THANK YOU! to everyone that voted for us in the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Although we did not finish in the money because all of you “spread the word” this program was a great way to make new friends for Ernestina.

Next time!

INFO HERE

The inspections are nearly complete and the shipyard is waiting for the plank stock to replace the planks that were removed.  Meanwhile, some seams are being recaulked.

Some small sections of deck planks were lifted to allow the Surveyor Paul Haley to assess the aft deck beams.  Ship’s Carpenter Manny Silva is working to fit temporary patches in the deck.

It is expected Ernestina will be back in her berth in early September.  Here’s a SouthCoastToday article.

SEMA’s Board of Directors had some changes this spring.  John Bullard has moved on to chair New Bedford Education Roundtable.  We know John will always “be there” for Ernestina and were glad to see him cheering the Ernestina contingent in the July 2 Parade.

Newly elected Director Derek Stevens was born in Boston and raised in New Bedford.   Derek graduated from New Bedford High School in 1993 and went on to pursue his B.S. in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He continued his graduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles, receiving his C. Phil and M.S. in chemistry in 2000 and 2001 respectively.  Upon returning to Massachusetts, Derek joined the Global Learning Charter Public School staff as Director of Technology.  Married and the father of three, Derek resides in New Bedford and is a great-grandson of Captain Henrique Mendes.

Barbara Monteiro Burgo, Ernestina event coordinator, with Manuel Inocêncio, 2011 Cape Verdean Presidential Candidate and Gunga Tavares, culture attaché at the Consulate of Cape Verde on Ernestina during the Expo.

Many wonderful stories were shared during “Open Ship” on Saturday and Sunday held through the efforts of Barbara, our National Park partners and Jeff Carter of DCR.

Read more HERE

Check out more pictures HERE

Some Commissioners visited Ernestina at the SHIPYARD last week to inspect Coast Guard required repairs  being overseen by shipwright Leon Poindexter.

Mr. Poindexter will also provide the Schooner Ernestina Commission with  estimates of the work needed to regain Certification to Carry Passengers during this haul-out.  It appears that the frames behind the planks that were removed are reasonably sound and the leaking below the water line will be resolved by recaulking the horn timber and the area around the rudder.

With these repairs Ernestina will keep her Dockside Attraction Certification.  More extensive repairs to the transom will be completed at a later time after any other work needed to regain Certification to Carry Passengers is identified.

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is working closely with the Schooner Ernestina Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission to assure the best future this National Treasure.

The Schooner Ernestina Commission Programming Committee organized participation in several Festivals during the summer of 2011.  Over 40 volunteers stepped up to tell Ernestina’s story across New England and even in Brava, CV!

Friday, June 24th

Traudi in Brava.

Friday, June 24-Sunday, June 26

WoodenBoat Show in Mystic

Saturday, July 2nd

Cape Verdean Recognition Parade

Tuesday, July 5

Cape Verdean Exhibit Opening

Sunday, July 10th

Providence Cape Verdean Festival

Saturday, July 16th

3rd Eye Festival

Sunday, July 31th

Brockton Cape Verdean Day Festival

Friday, August 5

Schooner Roseway

Thursday, August 13

Onset Cape Verdean Festival August 13

Saturday, Sept 3

Gloucester Maritime Festival

Saturday/Sunday, Sept 24-25

Working Waterfront Festival

Help Ernestina win $25,000!   INFO HERE

On Monday morning, June 6, the Tug Jaguar took Ernestina alongside

and her lines were cast off.

With Captain Charlie Mitchell at the helm of Jaguar the two vessels traveled in tandem from State Pier

across New Bedford Harbor to Fairhaven Shipyard.  Onboard were DCR crew Jeff Carter and Manny Silva, shipwright Leon Poindexter, and former Ernestina crew Willi Bank and Fred Sterner.

The ship was expertly positioned to enter the cradle

and then Jaguar stood by as the Shipyard crew carefully positioned Ernestina for her journey up the railway.

Once the cables held her in exact position the chain began pulling the cradle up the rails.

With several pauses for careful repositioning of the blocks the skillful crew from Fairhaven Shipyard insured Ernestina was perfectly balanced as she rose from the water.

Ernestina will be on the ways for a few weeks while she is inspected,

Jeff Carter, Leon Poindexter and Manny Silva inspect the rudder.

routine maintenance is completed and Coast Guard required repairs are made.

The Schooner Ernestina Commission expects to receive estimates of the work needed to regain certification to carry passengers during this haul-out.

Help us win $25,000 for Ernestina.

We’ve been selected for the 2011 This Place Matters Community Challenge sponsored by National Trust for Historic Preservation!  We did the ground work – down from over 250, our community was chosen to be one of 100 finalists competing for 3 cash awards. Now it’s your turn to help us win!

What can you do? Follow this link to the Schooner Ernestina page and cast your vote.

Having trouble with the voting process?  Scroll down for detailed voting directions

Then, tell EVERYONE you know using Facebook, email, twitter, blog – even shouting in the streets!

You ALL know how much $25,000 will mean to getting Ernestina Sailing again!

THANK YOU!

You will need to be registered with NTHP to vote.  You only need your email address and zip code.  To REGISTER click on “Register or get a password reminder” at the bottom of the blue “Vote for This Site” box.  A form will pop up for you to fill in your email address and zip code*.

Fill in your email-address (this will be your user name) and zip code* and click submit.

This will bring you to a list, scroll down to Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association and click to bring you back to the Ernestina page.  Now, you need to go to your email inbox and get the password that NTHP has sent you.  Use this user name and password to fill in the blue box to log in and then click to vote for Ernestina.  If more than one person uses the same computer, be sure to log out after you vote so that they will be able to vote.

*You don’t need a US zip code.  Ernestina’s zip code is 02740.

Please post this message to your social media and spread the word!   Thank you.

Nearly forty volunteers chose Ernestina for their project during the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Volunteer Day on May 7, 2011.

There were three projects: clean and prep the ship for June’s haul-out, scrape and paint the dories and scrape and oil the spars on the dock. The usual crew was joined by a group of volunteers and community folks organized by Rich Drolet and MarDee Xifaras.  With Annie McDowell’s guidance, this group did yeoman’s work removing and storing the contents of the ship in preparation for the haul-out

and washing down the aft cabin and fish hold.

THANK YOU!

Up on the pier two crews worked on the dories and the spars.

the spars had to be scraped and sanded

New Bedford City Councillor Joseph Lopes scraping loose paint

caulking the dory seams

The before and after photos are AMAZING.

Alison Robb & Chuck Smiler priming dory

oiling fore-boom and topmast

oiling spars and gaff jaws

oiling gaff jaws done!

Beautiful!

Thanks to Manny Silva of DCR for keeping everything rolling.  There was always a question to answer or something else to get.  Manny was busy all morning!

We took a break for photos to enter the NTHP “This Place Matters” contest.  (Exciting news coming soon!)

At 12:30 everyone headed up William St. for a cook-out lunch provided for all the volunteers at the Visitor’s Center.

THANK YOU New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park for organizing and supporting this Volunteer Day.  We were glad to “Lend a Hand”