Technical High School.  They took the old rusted-out part and fabricated a new one.  Here’s how:

As you can see the old part's rough rusty edges were too dangerous to leave on the ship.

The first thing the students had to do was create a pattern from the old part.

The stack has some complicated joints.

Cutting the stock to size.

The saw blade is lubricated to insure no distortion.

The top of the main stack

Grinding the joints smooth

The smoother the joint, the better the weld.

The hole in the cross piece.

the stack and cross piece

Perfect!

Perfect!

Then the baffles have to be fitted to the cross piece. These prevent water from entering the smoke stack.

another perfect joint!

Next ... welding

jigs hold the work in position to insure proper alignment

More grinding to smooth the edges

Benjamin Gilchrest and Justin Bamber did a great job!

Here's the new Charlie Noble in place on Ernestina.

A huge THANK YOU to the students and staff of Greater New Bedford Regional-Vocational Technical High School for making a new Charlie Noble.  We are looking forward to the time you can come for a sail when the ship regains Coast Guard certification.  Your work will show the many visitors during the Charles W. Morgan Homecoming Celebration that New Bedford is proud to be the home port of  Schooner Ernestina, Massachusetts Official Vessel.

Philadelphia, PA – Meghan Kish has been selected as the next superintendent to lead New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and Roger Williams National Memorial. Kish replaces Jennifer Nersesian, who is now superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area. Kish most recently served as chief of interpretation, education, and outreach at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA) in California, and brings nine years of experience in the National Park Service (NPS).

“Meghan’s ability to establish and maintain effective teamwork, and inspire, motivate, guide, and challenge others towards goal accomplishment makes her an excellent choice for this important position,” said Regional Director Mike Caldwell.

While at Santa Monica Mountains NRA, Kish provided leadership and management for a complex interpretation, education, and outreach operation. She led the park through the design and construction of a new state-of-the-art Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) platinum visitor center, and established a new branch for community outreach and volunteerism to better engage underserved park audiences.

On accepting the new assignment, Kish said, “I am incredibly excited to work with the communities, partners and staff at New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and Roger Williams National Memorial. I am honored to be given the opportunity to further the already successful community partnerships that share the parks’ rich histories and provide benefit to local communities.”

Kish has a wide range of experience in both private and public organizations. She has worked for the National Park Foundation, the Department of Interior’s National Invasive Species Council, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama.

Kish began her career with the NPS in 2005 as a business plan consultant at Fire Island National Seashore, and then worked in Washington DC for NPS’s Budget Office and as Chief of Resource Management and Visitor Services at Rock Creek Park. She has held seasonal positions at the Washington Monument, Shenandoah National Park and Glacier National Park. Kish holds a master of environmental management from Duke University, and a bachelor of science from Stanford University.

Kish begins her new assignment on June 29th, 2014. She will be joined by her husband and young son. For more information on New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park or Roger Williams National Memorial, please visit their websites at: nps.gov/nebe, and nps.gov/rowi.