America’s Two Oldest Ships Together for First Time

Boston (July 15, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark and America’s oldest commercial vessel still afloat, sailed into Boston today to tie up next to the USS Constitution at the Boston National Historical Park at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The Constitution, built in 1797, is America’s oldest ship, and this is the first time the two vessels have ever been in the same port.

The Morgan, built in 1841, is the last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels and is the flagship of the watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport, the nation’s leading maritime museum located in Mystic, Conn.

The Morgan is on its first sailing voyage since 1921. Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan sailed on 37 voyages to remote corners of the globe. This historic 38th Voyage is taking the ship to ports across southern New England to celebrate and call attention to the importance of the role of America’s maritime heritage in the nation’s history.

The Morgan sailed to Boston from Provincetown, Mass., after three days of sailing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world’s premier whale watching sites. The ship was in the sanctuary as part of a joint collaboration with NOAA to conduct outreach activities highlighting the sanctuary’s role in marine mammal conservation and maritime heritage preservation.

A Dockside Exhibition 

The Morgan will be open to the public in Boston from July 18-22. In addition to touring the ship, visitors can learn about the Morgan, whales and whaling, and their importance to American history in a 22,000 square-foot dockside exhibition. There is a video presentation and display panels that explain the history and significance of the 173-year-old vessel, the important role the whaling industry played in America’s economic history, how the Morgan and whaleships were an early connector of different cultures, and how America’s perception of the natural world has changed over time. Hands-on activities include knot-tying, handling samples of wood used in the restoration, and searching the Morgan’s crew lists for familiar names or hometown connections.

A focal point is Spouter, a 46-foot-long, life-sized, inflatable model of a sperm whale. Visitors can participate in a “What Bubbles Up?” activity by writing down their whale-related memory, question, or sketch and attaching it to a humpback whale sculpture.

Mystic Seaport interpreters will demonstrate the 19th-century maritime skills of a cooper, shipsmith, ropemaker, and whaleboat rower. There will also be live performances including sea chanteys, the interactive “Tale of a Whaler,” and a condensed rendition of the novel “Moby-Dick,” titled “Moby-Dick in Minutes.” Visitors will even have the opportunity to try their hand at rowing a whaleboat during select times.

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary will have an exhibit booth to explain how the sanctuary interprets America’s maritime past, promotes ocean conservation, and engages in cutting-edge research. They will show how whales feed and what they feed on, and present videos that feature information on the National Marine Sanctuary System, whales, whale research, and whaling heritage. Kids can even create their own whale hat.

The ship and dockside exhibition will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, with the last boarding of the ship to take place at 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Additionally, organizations along Boston’s waterfront, including the USS Constitution Museum and the Boston National Historic Park, will be hosting a festival of events to celebrate the Morgan’s stay. Port sponsors for the Morgan’s visit to Boston are Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Walsh Brothers Construction, which uncovered oak timbers buried in the Charlestown Navy Yard and subsequently used in the Morgan’s restoration.

For details on public activities during the Morgan’s visit to Boston, please visit the National Park Service website.

The Morgan is scheduled to continue her 38th Voyage on July 23. The ship will make its way south through the Cape Cod Canal to tie up at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. It will be open to the public from July 26-27 as part of the centennial celebration of the opening of the canal in 1914.

The Mystic Seaport dockside exhibition is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Downloadable Media:

High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s activities on the 38th Voyage are available for download and use by news media. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport press page

Links:

mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stowaway
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories

Social Media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
Twitter: @mysticseaport, #charleswmorgan, #38thvoyage

About the NEH
National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. www.neh.gov

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Ship Carries Message of Conservation and Education to Historic Whaling Grounds

Provincetown, Mass. (July 11, 2014) — Nearly 100 years after its last voyage, the whaleship Charles W. Morgan returned to sail among whales during a visit to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, one of the world’s premier whale watching sites. On a day sail out of Provincetown, Mass. on Friday, July 11, the ship encountered humpback whales on the sanctuary.

In company with the sanctuary’s research vessel Auk, the Morgan lowered a whaleboat to pursue whales in a gesture to symbolize the change in humankind’s relationship with the oceans and marine mammals.

The Morgan, a National Historic Landmark built in 1841, is the last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels and is the flagship of the watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport, the nation’s leading maritime museum located in Mystic, Connecticut.

The Morgan is on its first sailing voyage since 1921. Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan sailed on 37 voyages to the remote corners of the globe. During this historic 38th voyage to ports across southern New England, the ship is spending several days from July 11-13 visiting the sanctuary. While there, the Morgan crew is teaming with the National Marine Sanctuaries staff to conduct outreach activities highlighting the sanctuary’s role in whale conservation and ocean research.

The public is able to follow the Morgan’s visit to the sanctuary on OceansLIVE (http://www.OceansLIVE.org), which broadcast from the vessel and other locations, offering interviews and commentary with historians, scientists, authors and artists discussing the shift from whaling to watching in New England.

Stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod, offshore of Massachusetts, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a critical feeding and nursery ground for several whale and dolphin species, including the endangered humpback, North Atlantic right, sei and fin whales.

The sanctuary is a center for whale watching in New England. Ongoing research at the sanctuary is focused on better understanding whale behavior so as to reduce whale mortality caused by entanglement in commercial fishing gear and ship strikes. Human-induced sources of underwater noise and their potential impacts on marine animals are also topics of substantial concern among scientists.

The Morgan will continue to sail in the sanctuary on Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13.

Downloadable Media

High-definition video and still images are available for download on the Mystic Seaport press page.

Links
mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stowaway
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories

Social Media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
Twitter: @mysticseaport, #charleswmorgan, #38thvoyage

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, Conn. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children five-years-old and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod offshore of Massachusetts. Renowned for its remarkable productivity, the sanctuary also is a top destination for whale watching.

Mystic, Conn. (July 8, 2014) — Nearly 100 years after its last voyage, the whaleship Charles W. Morgan will visit NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in a symbolic journey to one of the world’s premier whale watching sites. During the Morgan’s historic 38^th voyage to New England ports, the ship will visit the sanctuary, located off of Massachusetts, July 11-13. While in the sanctuary, the Morgan crew will team with NOAA to conduct outreach activities highlighting the sanctuary’s role in whale conservation and ocean research.

The Morgan, a National Historic Landmark built in 1841, is the last of an American whaling fleet that numbered more than 2,700 vessels and is the flagship of the watercraft collection at Mystic Seaport, the nation’s leading maritime museum located in Mystic, Connecticut.

This is the Morgan’s first sailing voyage since 1921. Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan sailed on 37 voyages to the remote corners of the globe, including waters of what are now national marine sanctuaries in California, Hawaii and American Samoa. The vessel was part of the fleet that played a defining role in the maritime heritage of New England and helped shape the nation’s identity.

Following a stop in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the whaleship’s homeport for most of her whaling career, the Morgan will sail to Provincetown, Massachusetts, for daily sails to the sanctuary. A free dockside educational exhibit will be open during those days. The public can follow the Morgan’s visit to the sanctuary on OceansLIVE (http://www.OceansLIVE.org), which will broadcast from the vessel and other locations, offering interviews and commentary with historians, scientists, authors and artists discussing the shift from whaling to watching in New England.

“The Morgan’s 38^th voyage to the whale grounds of New England represents a new voyage of hope,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. “Instead of hunting whales, the last wooden whaleship afloat sails as an ambassador for ocean conservation.”

Stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod, offshore of Massachusetts, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a critical feeding and nursery ground for several whale and dolphin species, including the endangered humpback, North Atlantic right, sei and fin whales.

In the 1700s, shore-based whaling was a common activity in Massachusetts Bay, including waters now part of the sanctuary, and along the East Coast. Small boats set out from the shores of Cape Cod in pursuit of right whales, hastening their decline. As whale populations diminished in the Atlantic Ocean, Massachusetts whalers rounded Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean to find more whales.

Today, whales in the sanctuary are no longer hunted but studied and enjoyed for their beauty. The sanctuary is a center for whale watching in New England. Ongoing research at the sanctuary is focused on better understanding whale behavior so as to reduce whale mortality caused by entanglement in commercial fishing gear and ship strikes. Human-induced sources of underwater noise and their potential impacts on marine animals are also topics of substantial concern among scientists.

“Thanks to pioneering work by sanctuary scientists and others to develop conservation strategies to reduce risks to whales, we’re redefining how we interact with these magnificent creatures and forging a new relationship based on respect and stewardship,” said Daniel J. Basta, director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. They can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media channels.

Links:
mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stowaway
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories

Social Media:
Facebook:www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
Twitter:@mysticseaport, #charleswmorgan, #38thvoyage

Downloadable Media:
High-definition video and still images of the Morgan’s activities on Stellwagen Bank will be available for news media to download on the Museum’s press page.

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, Conn. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children five-years-old and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Designated in 1992, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod offshore of Massachusetts. Renowned for its remarkable productivity, the sanctuary also is a top destination for whale watching.

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