Maine Windjammer Project

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

"Day Of The Sail" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Day Of The Sail" By Doug Mills

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse in the day of the sail.[07-06-2012]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Maine Windjammer Parade Friday in Rockland

July 12 Maine Windjammer Parade

Friday July 12 the entire fleet of the Maine Windjammer association participates in an afternoon Parade of Sail past the mile-long Rockland Breakwater, providing spectators with stunning, close-up views of Maine’s fleet of tall ships. This is a tall ship event not to be missed.

http://sailmainecoast.com/plan-your-trip/special-events/

"At The Great Schooner Race" The Maine Windjammer Project

"At The Great Schooner Race" by Doug Mills

Angelique, The Angel Of Penobscot Bay, at The Great Schooner Race. [07-05-2013]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

Monday, July 8, 2013

The Great Schooner Race of 2012

Angelique and Mary Day fly past the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Doug Mills

Maritime Editor

RCN America Network

Penobscot Bay Maine-Last night seems like a dream. Standing on deck watching as the historic tall ships of the Maine windjammer fleet sail into the small harbor on Islesboro Island Maine.

Today is The Great Schooner Race. The Maine Windjammer Association has sponsored this race every year since 1977. I am very excited and head up on deck very early. The site that I find is nearly impossible for me to convey with words. The morning sun is just climbing over the horizon. The water is like a blue mirror. The air is still and cool. All around our anchorage are historic ships ranging in age from about 30 years to 143 years old with the new morning sun and perfect reflections in the cool blue water.

By 8AM the captains have started to arrive for the prerace meeting. The days race course is laid out and and the start times for the various classed of ship have been established. After a group shot of all the captains it is time for them to return to their individual ships and make ready for the start of the race.

The captains of the historic Maine windjammer fleet.

The Great Schooner Race is the largest annual gatherings of tall ships in north America and one of the only tall ship events in the world where passengers are onboard and encouraged to take part in the setting of the sails and the working of the ship. Some of these vessels in the past were used to haul stone, lumber and freight, others in the fishing trades. They were built to create income for their owners with an expected lifespan of 5-15 years. Today these proud ships are still working generating income for their owners, only now the cargo loads and unloads itself.

The race start.

At 10:20 the 10 minute warning canon fires amidst a flurry of clanging anchor chains and ships making ready to get underway. 10:25 the 5 minute warning sounds as all the boats move toward the start line. With the roar of the start canon the first boats move across the start line and The Great Schooner Race is underway! Before long Penobscot Bay is filled with the sails of schooners making their way upwind to Rockland. Today this is an amazing sight, but, 100 years ago this was just business as usual. So commonplace that the history books barely make mention of the schooner. It was nothing more than the tractor trailer of it's time delivering everything from lumber and granite to your great grandfathers new Sunday suit.

By mid afternoon we round the ledge and make for Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse with a stiff wind. The old Victory Chimes healed over in the wind and flying across the bay, the rest of the fleet in close pursuit. We reach the lighthouse along with most of the fleet to the cheers of the crowd of spectators who have gatherer to watch the end of the race. One after the other the ships fly into the harbor to make their turn around the marker in the middle of the harbor and head out again to the last mark and return like a flock of screaming eagles to the finish line at the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.

The final results are as follows:

Cutty Sark Award for overall winner:

Mary Day

Flying Jib Class:

Lazy Jack II (1st); Olad (2nd); Prudence (3rd)

Coasters Class:

Stephen Taber (1st); Grace Bailey (2nd); Lewis R. French (3rd)

Leeward Class:

Nathaniel Bowditch (1st); Angelique (2nd); Heritage (3rd)

Windward Class:

Mary Day (1st), American Eagle (2nd)

3-Masters Class:

Victory Chimes (1st!)

Frank Swift Award:

Isaac H. Evans

Boyd Guild Award:

J&E Riggin

The Great Schooner Race is over for this year and if you missed it you missed one of the most exciting events of the year. Not to worry, you can still experience the thrill of being on one of these ships next year and there is still room on many trips this summer.

For more information or to book your trip on one of these historic ships you can go to: http://sailmainecoast.com/ the Web site of the Maine Windjammer Association.

Maty Day overall winner!

Angelique

"Before The Race" The Maine Windjammer Project

"Before The Race" by Doug Mills

The Great Schooner Race of 2013. Stephen Taber, Grace Bailey, Mistress and Heritage before the race. [07-05-2013]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Gone Sailing!

Doug Mills
Maritime Editor
RCN America Network

This week the staff of RCN America Network Have gone sailing. We sail on Sunday, June 29 aboard the historic tall ship Victory Chimes, built in 1900. This will be my 3rd year sailing on this magnificent ship. There are 13 of these historic ships that sail these waters off the coast of Maine which carry passengers on a vacation that few will ever forget. To anchor in a quiet harbor near a small island village that time has forgotten, with the gentle sounds of the waves on the hull, the music drifting across the water from several of the other tall ships that have anchored near by and the smell of dinner cooking on a wood stove. The cell phone doesn't work and there is no WiFi, so there is time to make a new friend or actually read a book, or maybe just marvel at the beauty of Maine.
The end of the week the whole fleet nearly two dozen ships will gather off Islesboro for The Great Schooner Race, the largest annual gathering of tall ships in North America. The race will run from Islesboro to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse in Rockland Maine. After the race the boats will all anchor in the head of the harbor at Sharp's Point for an evening of celebration and schooner fun.
By Saturday it is time to head home and start planning for next years cruise. Yes, you heard right. One week is never enough and once you sail once you will have to come back again and again.
You may have missed out on The Great Schooner Race this year, but there is a whole summer and fall filled with exciting events you can experience. If you can get away at all this year...Do IT.

2013 Sailing Events

with

The Maine Windjammer Association

July 5 Great Schooner Race

Be a part of North America’s largest annual gathering of tall ships as more than two dozen schooners race from Islesboro to Rockland. Special Awards Ceremony includes live music and festivities.

July 6 & 7 Open Schooner Tours

Stop by and tour Maine’s legendary windjammers at their docks each afternoon from 2:00-4:00 pm. The participating windjammers can be found at North End Shipyard and Windjammer Wharf (off Tillson Ave) in Rockland; the Public Landing in Rockport; and at the head of the inner harbor in Camden. Hope you can join us!

July 12 Maine Windjammer Parade

The entire fleet participates in an afternoon Parade of Sail past the mile-long Rockland Breakwater, providing spectators with stunning, close-up views of Maine’s fleet of tall ships.

August 5 Sweet Chariot Music Festival

More than a dozen groups perform traditional music of the sea on Swans Island, with live shipboard performances as well.

Aug 30-Sept 1 Camden Windjammer Festival

Festivities include a parade of sail, maritime heritage fair, contra dance, fireworks, lobster crate race, chowder challenge, free concerts, schooner crew talent show, family scavenger hunt, outdoor movies and more.

September 10 WoodenBoat Sail-in

The fall gathering of the fleet takes place in Brooklin, Maine, headquarters of WoodenBoat Magazine and WoodenBoat School. Live music, local refreshments, boatschool tours.

Don't wait book your getaway today!