Categories
National Historic Landmark Vessel Heads to New London, Conn to Prepare for 38th Voyage
MYSTIC, Conn. (May 14, 2014) — The Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel and the last wooden whaleship in the world, will depart Mystic Seaport to begin her 38th Voyage on Saturday, May 17 at 9:15 a.m. The ship will travel to New London, the first stop on what will be a nearly three-month journey to historic ports in New England.
The ship, which has not left Mystic Seaport since she arrived on November 8, 1941, will be pushed down the Mystic River by a tugboat, and then towed across Fishers Island Sound and up the Thames River to New London, where she will berth at City Pier. She will lead a procession of vessels down the Mystic River, including the Museum’s steamboat Sabino, its fishing vessel Roann, and five whaleboats rowed by Mystic Seaport staff and volunteers.
“This is a big moment for Mystic Seaport and for the State of Connecticut, as we take this American icon, the oldest surviving commercial ship in the country, back to sea once again to carry out a new mission of education and celebration of our nation’s shared maritime heritage,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport.
The day will begin with a brief farewell ceremony in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at 8:45 a.m. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT 2nd) and other dignitaries will offer remarks, and the ship will be formally entrusted to the care of her 22nd master, Capt. Kip Files, of Rockland, Maine.
“This is the most significant maritime event in my lifetime and I am humbled and honored to be given the responsibility of taking the Charles W. Morgan back to sea on her 38th Voyage,” said Files. ”We are all looking forward to that moment when we set her sails and let the wind push us to our destination, something not seen since the 1920s.”
The trip on Saturday is contingent on favorable weather conditions, as the ship and the tug need to safely navigate down the Mystic River and across the Sound. High wind and waves, among other factors, could require a postponement to Sunday. The decision to go or not go will be posted on the Museum’s website.
People interested in viewing the ship’s journey by boat are asked to leave plenty of room for the Morgan and the tug to maneuver in the confines of the Mystic River channel. Boaters are asked to stay back a minimum of 50 yards behind and on each side and 100 yards in front of the ship. Boaters are also asked to wait south of the railroad bridge to give the ship maximum clearance in the most constricted part of the river. A boater’s guide is available on the Museum’s website.
Once in New London, the ship and crew will work to complete preparations for the voyage. The ship will be ballasted (weighted down) to her correct sailing draft, the sails will be attached to the spars, and the crew will conduct four days of sail training scheduled for June 7-8 and June 11-12. The ship will be open to the public with an extensive dockside exhibit on May 24-25, May 31, and June 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The ship departs on the next leg of the 38th Voyage with a transit to Newport, RI on June 14. Following that stop, the ship will then visit Vineyard Haven, Mass.; New Bedford, Mass.; and Boston, where she will dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment and call attention to mankind’s changing relationship with the natural world.
Links:
mysticseaport.org/38thvoyage
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/connect/press/
https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/stories
www.facebook.com/mysticseaport
http://www.youtube.com/user/MysticSeaportVideos
Twitter: @mysticseaport, @38thvoyage
Downloadable Media:
High resolution photos and broadcast-quality HD video of the ship’s journey will be available for download and use by news media starting at 3 p.m. on May 17. Downloads can be accessed on the Mystic Seaport 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, 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/
Journalist and Adventure Enthusiast to Document Unprecedented Journey this Summer Aboard the 19th-Century Whaleship
Mystic, Conn. (May 8, 2014) – After reviewing scores of applications and video auditions from qualified candidates, Mystic Seaport has selected journalist Ryan Leighton, of Boothbay, Maine to stowaway aboard the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest surviving merchant vessel, during her 38th Voyage this summer.
As the stowaway, Leighton will be immersed in all aspects of the 19th-century whaling ship’s 38th Voyage–living on board the ship with the crew, handling the sails and lines, steering the ship, and most important, sharing his daily experiences through a blog and social media platforms.
“Ryan proved he has the ‘sense of the adventure’ Mystic Seaport was searching for from the outset of the stowaway contest,” said Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport. “As a successful journalist, he has relevant experience and the necessary skills to fulfill the role of the stowaway aboard the Morgan’s most documented voyage ever. In addition to his enthusiasm, we are confident Ryan will bring his tireless work ethic, his ability to adapt to new situations, and his creativity to the 38th Voyage.”
Leighton, who graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising and a minor in history, had been waiting for a unique and extreme opportunity such as this.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to become the stowaway is because it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sometimes the most satisfying feeling is not knowing what tomorrow will bring,” Leighton said. “Typically, stowaways are forced to remain hidden below deck, but with this opportunity, I will be able to insert myself into the daily routine of the ship. I want to take chances and be creative in order to make this journey as exciting as possible. My goal is to fully immerse myself, so that others are able to live vicariously through my videos and stories.”
Leighton will watch, inquire, learn, participate, and use his creative energy to share the voyage experience with the general public through blogging, videos, social media, and activities in the port cities. He will be a key player during events and exhibits at each port of call with an opportunity to explore the community and meet its people.
“To quote Nat Wilson, the Morgan’s sailmaker, ‘it is the only way to carry the ship’s future forward because the living memories are all gone,’” Leighton said. “Sailing is a big part of the New England heritage – It’s how we got here. And what better way to learn about the past then to relive it in the present?”
Leighton filed his first video as stowaway on the Museum’s YouTube channel.
While on the 38th Voyage from May to August, the Charles W. Morgan will stop at historic ports of call throughout New England including visits to New London, Conn.; Newport, R.I.; and Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston, Mass., where she’ll dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off the coast of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment. While the Morgan’s cargo was once whale bone and oil, the vessel will embark upon her final voyage bearing a message of peace and serving as a symbol of our changing relationship with the natural world.
Both Mystic Seaport and Leighton will be sharing the Morgan‘s journey onsite, online, and onboard. If you wish to partake in this exciting voyage, follow Leighton’s blog at mysticseaport.org/stowaway, on Twitter @MorganStowaway and on Facebook www.facebook.com/mysticseaport.
The stowaway program has been made possible in part by a grant from the 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.
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, CT. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.
Categories
Introducing the Stowaway
[embedit snippet=”Introducing the Stowaway”]
After reviewing scores of applications and video auditions from qualified candidates, Mystic Seaport has selected journalist Ryan Leighton, of Boothbay, Maine, to stow away aboard the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest surviving merchant vessel, during her 38th Voyage this summer.
As the stowaway, Leighton will be immersed in all aspects of the 19th-century whaleship’s 38th Voyage — living on board the ship with the crew, handling the sails and lines, steering the ship, and most important, sharing his daily experiences through a blog and social media platforms.
“Ryan proved he has the ‘sense of the adventure’ Mystic Seaport was searching for from the outset of the stowaway contest,” said Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport. “As a successful journalist, he has relevant experience and the necessary skills to fulfill the role of the stowaway aboard the Morgan’s most documented voyage ever. In addition to his enthusiasm, we are confident Ryan will bring his tireless work ethic, his ability to adapt to new situations, and his creativity to the 38th Voyage.”
Leighton, who graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising and a minor in history, had been waiting for a unique and extreme opportunity such as this.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to become the stowaway is because it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sometimes the most satisfying feeling is not knowing what tomorrow will bring,” Leighton said. “Typically, stowaways are forced to remain hidden below deck, but with this opportunity, I will be able to insert myself into the daily routine of the ship. I want to take chances and be creative in order to make this journey as exciting as possible. My goal is to fully immerse myself, so that others are able to live vicariously through my videos and stories.”
Leighton will watch, inquire, learn, participate, and use his creative energy to share the voyage experience with the general public through blogging, videos, social media, and activities in the port cities. He will be a key player during events and exhibits at each port of call with an opportunity to explore the community and meet its people.
To quote Nat Wilson, the Morgan’s sailmaker, ‘it is the only way to carry the ship’s future forward because the living memories are all gone,’” Leighton said. “Sailing is a big part of the New England heritage – It’s how we got here. And what better way to learn about the past then to relive it in the present?”
Leighton will come aboard as the Morgan‘s stowaway on June 2.
Both Mystic Seaport and Leighton will be sharing the Morgan‘s journey onsite, online, and onboard. If you wish to partake in this exciting voyage, follow Leighton’s blog at www.mysticseaport.org/stowaway, on Twitter @MorganStowaway and on Facebook www.facebook.com/mysticseaport.
The 38th Voyage
While on the 38th Voyage from May to August, the Charles W. Morgan will stop at historic ports of call throughout New England including visits to New London, Conn.; Newport, R.I.; and Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, and Boston, Mass., where she’ll dock next to the USS Constitution. She will also anchor off the coast of Provincetown, Mass. for day sails to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where the Morgan will team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to observe whales in their natural environment. While the Morgan’s cargo was once whale bone and oil, the vessel will embark upon her final voyage bearing a message of peace and serving as a symbol of our changing relationship with the natural world.
Categories
New MORGAN Documentary
[embedit snippet=”MORGAN film”]
The one-hour documentary film “The Charles W. Morgan” tells the extraordinary story of America’s last wooden whaleship and the incredible saga of whaling, the first global industry dominated by the United States. From her 1841 launch in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the film follows the Morgan on 37 voyages around the world where this “Lucky Ship” survived freeze-ups in the Arctic, attacks by hostile natives, fire aboard ship, and a host of other stories, each of which had the potential to end the vessel’s life. Yet, more than 170 years later, the Charles W. Morgan lives on and sailed again on her 38th Voyage in 2014.
Millions of people have walked the Morgan‘s decks, from ship builders to whalers to movie stars; the whaleship is a lady with a past as complex and unexpected as the era she signifies. In her lifetime, this vessel has witnessed nearly every human emotion, experienced radical changes in technology, and survived the transformation from wind and wood to oil and steel. Yet with all of this progress, in her time of need, the only way to restore this unlikely survivor was to return to the old ways of wooden shipwrights, an experience that transcends generations and redefines a long-forgotten art form.
From her early days in New Bedford to her restoration at Mystic Seaport, the Morgan‘s story is the story of American maritime history. Combining stunning archival material with evocative live cinematography and powerful on-camera interviews, the film chronicles the rise and fall of America’s first great industry using the only remaining vessel of the time period as a portal to the past.
Filmmaker Bailey Pryor
Five-time Emmy winner Bailey Pryor has worked in the film and television industry for more than 25 years. He has produced six feature films and more than 150 television programs for ABC, PBS, Outdoor Life Network, Versus, Fox Sports Net, ESPN, Discovery Channel, Spike TV, Animal Planet, Tennis Channel and Travel Channel. He is currently the President & CEO of Telemark Films, and has previously held the positions of President & CEO of Warren Miller Entertainment, Staff Producer and Associate Vice President of Production at Sonalysts Studios, Marketing Assistant for the Samuel Goldwyn Company and Producer’s Assistant on the feature films “Mystic Pizza” and “Home Alone.”
Categories
A Cultural Treasure
Mystic Seaport was featured in an episode of CPTV’s “Connecticut’s Cultural Treasures,” a program that highlights the best of the arts and cultural institutions in the state, on May 24, 2014. CPTV’s film crew spent two days shooting on Museum grounds for the five-minute segment, and the producer later remarked that he had a difficult time trying to fit the many aspects of Mystic Seaport into such a short span of time. From the Museum’s vast Collections Research Center to the new web-based learning platform Mystic Seaport for Educators, the piece highlights the many ways Mystic Seaport staff and volunteers work daily to preserve and protect the authentic maritime experience.
[embedit snippet=”CPTV”]
Categories
Annual Fund Exceeds Goal
Congratulations and thank you to everyone who helped us reach our goal of raising $1.4 million for the Museum’s Annual Fund. Your enthusiasm for Mystic Seaport has achieved a remarkable accomplishment and set a new standard for philanthropy at the Museum. A robust and successful Annual Fund is critical to sustaining the core strength of the Museum and enables our continued growth and success.
Each and every day more than 150 staff members and dozens of volunteers come to work at Mystic Seaport.They are astronomers, shipwrights, administrators, actors, riggers, gardeners and professionals of every sort. They walk through the gates to their duty stations and they bring Mystic Seaport to life. I say this intentionally, because Mystic Seaport is not a static museum focused on preservation, but a dynamic living community fully engaged in restoration. The work we do is keeping the skills, crafts, trades and knowledge of a bygone era alive for this current generation.
In my first remarks to the staff of Mystic Seaport back in 2009, I spoke about the importance of community. There is a preponderance of evidence that the wellspring of success for the Museum over the past 85 years has been the community that is Mystic Seaport. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the success of the 2013-2014 Annual Fund. More than 2,000 members and friends came together to commit $1.4 million to strengthen the Museum and to support our mission to create an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.
We are all drawn to Mystic Seaport by our own unique personal interests. Yet, we are united in our belief that the mission of Mystic Seaport is vital and that the Museum is worthy of our support. We have much to be proud of. Thank you!
Steve White
President
Mystic, Conn. (May 1, 2014) – For the first time since her arrival in 1941, the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan will depart Mystic Seaport and head down the Mystic River on a journey to New London on Saturday, May 17. The trip is the first stage in her return to sea on her 38th Voyage.
Following a brief ceremony in the Museum shipyard, the ship will be towed down the Mystic River and pass through the Route. 1 drawbridge in downtown Mystic en route to Fishers Island Sound and the Thames River. She will berth at City Pier in New London sometime in the early afternoon. The Morgan will lead a procession of Museum watercraft and whaleboats.
Once in New London, the crew will finish fitting out the ship for her 38th Voyage, which will begin with a sail to Newport, RI scheduled for June 14.
WHAT: Departure Journey of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan
WHEN: 8:45 a.m. on May 17, 2014
WHERE: Mystic Seaport and the Mystic River, Mystic, CT
WHO: Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Mystic Seaport President Steve White, Mystic Seaport Executive Vice President Susan Funk, Capt. Kip Files, 22nd captain of the Charles W. Morgan
Media Notes:
The ship will cast off and begin her journey downriver promptly at 9:15 a.m.
The trip is weather-dependent. Conditions not conducive to the tow will postpone the departure to the following day. A go/no go decision is intended for 6 p.m. on May 16, although deteriorating conditions overnight could result in a postponement the following morning. The Mystic Seaport website will have an updated status report.
Due to U.S. Coast Guard regulations, passenger slots for media onboard the ship are very limited. Once on board, all media representatives must remain on the ship until her arrival in New London.
Mystic Seaport will be recording the event from five locations: on board the ship, from a chase boat, on the shore at Mystic River Park, dockside in the Museum shipyard, and at City Pier in New London.
High-resolution still photos and HD video suitable for broadcast will be available for download by 3 p.m. on the press page of the Museum website.
Marine traffic can monitor radio transmissions on Channels 13/16.
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/
Categories
The Rosenfeld Collection
Categories
Training Day
In the summer of 2014 the Charles W. Morgan will sail for the first time in more than 80 years. During this 38th Voyage, the 19th-century whaleship will sail to seven historic New England ports, engaging communities with their maritime heritage, raising awareness of the changing perceptions about whales, and furthering research about whales, whaling, and whaling peoples.
A select group of adults will be aboard the whaleship during different legs of this journey, participating in an unprecedented public-history project. This group includes artists, historians, scientists, journalists, teachers, musicians, scholars, and whaling descendants. Dubbed the “38th Voyagers,” the 79 adults will use their own perspectives and talents to document and filter their experience aboard the Morgan and produce a creative product for Mystic Seaport to share online and through exhibits, publications, and public programs.
On Saturday, April 26, more than half of the 38th Voyagers showed up at Mystic Seaport for a day of orientation in preparation for their time at sea. (The remaining group of Voyagers will visit Mystic Seaport April 30 for their orientation.) The group toured the 1841 whaleship and learned about the restoration, and they spent time learning about the logistics and conditions aboard the ship while underway. They were also brought into the vast Collections Research Center to view the artifacts that are the core of the Museum. A number of Voyagers were even given the chance to climb the rigging of the square-rigger Joseph Conrad (the Morgan‘s rigging is still a work in progress).
The day was inspirational for everyone present and brought the much-anticipated voyage one step closer to the Morgan‘s May 17 departure date.
