The Charles W. Morgan Sails Again

To follow up on Saturday's post about the Charles W. Morgan's 38th Voyage, here is a video film from The Day, the local newspaper in New London, where the Morgan is now, and will be for a month to load the ballast, get re-fitted and train the crew. Do not miss to follow the vessel during the summer and get updates via Mystic Seaport's website, here.

Bon Voyage, Charles W. Morgan

A 'Lucky Ship'* leaving Mystic for her 38th Voyage.

Today is a special day in Mystic, Connecticut, well, it is actually a very significant day in American maritime history, if not in the whole maritime world. This morning, at 9:15 a.m., the last remaining wooden whaleship in the world, the Charles W. Morgan, embarked on her 38th Voyage.

She arrived to Mystic Seaport - The Museum of America and the Sea in November 1941, looking ragged and crippled after having been beaten up at Col. Green's estate Round Hill, Massachusetts, by the 1938 Hurricane. The good people in New Bedford, where she was built in 1941, tried to raise funds to save her, but failed. Then Mystic Seaport - at this time called the Marine Historical Association - stepped in, and in November 1941, she was towed south to Mystic. The Morgan has gone through several restorations since she arrived to Mystic Seaport, but none as severe and important as the one which started in November 2008.

Now, more than five years later, after a multi-million dollar restoration, this morning she left the Museum to be towed to New London, where will be re-fitted. Her crew will be trained to sail there on day sails - remember no living soul has sailed a vessel like her, not even her experienced captain, 'Kip' Files of Rockland, Maine - before she embarks on her summer-long voyage to visit different ports along New England. Among the ports are Newport, New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard, and Boston, at the latter port, the Morgan will be docked by another famous vessel, the USS Constitution.

For days the weather forecast looked dreadful for this morning, pouring rain, strong winds, and unruly sea. But the rain stopped early, and in time for her departure, the sun had come out, the dark clouds had moved away, and it was just beautiful - just look at those pictures for this entry. Thousands and thousands of people had gathered along the Mystic River to see the 'old girl' off. Following her was a flotilla of vessels, both from the Museum and private boats. Among them were five of the newly built whale boats that have been built for her voyage.

Get more information about the Charles W. Morgan's 38th Voyage from Mystic Seaport's website here.

Here are some photographs from yesterday morning preparations for the voyage and from her departure this morning.

The crew carrying aboard the Morgan's new sails, made by sail maker Nat Wilson in East Boothbay, Maine.

The tryworks, the oven where the whale blubber was boiled into oil, is still on board the Morgan.

The small pantry forward on the Morgan's deck needs to be cleaned up before it can be used.

Getting ready for her first 'outing' in 73 years (when she arrived to Mystic). Last time the Morgan sailed was in 1921, her 37th voyage as a whaleship. As a matter of fact, she did 'sail' a couple of times after that, when she was a 'star' in some silent motion pictures during the 1920s, among them Down to the Sea in Ships (1922). Watch the movie here.

The Morgan has started her 38th Voyage, getting close to the famous drawbridge in Downtown Mystic. The lower yards are tilted to be able to let her go through the bridge.

Some of the whale boats escorting the Morgan downriver.

Farewell - see you back in Mystic in August!

Bon Voyage!

Read more about the Morgan and Mystic Seaport in these issues of the Mystic Seaport Magazine.

*A 'Lucky Ship' had the reputation of having survived storms, ice storms, fire, and other situations that were dire for a vessel.

Problem ------- Solution

I know, this has nothing to do with rowing, but I could not resist posting it!

To Tough it Out with the Help of a Hot Irish Whiskey

Yes, you have guessed right, dear reader of HTBS, the electricity is now back at the HTBS headquarters and the village of Mystic and other parts of Connecticut. Our part, the southeast corner of the state, was the last one to get the electricity back - though, there might be some lonely pockets left in the state without electricity. I cannot tell you how nice it feels to have a warm house again, especially as the temperature plunged down to 42 F, or 5.5 C, inside the house! As our fire place is not working, we just had to 'tough it out' as the Yankees here say. Mrs. B. suggested that we should buy a camping stove which I think is a brilliant idea, especially as the good HTBS-arian Greg Denieffe just sent me a nice recipe for a Hot Irish Whiskey, which I would like to share with you all, here. It calls for boiling water, so that is where the camping stove comes in as we have an electric stove in our kitchen. Added to this recipe, Greg writes, is a cinnamon stick - lovely.

Mrs. B. took some photographs after the blizzard which I also would like to share with you. Enjoy...

Friday, late afternoon, the snow is coming down heavily, but the wind has not yet picked up...

The storm, which has taken down several electricity poles in Mystic, has passed and the work starts to clear off the snow from steps, cars, pavements, etc. Here we are beginning to see our cars again.

Our neighbours' good son came out with their snow blower to use outside our house, too. Some surrounding towns around Mystic forbade residents to drive on the streets. The police handed out some hefty traffic tickets if you were caught out on the roads.

Picturesque picture of the HTBS headquarters.

Down the street from where we live. Look at those electricity cables hanging low!

Heavy ice on the electricity cables makes them hang dangerously low.

Beautiful...

The sun is coming out...

The snow plows have done one round on Main Street in Downtown Mystic, but that was not enough to drive safely. Poor job!

Looking the other way down Main Street, towards east.

Downtown Mystic, Main Street.

Raw egg, Worcester sauce, red pepper...

Today we rest...

and if you need it, here it is

All Those Famous Swedes

So, dear reader of HTBS, how many of the 'famous' Swedes did you know or recognise? The quiz was a mix of film actresses, writers, pop stars, sport stars, celebrities, a diplomat, a 'Royal Hotness', an innovator, a singer. Was it difficult? I guess some of these persons could be tricky. Here are the right answers:

1) ABBA, pop group, Björn Ulvaeus (1945-), Agnetha Fältskog (1950-), Anni-Frid 'Frida' Lyngstad (1945-) and Benny Andersson (1946-)

2) Greta Garbo (1905-1990), film actress

3) Björn Borg (1956-), tennis player

4) Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982), film actress

5) Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007), writer, director, producer

6) Madeleine (1982-), Princess

7) Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), engineer, innovator

8) Pippi Longstocking, the world strongest girl, fictional character created by Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002). The monkey's Swedish name is Herr Nilsson (Mr. Nilsson)

 9)  August Strindberg (1849-1912), playwright, novelist

10) Noomi Rapace (1979-), film actress, who played Lisbeth Salander

11) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (1981-), football [soccer] player

12) Jenny Lind (1820-1887) 'The Swedish Nightingale', opera singer

13) Dag Hammarskjöld (1905-1960), diplomat, UN Secretary-General

14) Victoria Silverstedt (1974-), model, 'film actress'

I received an e-mail yesterday from Australian rowing historian Louis Petrin, who had nailed all the answers, including Herr Nilsson, and for that he gets an extra point. Well done, Louis, I am very impressed!

Scores:
12 correct answers or more: regard yourself an 'Honorary Swede'
9 - 11 correct answers: very good
6 - 8 correct answers: good
4 - 5 correct answers: a little bad
2 - 3 correct answers: well, ehh... poor (surely, you can do better...)
0 - 1 correct answer: you don't like Swedes, do you?

Famous Swedes 14

I know gentlemen that you have been waiting for a blond Swedish girl. Here she is, but what is her name? And with her, HTBS ends its quiz on famous Swedes...

Famous Swedes 13

He was truly working for the World. Many Swedes believe that he was murdered.

Famous Swedes 12

During her day, she was probably the world's most famous Swede. She even got a vessel named after her.

Famous Swedes 11

There are many good stories about this man in my Swedish home town of Malmö. Nowdays, he is playing for a French club.

Famous Swedes 10

She was not this beautiful in the role that made her famous...

Famous Swedes 9

He is one of the Swedish authors who actully should have received the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Famous Swedes 8

This must be the most famous fictional Swedish person in the world. You get extra points if you  know her monkey's Swedish name!

Famous Swedes 7

The Swedes are getting ready to celebrate this countryman of theirs, which they do every year on 10 December.

Famous Swedes 6

This beautiful young lady has moved to New York like some other famous Swedes. But sometimes her father needs her in Stockholm.

Famous Swedes 5

In his genre he is the Master...

Famous Swedes 4

In this photograph she is only 14 years old. She would grow up to be a very famous Swede...

Famous Swedes 3

After a couple of international victories in grand competitions, every child in Sweden wanted to play tennis.

Famous Swedes 2

She did some modelling in a department store before she became a world famous star. She settled in New York...