Mayflower II arrived at Mystic Seaport today to complete her journey from Plymouth, MA. The ship began the day in New Bedford, MA, where she had paused for a couple of days to wait for favorable weather conditions.
The ship had a smooth trip and is passed through the historic bascule bridge in downtown Mystic around 4:00 p.m. Accompanied by a crew of eight from Plimoth Plantation’s Maritime Preservation and Operations group, the 106-foot ship was towed by the tug Jaguar, operated by Mitchell Towing in Fairhaven, MA.
Mayflower II, Plimoth Plantation’s 1957 reproduction of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to Massachusetts in 1620, departed her berth on the Plymouth waterfront on Tuesday, December 1 to head to Mystic, CT, for preservation work during the winter at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport.
In this second phase of a multi-year preservation initiative for the nearly 60-year-old ship, Mystic Seaport shipwrights and Plimoth Plantation maritime artisans will be replacing the half-deck area as well as working on the tween deck and topmast rigging. While visitor access to the ship cannot be determined at this time, Plimoth Plantation and Mystic Seaport expect to make possible some opportunities for public engagement over the winter.
Mayflower II will return to Plymouth in the spring for the busy tourism season.
As the Town of Plymouth prepares to commemorate 400 years since the Pilgrims’ arrival, Plimoth Plantation wants to ensure that the nationally relevant ship can continue to fulfill her educational mission and serve as a floating classroom. Between now and 2020, Plimoth Plantation is actively seeking funding to support Mayflower II’s preservation efforts and enable them to share the magnitude of her transatlantic voyage in 1620.
For preservation updates and more information about Mayflower II, please visit plimoth.org/SOS.
