The Maine Windjammer Project was
created to preserve a photographic record of the golden age of the
Maine windjammer for the generations to come.
The golden age of sail is long gone,
but, on the coast of Maine the golden age of the Maine windjammer is
at its height. Imagine if you could know ahead of time the important
moments of history and be there to photograph that moment. So many
historic moments have gone by unrecognized by those present and only
later realized the significance of that very moment.
There
was a time when sail was king on the coast of Maine. The lime trade,
granite & marble, lumber from virgin forests, ice and the fishing
trades all employed sailing craft to move their products. The lime
trade alone employed over 200 two masted schooners in Rockland and
the surrounding coastal Maine towns.
Steam
powered vessels were making some of the longer trans-Atlantic runs
and the passenger trade up and down the coast. However, for coastal
trade and the hundreds of islands located just off the coast of Maine
sail is still king.
On
any given day, the coastal waters would be filled with these two
masted schooners delivering cargo to and from all the coastal towns.
They are the lifeline for those living on the islands, delivering
everything from lumber to butter and even your grandfather’s new
Sunday suit.Today only a handful of the sailing vessels remain. Many of them were simply used until they were worn out and replaced by a new one. During the Great Depression, thousands of these boats were just abandoned where they stood and left to rot.
There
is, however a place where during the summer and fall you can still
see these historic vessels sailing the clear blue waters the Atlantic
much the way they have for the past 200 years. Penobscot Bay is
located on the coast of Maine and on any given day in the summer you
may be able to see as many as 15 or more of these proud sailing
vessels, known as windjammers. Many of these boats have been sailing
for over 100 years! They are truly living history.
The
Maine Windjammer Project started in 2007. It is an ongoing project
to document the modern history of the historic windjammers on the
coast of Maine. Many of these boats are over 100 years old two are
over 142 years, launched in 1871. This unique photographic history
covers from 2007 to the present, sailing, haul out and the special
events, such as The Great Schooner Race 2010 to present.
This
extensive archive is available to maritime and American history
museums and those doing research on these last surviving boats.
The
Maine Windjammer Project: www.mainewindjammerproject.com
For
additional information contact Doug Mills at:
dougmills@shootmainestudios.com
