Schooner Bill of Rights

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2011-11-18T06:53:00.001-08:00

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Hello, about the BoR girl

2011-07-17T20:30:00.001-07:00

I had an experience on the Bill of Rights too. From January 1994 till November of 1994. It was the greatest experience. Course I didn't think so at the time. Being there with Visionquest and all. But, there hasn't been a day since that has gone by when I haven't thought of my being there and the traveling and experience it gave me. Wish I could go back and stay longer this time. But, as we all know. Life goes on. I'm sad to her that the old girl isn't still taking out the kids and helping them to grow, learn and experience life as she once did for me. Anyway, if you would like any other info or stories about my time on the BoR. Or were one of the crew on it with me. Please feel free to email me. MsMAReilly@ yahoo.com Thanks. And if you ever got to experience a ride on the BoR. I hope you loved her as much as I did.
Sent from my iPhone=0)

1976 "Bill of Rights" in Boston

2011-06-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Sir/Madam:

In July of 1976 I was Captain of the 75' fishing vessel "Sea Dog" from Gloucester Ma. On the third of July we left Gloucester with the intention of going down to Boston to see the arrival of the tall ships that were coming in for the parade of tall ships for the bicentennial 4th of July celebration. We had several guests on board that we planed to drop off at the Cape Cod Canal before proceeding on our offshore lobstering trip to the canyons south of Cape Cod. After viewing the arrival of several the ships off Boston we left for the canal, at about dusk we came upon the "Bill of Rights" Becalmed at the cape cod bay end of the Canal (see first picture). At that time the schooner had no engine and they had rigged their small tender off the stern and were attempting to push her to Boston, needless to say they were not going to make the trip in time for the parade the next day. I called Capt. Davis and offered a tow to Boston, he was happy to accept as he had some very high priced charterers expecting to ride in the parade. We took the schooner in tow (see second picture) and making about 9 kts arrived in Boston at about 2AM on the morning of the 4th, At that time it was to late to carry out our plan of dropping our guests at the canal so I asked Capt. Davis if he could see to it that they were taken ashore where they could make arraignments to get back to Gloucester. Capt. Davis not only took them but kept them aboard for the night and allowed them to stay onboard for the entire parade the next day (see third picture). The girl in the picture was my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, Kate Somers an artist here on Cape Ann (www,randomartsmagnolia.com ) and this trip was one of the highlights of our time together. We will always treasure our memories of Capt. Joe Davis and the "Bill of Rights"

Respectfully

Glenn Somers

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.116632888425309.29254.100002357962688#!/profile.php?id=100002357962688

ATSI

2007-12-06T21:06:00.001-08:00

New Life for Bill!

2007-11-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hello, I've been trying to track down Bill of Rights crew from years past the wide world over and here you are! We most certainly have something special in common. We are all "Friends of Bill of Rights". As you may already know, Bill of Rights has been neglected and forlorn at the dock in San Pedro, California for over 2 years now. She was briefly rescued in January 2005, after 2 previous years of neglect, for a partnership with Lady Washington and to proudly schoone her way through ASTA's Tall Ship Challenge that summer. I helped with the first frantic refit in January of that year, sailed aboard when I could that winter and spring, and for a glorious 2 weeks that summer. It was a life-altering experience for me, and I haven't been in the age group of child for a long time! I just came on board a new and exciting non-profit organization that involves Bill called American Tall Ship Institute. www.americantallship.org. We are currently in high-gear, trying to raise the last chunk of money we need for a downpayment on Bill. Yes, this is a solicitation, but please keep reading! This is a rescue effort more than anything else. She has many more years of service in her for at-risk and disadvantaged kids, and for educating and sharing the experience of sailing on a tallship. We have sponsors and fundraising strategies that require us to have the boat and be operating before we can get those going. One strategy we are able to employ now is appealing to those of us who share fond, and often life-changing memories of sailing on Bill of Rights. As of this moment, we are vying with a wealthy French company who wants to refit her as a luxury yacht and bring her to the Mediterranean for the rich and bored. Financially, we can't compete, unless we come up with the remaining $65,000 we need to take possession, insure her, and recaulk the deck. Once that happens, we are ready to go. We have school groups and youth organizations standing by, waiting for us to start scheduling sails. Please, visit our website. Donate something, anything. Also, please pass this on to anyone else you know who loves BofR or just loves tall ships. And please, respond to this email if you want to be on the Friends of Bill of Rights mailing list. Once we are operating, there will be membership benefits! I look forward to hearing from you, and perhaps meeting you in person someday, perhaps on board Bill of Rights! Sincerely, Laura Levin American Tall Ship Institute Marketing, Fundraising, and Operations Coordinator laura@americantallship.org

Comments from those who love Bill

2007-01-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

Some more pax and crew from years past have posted comments here. The links don't always work, so I'm posting them on the main page so that everyone can read them. If anyone has photos of Bill in her past, please send them to me! I'd love to post them here.

- Kim Carver

Anonymous said...

Ahoy
I had the pleasure of being a guest on a Schooner named the "Bill of Rights" during the 1977 America's Cup race in Newport R.I. This marvelous vessel was built in Maine {without power} and skippered by a man named Joe Davis. It was officed in Pawtucket R.I. but was usually seen in or about Newport in the summer. I heard that it wintered in Mystic.
I was wondering if this could be the same vessel? I will check your site from time to time.

Bill Goldsmith said...

Hello Ty,

I was one of the 14 year old kids that sailed on the Bill of Rights in the summer of '73 for one week at the end of July. I do remember Captain Davis, and 24 hour race we participated in against other tall ships that week: Brilliant, Shenandoah, Tabor Boy and others. I have some pictures I took that week and I would be happy to post them if I knew how!

Anonymous said...

My name is Jerry Ritzer. I was on the Bill of Rights for almost 6 months back in 1991/1992. I happened across this post because I was wondering how she was doing myself. Also I was wondering about then Captain Richard Johnson and first mate Jessica Rice. If anybody has any good pictures of "The Bill" or knows anything about those two would love to hear from you. jritzer@msn.com

Anonymous said...

cbMy name is Nancy Madura. While cleaning out a closet, I ran across my BoR tote bag. I always wondered what happened to the Bill. My former husband and I were passengers for a week in Sept. of '76. We sailed out of Newport with Capt Davis to Block Island, through the Elizabethian Islands, Martha's Vinyard, on to New Bedford and back; his father and a wonderful golden retriver joined the trip in New Bedford. When we approaching Martha's Vinyard we met up with the Shenandoah and a race ensuded. The crew of the BoR brought up a canon and fired (tennis balls!) at the other schooner when she came alongside. This did not slow the Shenandoah in the least, she was smaller and squared rigged and won by a mile! There seemed to be quite a rivelry between the two ships. Capt. Davis swore he was going to add square rigs to the BoR just so he could finally beat the Shenandoah! I hoped he never did- she was too beautiful to change in anyway. That night in Edgarstown the crew had to stand watch- seems the two crews liked to board each other's ships and "borrow" lanterns. A few of the passengers that stayed up "to help guard" were treated to the most incredible meteor shower - hundreds coming in like fireworks. In New Bedford during a return shuttle trip the yawl boat ran through a school of jellyfish which were sucked into the intake ports and cooked liked hard boiled eggs. The engine overheated and seized solid! Without an engine sorce we had to be towed out of the harbor to get underway- Capt Davis was not a happy camper. On the return trip back to Newport we ran into the edge of a squall, it was very exciting. I'll never forget how the Bill cut so easlily through those huge waves that were crashing over the bow- very very exciting! (grey-green water- grey-green passengers!) That crazy dog stood on the bow of ship water crashing all around him- loving every minute. That week aboard the Bill of Rights will live in my memories forever. My ex (a professional photographer) got "custody" of most of the photos from that trip- but I coould track them down if anyone is interested.

From Ty Harrington

2006-08-09T01:48:00.000-07:00

Ty Harrington said...
So great to learn the Bill of Rights is alive and well! Wondering why she's in limbo, trust her future's secure?

Just in case anyone wants to contact me for tales of the early days of the topsail schooner Bill of Rights, I was chief cook (and bottle-washer) aboard for about seven months in 1973. Then Captain and owner Joe Davis (who built the schooner as a "Bill of Rights" with his father, he said, [contact me for more to this tale, exactly as Joe told it to me], was a fine down-East skipper and he sailed the Bill in the stalwart New England tradition, highly skillful in navigation and ship-handling -- and as feisty as a Nor'east gale!
My memories of one adventure after another abound, as you may imagine, sailing the wide Atlantic out of Newport, Rhode Island with no engines and only the winds and tides our muses.
I left the steward's position to take a writer job with National Geographic Magazine and a few years later wrote a cookbook called The Sailing Chef, based in large part upon recipies I gathered from vessels who crossed our wake (Published by Walker, NY and picked up by Book of the Month Club, though now long out of print).
I have long wondered what happened to the Bill of Rights and it's so great to learn she is still afloat and doing good deeds. All interested in those days, now decades ago, are welcome to contact me at tyharrington@hotmail.com The Schooner Bill of Rights is a legacy, long may her banners wave.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006 5:26:32 AM

Bill's in Limbo

2006-08-08T02:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated or checked this blog in months, obviously. But that doesn't mean people aren't stumbling across this page while googling for info about our beloved schooner.

Yeah... the deal fell through. Again. In fact I don't think there's any chance that she'll ever go to Puerto Rico. Maybe it's best. Who knows. Less teredos where she's at now. Wonder what LAMI will do with her...

The following was found in the comments of the last post, and I decided to post it here, in case people miss it. Forgive him for his caps!

MY NAME IS MIKE SCURLOCK,I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CREW MEMBERS ON THE BILL WHEN IT WAS OWNED BY (BOB BERTON)VISION QUEST.SHE WAS IN RUFF SHAPE WHEN WE GOT HER. A CREW OF 33,KIDS AN STAFF WE SAILED FROM ST.MICHAELS.MD TO ROCKLAND AN BY THE TIME WE GOT TO ROCKLAND SHE WAS THE FINIST SCHOONER SAILING THE ATLANTIC.I LEFT HER IN 1990 AN THE WAY VISIONQUEST WAS THEY WOULD NOT TELL YOU ANYTHING ABOUT HER. SO IF ANY ONE KNOWS WHY THEY SOLD HER OR WHERE OUR SECOND MATE MR GOMES IS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MY EMAIL MSCURDOG34@VERISON.NET THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS SINCERLY MIKE

Gossip

2006-03-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

Last I heard, our beloved Puerto Rican friends signed the papers to buy BoR just a few days ago, but the escrow period (?) could take up to 90 days.

In other news, I'm going to another boat so I'd like to hand over this site to someone with either more time, or proximity to BoR. Unless Nathalie wants it, it'll be up for grabs until I find myself aboard her again!

Kim

The Facts ala Potter & Parrot

2005-12-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Kim! I have information about Bill for all hands...or at least anyone who's interested.

My co-op project from summer was just recently returned to me. As it turned out, the gentleman who read and graded it, Dan Parrott (author of Tall Ships Down, if anyone's read that...if not, you should), used to be Captain on Bill, back when she worked for Vision Quest. Here's Bill's early history as it came from him...

She was built at the Harvey Gamage Yard in South Bristol, ME (as opposed to the Gamage Yard in East Boothbay).

She's a type replica of a downeast cargo schooner.

She was originally built as a private passenger carrying vessel, with no motor, although she had a gig boat at the time. She also carried a pair of white sailing dories on her midship davits. One of them disappeared before Vision Quest bought the boat, but the other one should still be with her, as far as Captain Parrott knows. She carried passengers until the early 80's.

Vision Quest bought her in 1986 and installed the engine.

That's it for now...I'm midway through finals week here, hope everyone is doing well. I'll be in Tahoe for Christmas and New Years...if anyone's in the area, stop by and say hi!

Bryce

>>>>>>>>if you would like Bryce's email please email me at kim(at)ladywashington(dot)org<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

More from TSC '05 parties

2005-12-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

photos of bryce & jimmy courtesy of Kent Matsuoka

Wooden Boat Dec '05 Issue

2005-11-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Cheers to Bhodi Sheridan, who is credited for his photo of Pride 2's wreckage on page 17!

Bill of Rights/TSC '05 Photo Request

2005-11-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

Please click here to view Nathalie's request

it lives! IT LIVES!

2005-11-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

at long last... 
Captain Christopher is speaking out! 
No more do we have to ask our friends 
"hey, so how's Cap?" 
"did you hear anything?"
"have you seen him?" 
"how does he look?"
here he is to dispel all the rumors....! 

(drum roll......)



ALOHA EVERBODY!

yes yes, i know, christopher is finally answering  
emails?!  My God, man, it must be the end times! 
say to yourself "I must repent!". 
anyway, enough of that...

for those of you who are pissed of at me for my 
silence on matters medical, past and present.

I apologize, sincerely.

my only caveat is that spotty communication via 
e-mail is the price one pays for the mistake of 
being acquainted with me.  and never mind the
NSA scrutiny, you shouldn't even notice.

right, some of you don't know that i was in a 
motorcycle accident aug 15, the monday after 
LA Tall Ships.  i was in 9.5 hours surgery and now
have more stainless steel in my right leg than 
the terminator (the first one, not t3).  
11 days in the hospital and home on the 22nd of aug.
it was a relatively slow speed accident 
and i pulled my leg out of the way in time, 
but the car hit my foot and the force went right 
up my leg.  soooo, i was in ugly shape for a bit.

Now, the bright side...  i did not hurt my: head, neck, back or pelvis.
No other damage, only a slight road rash on my elbow.  thats it.  now,
i am healing so fast that i can walk (sort of), i am on crutches and
walking with them.  i was never in a cast and within 3 weeks i was only
wearing a sock to bed (well, not ONLY).  i do have some impressive scars
on my foot and hip, and you guys know that 'chicks dig scars'.  i am
going to the gym 3-4 times a week and swimming well.  i don't have any
real pain, its a little achy and tender in some places, but, it is
healing rapidly.  amazingly enough, i did not blow out any joints and my foot
escaped devastating damage (ie. multiple surgeries or amputation).  so,
the prognosis is close to 100% in a year or so, and up and about within
6 months.  i am shooting for sooner than that.  however i am not stupid
and understand what the limits are.

bright side #2... The US Coast Guard granted a 6 month extension on my
deadline to test for the 1600 ton license upgrade on my Captains
license.  My friend tamara sent ALL of her study material for my my
educastional edification. my friend and landlord, melissa is in the process of
selling the house i livein, booo.     however, I would be out sailing
somewhere when it all went down, and how would i be able to pack and
where would  i go, on short notice or time constraints.. so, i now have
time to settle my affairs and figure it all out. high price to pay for
time, but, lets face it, the glass should to be half full.

I must say that my local friends have been heroes in taking care of me
and making sure i was comfortable.  my parents flew in to help out and
my aunt and uncle and cousins came out as well.  those friends who are
far away and knew sent your love and support in various ways, and those
who did not know,  well, i realize how poorly i handled that aspect of
the whole thing.  as some of you know, or have discovered, i don't
communicate well.

for those of you who are curious about what i was up to this summer,
tall ships 2005 in the pacific northwest.  you can go to
schoonerbillofrights.blogspot.com  or bobandshawn.com (click "gallery") and see some
wonderful pictures and read about the cool times we had.

right.  so, i am flying to oakland for thanksgiving, i have family
there.  and home to houston for christmas.

some of you i owe much more than a group e-mail.  i think you know who
you are, i do to.  baby steps.

ta for now,
i hope that i may see you all out there soon.

i love ya,

christopher

ps take you r time writing back, other wise my in box will be like
reading moby dick, set aside a lot of time.
(oh, yeah, i have a lot of time)

ct



Master, S/V Bill Of Rights

---if you would like Christopher's email address, please drop me a
line at kim(at)ladywashington.org and I will forward your request.

Spring '05 Memories

2005-10-29T23:39:00.000-07:00

Por la estudiantes de Puerto Rico

2005-10-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Most of us up on the mainland do not know the details of why the Puerto Rico purchasing of Bill of Rights did not go through. I understand that several students of the proposed schooner study program are checking this site, but this is not an official site and unfortunately I have no official information regarding the future of your program. They may be looking for another boat.

The only people who might know a little more are back in Puerto Rico. Sean Griffin, Rafael Mendez, William Aponte, and Captain Victor were all aboard with us this summer. They may or may not have further details regarding barco escuela.

Not Much Going On!

2005-10-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well I never hear from Kellick or Shawn on board. I suppose I should call them and get an update... BUT... JP emailed me and promised to send pics of his wedding! So those will go up here soon.

The Independence

2005-09-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Texas History Timeline readerboard found outside the Alamo in San

Antonio. I say it's a brigantine but I can't clearly define the top aft

sail or the gaff staysl? in the middle. Anyone know this boat?

Don't want to imagine...

2005-09-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

what it was like for Captain Jan Miles standing at the helm...

photo from Bhodi & Erin's blog: pride2.blogspot.com

Pride 2 caught in squall

2005-09-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

I rec'd this from Nathalie Reginster today:

It is believed that Erin and Bhodi are currently crewing on the Pride of Baltimore II. They were supposed to join her crew when she reached Europe. In a transit from Britain to Spain they were hit by a squall - 40 knots and seas to match. They lost the whole rig while at sea. Nobody was hurt. Apparently the bowspint carried away and the fore and main followed suite not long after. Everything went by "the board" as they say (over the side). They motored 80 miles inland and made an emergency landing in France dragging the remnants. My friend App's brother, who is also crewing said its the biggest rats nest he's ever seen. The spars have all been reduced to kindling and some of the sails are salvageable.

See the article for more info

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/4941345/detail.html-

... as far as I know, Andrew Mckee is still serving as chief mate on Pride and I also heard that Leann, formerly the mate aboard Schooner Lynx, is also aboard. - Kim

Name that sail

2005-09-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

2nd sail from the top of the picture - just outboard of the Canadian flag....?

And

Jimmy & I will have you know that except for the fore topsl we

seized on just about every last one of the hanks/hoops you see in the

above pic!

But wait! What's this funky sail below called?

Ah the Captain who has all the answers!!!

Other Sites

2005-08-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

While Bill of Rights takes a rest from her adventures, there might not be many updates here. I do however talk about past crew and other tallship characters on my personal site. I have also started a myspace site, along with Bhodi Sherridan, Erin Doak, Laura Levin and Jimmy Mcmanus! Join up and we can all stay connected. There's a "Tall Ship Sailors" group on myspace and a great sailor named Stephanie off Liberty Clipper runs it from her current homeport of Key West.

~ Kim Carver

Oh Captain, my Captain!

2005-08-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Pretty soon Captain Christopher will be released from the hospital and taken home. His house has been set up to accommodate him, and his roommate, family and friends are going to take turns being there to help out when he needs something.

Many people have been emailing me, asking to pass along their well-wishes to Christopher. So Christopher: Mark Griffin over in the Med. sends a "get well soon" to you, and good old Krunch is on the Sullivan right now and sends warm thoughts as well. Hopefully you have read the nice words on the Lady Washington site from Mark Olson and Haida Bob. Plus Jonothan Thomas called me and said he'd checked in on you and that your pain rating was 2 on a scale of 10, so he was relieved to hear that. We hear you're on a morphine drip, so enjoy that while it lasts!!!

The rumor that you are going to be good as new by Christmas is going strong now, so you have your rehabilitation work cut out for you!

Limbo

2005-08-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our beloved Captain Christopher Trandell has been well tended to by the staff of Harbor-UCLA in Torrance, CA, and his crew, family & friends, including Miss Laura Levin and Steve Dilley. Laura and Steve came to be there for Christopher as soon as they heard and have been providing tons of support.

He was in surgery for 9 hours, and all his broken bones were reset during that time. After resting in intensive care for a day, he's been moved to room 17 on the 3rd floor of the west wing (rm 317-W ?) and has been told that he can put absolutely no weight on his foot for the next 8 weeks. After that it's physical therapy. Knowing Christopher's excellent health, I'm betting he'll be up and around by Christmas - maybe even back behind the helm? Let's hope.

The crew of Bill of Rights is kind of in limbo, as the Puerto Ricans have not gathered the resources to finalize the sale, and the contract with GHHSA/Lady Washington is over. We should assume that they are not getting paid and are wandering the streets between Harbor General and the schooner, where some of them shack up at night. If you see a lost sailor, take them in, feed them, let them check their email, do laundry, and watch a little TV.

Bad News...

2005-08-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

Schooner Bill of Rights Captain Christopher Trandell was in a motorcycle accident last night. He was broadsided, basically a car t-boned him on his bike. His whole Right side is seriously injured; Broken Femur, Broken hip, his lower leg broken in two different spot, broken bones in his foot, and the foot was torn open.

Please think good thoughts and a fast recovery. Lots of prayers!

Will update as soon as I know anything. Promise. You can also call me for more info tommorrow.

~Nathalie

---Christopher Trandell is currently at Harbor - UCLA Medical Center (AKA Harbor General).
If you would like to send a card the address is:
County of Los Angeles Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
1000 West Carson Street
Torrance CA 90509

phone: (310)222-2345

Wood on Glass

2005-08-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Taken offshore of the Olympic Peninsula
By Victor Judd of Port Townsend - victor@topfloordesigns.net

Pride-ful

2005-08-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

I wanted to send a picture to you of Bhodi and I when I visited him in Cleveland, when we still didn't know what we were doing after all of this. Right before I left he got the offer for Pride and when i got back to Wupatki, I got an offer as well. Completely unexpected but very welcome. So, we are both joining Pride II on the same day and our contracts run until mid December.

D + H + E = :)

2005-08-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Just read on Alexa Chipman's site that Bhodi is flying to Europe to join Pride II ! That boy gets around, eh?

I spoke with Nathalie on the phone from Oxnard two nights ago. They had an excellent sail south from Sausalito, and plenty of time to restore their energy while there. Michael Kellick is loving being mate on Bill more and more, Jim and Victor have left the boat - so sad to see Jim Rich go! And as usual, Valerie is driving the cook to drinking.

Ha ha just kidding. No, not really. Not really kidding I mean. Well hey, that's life on the high seas. We have our ups and downs but we're all in it together and we're closer than most people's families nowadays. There's days when you want to ring the neck of that shipmate who is complaining or being a slacker or acting moody, but when the stuff hits the fan and the sail blows apart at 2 am and all hands are called on deck, or when the craziest current or wind is holding you off that dock for an hour, I can't think of one person on board right now who wouldn't jump in and do whatever it took to keep the boat and their shipmates safe and sound. I realized yesterday that most people I know on land have almost never been dirty, hungry and exhausted all at the same time. But so often THAT is life on a working tall ship. Call me crazy, but somehow I've gotten to the point where dirty, hungry and exhausted equals happiness!

They know how to shoot!

2005-08-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Ok so our sails might not match, but we're still a sexy beast on the water!
(offshore PA and PT)

Tall Ship Sailors Breed Again

2005-07-31T02:19:00.000-07:00

Please welcome Ewan Everett Deppe into our extended tall ship sailing family! He's guaranteed to be the kind of sailor who kicks butt like his dad and who can find things in the bilge easily like his mom. Ewan can be identified by all the fancy knitted garb he will be wearing (made by mom).

Ms. Noelle and the littlest Deppe are coming to visit the tall ships today. Give her a break and don't ask her to perform any tricks (like I always ask her).

New Links

2005-07-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

In the links section on this page you can now find the Channel Islands and San Pedro Tall Ships Challenge schedule.

Bill's First Years

2005-07-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

An alumni Bill of Rights crewmember found this site and emailed me a few days ago. He has permitted me to post his emails...

"I was amazed to see that the hull was now painted white. The hull I remember was new wood and beautiful."

"My memories are that I sailed with some of my pals from the Kent State Univ. Sailing Club for two weeks, spring 1973. We met the ship in Annapolis where it was "winter docked". We were 20 miles off the coast of Maryland, headed for Martha's Vineyard, when we ran into hurricane Agnes. The gails blew out two jibs and the rear main sail. For almost four days, we road it out with up to 50" swells. I still have a piece of that main sail (Hood) framed on my office wall."

When I was onboard, we had an yawl boat hanging off the rear. Interesting the things you save. I still keep a red striped "Crew Bill of Rights" tee shirt (circa 1973). I climbed the 100' mast and was mesmerized with the moving sea under me and an outstanding vista around me. I have tucked away a 1972 edition of "Sailing" magazine where they did a two page story. I get out every so often..."

---read other stories about Hurricane Agnes-----

I asked Michael if he knew anything of the rumor that Bill of Rights was modeled after the "slavers" of the late 1800's, and although it was a while back, I queried as to whether he might vaguely remember any other facts about Bill's history...

"Answers... Yes, Joe Davis said that the ship was fashioned after a slave schooner. The area where the galley is now located was the cook's cabin..."Katie" was her name and I spent a nite there! Good times! Katie and Bill (crew members)... used to work at eastern ski areas during the winter season and crewing of large ships during the summer. Ah, what a life of the young and restless!"

"Davis' family eventually got their money from owning and operating several cemetery's in RI. Davis went to school at Brown. I believe we sailed on her it second season. I believe it stayed moored in Annapolis during the winter months early in it's life. Something to do about worms doing something to the wood... I don't know for sure."

"I was looking at the pics of the rail and I had to laugh as I spent many a day leaning on them. I still have somewhere the pics taken by me across the deck of the Coast Guard cutter (65") who came and "saved us" (Ha!!) and towed us into Ocean City."

"Very good to hear from you! Stay connected, please!"

Cheers - Mike

It gives me (Kim) a thrill to think that the boat that has kept me safe and sound through much of this year was once battling 50' swells and a hurricane a few months before I was even born! And that crew long before us were probably also called on deck in the middle of the night to gain control of shredded sails whipping out of control... Thanks again, Michael! I know the crew and all the friends of Bill of Rights will enjoy reading these!

VanIsle Smiles Abound

2005-07-24T01:38:00.000-07:00

First Mate Michael Kellick and treasured alum crew/GHHSA board member David Cottrell phoned me last night as the crew was preparing for her long journey south to Sausalito. Sounds like they had an incredible time on Vancouver Island. Can't wait to hear from Nathalie once they hit San Fran Bay!!

Here's a great shot of our Polish Media/Sailing Goddess Veronica at the helm!

Jim Rich, who used to a classical music producer and is now a professional blacksmith in a small town in Oregon, soothes us with his instrumental stylings near the mainmast.

The crew got to hike this gorgeous waterfall on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada! Gorgeous, EH?

Here's Bill at a small dock near on Vancouver Island.

VAN crew photo

2005-07-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

Wow look at the whole crew & our liason's from Vancouver. From Left to Right,

1st Row/Top: Cpt. Rafael Mendez, Jim Rich (Blacksmith), Nickolas Williams (Bosun's Mate)

2nd Row: Bill of Rights Captain Christopher Trandell, Valerie Harms (Purser), Michael "MacGregor" Hicks (Engineer), Bill Robinson (Vancouver Laison and Volunteer), Michael Kellick (First Mate), Shawn Siak (Vancouver Liason & Volunteer),

3rd Row: Victor Eskinagi (Volunteer), Noriko Imada (Volunteer),

4th Row: Shawn Jonutz (Bosun), Veronica Milewska (Volunteer), Nathalie Reginster (Steward), Guillermo Aponte (Cook), Slavek (Volunteer)

Bottom: Spidey & Bryce Potter (Medical Officer)

This was the crew as of Port Alberni... But as you know crew changes. We say good-bye to our awesome Vancouver Liasons/Volunteers and welcome two new members: Jason Williams (ASTA Intern) & Tally Locke (Volunteer that we stole from schooner Zodiac)

ASTA Logs

2005-07-22T01:37:00.000-07:00

check out all this great Bill stuff written by the Jason, Stephen and Laura Warne:
http://sailtraining.org/contribute/2005InternLogs.htm

especially this, from Laura:

"The crew members on board the Bill of Rights were pivotal in making me feel more at ease on board the ship. They reminded me that they too had once been beginners, and that it was ok to not know anything about sailing a schooner as long as you tried your best to learn and pull your weight.

Being on the ship wasn't all great, of course, but I found that the more unpleasant tasks just made me feel closer to the crew and more appreciate of the wonderful moments that followed. I began to not only understand, but also feel a part of the community that I had always heard about existing on board ships.

One lesson I was forced to learn on the Bill of Rights was trust. Sailing on board a ship involves a great deal of trust and faith in the people around you to make sure you are safe. I will always remember the night I woke up because the ship was tossing in strong swells, only to hear Stephen's footsteps above me on deck doing anchor watch. I fell asleep reassured that he would make sure everything was ok.

We arrived in Tacoma on Thursday afternoon, and I was genuinely sad to leave the crew. I was happy to see Adria, Steve and Christine again, as well as get a much-needed shower, but I missed the familiar rocking of the ship and the eclectic family I had gotten to know and care about."

From Laura and Halie

2005-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Ms. Laura Levin sent some pictures to post on the blog, mostly from Bill's time in Tacoma. Salty sailor Ms. Halie Duke also sent a few that she took in Port Alberni!

Ever since Jim got onboard he's been smiling. It's great, too, because often he makes everyone around him smile as well. Jim Rich is definitely one of the coolest people on this planet.

And then there's Shawn, a sponge for bosunry knowledge. Looks like Shawn is fixing up a new sheet/pennant for the headrig.

Here's Captain Christopher below, plotting his course to distant foreign ports! (Canada)

Buenas Dias Cuauhtemoc!

Buenos noches Cuauhtemoc

Bryce Potter, before being sucked into the bilge by the giant Cowl Worm.

A nice shot of Chief Mate Kellick at the helm, offshore of Queen Anne Hill and downtown Seattle.

MacGregor, always canoodling with celebrities!
Great shot of Nathalie and Jim at the club.

Sailing samurai Noriko mans the foresl sheet.

Hey I just noticed Rafqui's shirt... LoL!

Look at our pretty girl with her lovely masts!

Aloha to a Bill alum - Jonathan "JT" Thomas! Here is his baby, s/v Maltese Lady.

Left to Right Back row - ASTA intern Stephan, Jimmy McManus (now on s/v Talofa), ASTA intern Jason Williams, Purser Valerie Harms, Captain Christopher Trandell, Alum Crew Laura Levin, Bosun's Mate Nick Williams, Alum Crew Jim Rich, Chief Mate Michael Kellick.

Front row - Sailing samurai Noriko Imada, ASTA intern Laura, Bosun Shawn Jonutz, Steward Kim Carver, Medical Officer Bryce Potter, Steward Nathalie Reginster, Chef William Aponte. (Missing is Rafael Mendez, Sean Patrick Griffin, MacGregor)

Update from Nathalie!

2005-07-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Nathalie has done her job excellently here! Yay for Nathalie! She's taken lots of photos to document the Bill's time in Vancouver. PLUS... our beloved ex-bosun Rich Sloat and his supersailor girlfriend Hallie Duke stopped by to say Hello!

Here is Bryce putting up the Baggy Wrinkle that the Girl Scouts in Aberdeen Washington helped us make

Here is Shawn letting our some soulful wailing on the sax on Tall Ship Island in Vancouver

For the transit from Vancouver to Port Alberni we participated in a crew exchange with Pallada. We gave them Nick and Bryce and they gave us the Jenyas. (From left to right is Jenya #2 and Jenya #1)

The bill plays host to Movie Stars in Vancouver. Burt Renolds and the actress Leelee Sobieski came and moored alongside the bill and then toured the boat. Even our own MacGregor was a little star struck

Oh no! What this?Why it's the Bill crew, but I think they got lost.No actually Between Victor and Weronika they arranged for the crew to get the chance to climb the rig of the Russian ship PALLADA.. It was an amazing morning

The 1^st mate finally what the two class A ships reminded him of: Salt and Pepper. Our Russian's response "Yes, But Pepper is better"

Sometimes its hard to get them to come down. Here is Nick just Hanging out on the cross trees during one of our sails

SUPER Steward down for the count. I can now say from experience I know how she feels. We miss you KIM.

Wow doesn't Christopher clean up so nice I almost didn't recongnize him

No transit would be complete without anchoring off of some remote spot so we can use and abuse the hospitality of the locals. We offered them dinner, they offered us use of their dock and hot tub. As soon as I have a card reader suitable I will post picture of the fun that happened here. Unfortunatly my camera battery died right after taking this picture. J

Will send you more soon from Port Alberni.

~Nathalie

a jacktar on solid ground

2005-07-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

Not every Jack Tar owns a classic Mercedes. Here's to the shipping business!

And here's to TACOMA!!! Quite possibly one of the best ports ever when it comes to crew accommodations. Laundry picked up every morning and returned (clean! free!) the next morning, trash pick up daily, plenty of free internet access, free coronas and cokes at the crew lounge on the dock by Cuauhtemoc, and volunteers and ship's liaisons that took us everywhere we needed to go, and so much more! Yay for Tacoma! Every day Bill was open for dockside tours for 3 hours, averaging 300 people crossing her decks each hour. And here's to Paulette, the volunteer who checked all the passengers in at the top of the dock and kept that end running smooth. She really freed up the stewards on board. We took plenty of volunteers and crew from other boats on our sails, making Bill a candidate for Miss Congeniality for sure.

Every day we grabbed a few hardworking volunteers to sail with us, and every day we enjoyed the company of crew from Zodiac, Lady Washington, R. Tucker Thompson, Adventuress, Talofa or Pallada during our sails as well. When word got around that we might well have the best cook in the fleet (chef Guillo!), those visiting crew stuck around for more than just sailing. More than once a Bill crew would find an Adventuress crew wandering the docks, listless and glassy eyed from lack of animal flesh. We brought them aboard and filled them with bacon and chicken. Ever seen an Adventuress crew do the Bacon Dance?

Then, the grand finale was the fireworks on the 4th of July, only to be surpassed earlier that day by a full page layout of our girl Bill in the Tacoma News Tribune! Chief Mate Michael stocked the saloon with copies of the paper, which were greeted with gasps from every crewmember as each emerged from his or her rack that morning.

This was my grand finale on Bill, but I ( Kim Carver ) am still going to be running this blog until the buyers begin their own website for her. No tall ship should be without an online presence! I want everyone to know and love Bill as much as I have grown to love her. She is my favorite boat so far, and I have grown to prefer gaff schooners overall. For those of you who also enjoy Bill of Rights enough to tell a story about her or send a photo, please do! My email link is on the left, and I need input in order to keep this blog alive! I will be calling the present crew from my home in Austin, TX, but so many passengers take photos that everyone would love to see. Email me!

My parting shot of R. Tucker Thompson's galley... The morning of the 4th I ran around to other boats to collect cool t-shirts. R. Tucker is a sweet little tall ship and everyone wishes they could crew on her now.

Fair Winds to the tall ships in Vancouver, then Port Alberni! I already miss so many crew. Keep me updated!

Love, Kim

Life in the Fishbowl

2005-07-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

In A Compartment there are people with bunks below the emergency hatch. Although the public is not allowed below decks, they are always trying to get a peek. Here are two little kids trying very hard to see below decks, being caught by a blinding flash that they did not expect!

The Lovely Mathilde

2005-07-01T20:07:00.000-07:00

Lady Alum Tuvalu and her true love Captain Micah Faust just had a baby girl: Mathilde Azriel Faust Allnut. Happy Birthday Mathilde!

I Love the Smell of Tacoma in the Morning!

2005-07-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

Smells Like Team Spirit! Woohoo! I think every private boat in Tacoma came out to visit the tall ships. This was, by far, our favorite!

Here's Sara, just returned from Spain, conversing with the Cuautemoc crew.

A little cosmetic damage to our port bow - we want to look our best so Cap and Shawn stayed up LATE fixing it for parade day.

"Amazing Grace"

Not sure on the name of this one.

The mate called for everyone to fly their Tins'ls.

There's the Cuauhtemoc sailors.

Accepting the award for Seamanship with Style....

Tacoma had a big spaghetti dinner laid out, with COLD coca colas (!) and lounge music!

Meet the ASTA Interns...

2005-07-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

We were able to spend four days with some great people working as American Sail Training Association interns this summer. Laura, Stephen and Jason lived in A Compartment with most of the Bill crew, doing galley duty, cleaning heads, working as deckhands, and getting a lot of sailing knowledge from the mate while getting some great sailing experience with the crew. Most of them are not experienced sailors, but they probably felt like they were by the time they left!

Above is Laura, Below are several mixed crew: Grif is sitting, left to right standing is Raf, Stephen, Noriko, Jason, Rosie and Valerie.

Here's Jason again, working hard and looking good doing it!

Pallada! Banana!

2005-06-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Victoria has been awesome. The big ships, Cuauhtemoc and Pallada, are truly stunning. Just feeling the enthusiasm for the boats and maritime culture from the public here has been truly rewarding. Thank you Victoria!

We spent our trip from PA with several Canadian media on board, shooting for news reports mostly. They were gracious and even helped us haul a few halyards. As expected our new sails arrived the day of our PA departure! Upon anchoring off Esquimalt, we took turns ferrying to shore for a welcome barbecue put on by ASTA and Victoria. When we weren't ashore, we were bending on sail... until midnight at least. The Lady Washington crew convinced the coastie guys with their high powered zodiacs to take them out on rides and they did doughnuts around Bill.

The next morning we weighed anchor after boarding several photographers and news reporters, then sailed around off Victoria with Zodiac, Lynx, Lady Washington, Duen, Pallada, Cuauhtemoc, and a giant modern sloop named Cassiopeia. Captain Christopher sent Shawn and I aloft to rig the main topsl before arriving into the inner harbor, so I got some great shots of the other boats (to be posted later). We spent a good 2 hours up there before realizing that our tacks were unfairly led and admitted defeat and just furled the thing. Oh well! We tried. While up there we noticed that Cassiopeia's mast had broken about 20 feet from the top, and they had bent it over and ductaped it to what was left! We heard the story later that a stay had given out during an earlier sail. Our arrival in Victoria was truly grand. Pacific Grace was next to us, also furling her topsails, and we found our dock amidst several other boats and the thousands of faces on shore. Awesome!

Eventually the Russian ship Pallada arrived, letting out its anchor and being pushed by a tug to perform a perfect docking right next to us. Pallada dwarfs the rest of us. In our part of the marina are the vessels R. Tucker Thompson from New Zealand, the Blarney Pilgrim, Talofa, Lady Washington, Lynx and Pallada.

To be continued...

Look at all the great press we're getting online!

A picture taken friday night in VIC

Someone else's blog

Peninsula Daily News

Hey Jesika - Where's da rock?

Silhouette

Port Townsend Leader

The Victoria Times Colonist

Victoria's Tri-City Herald

Fisheye Fun

2005-06-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

I love fisheye lenses! Our guest, Roy Barnett, a professional photographer, was aboard on a Port Angeles sail taking lots of pics with his new lens...

Above: Furling the headrig. Below: Jim Rich playing for himself and the dolphins.

Above: That's Kim Carver and Shawn Jonutz doing what they do best - figuring out how to get this rig running smooth! You shoulda seen us yesterday aloft during the parade of sail into VIC, rigging topsails the entire time!

Above: our esteemed Scottish engineer "MacGregor" Below: Nathalie, now a famous west coast chantysinger!

Here's most of the crew along the starboard rail.

What an AWESOME shot of Shawn, cowboying the fore as we douse!

From Roy Barnette - Thank You!

2005-06-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Aloft from midships

Passengers out of Port Angeles

Borrowed sails: AKA "someone else's prom dress"

hoops and stays

from the top left, going clockwise: Nick Williams, guest, guest, guest, Bryce Potter, Robo, and ROY!

Above is Jim, eyesplicing new lazy jacks

looking aft from the fore. Check out them Olympic Mountains!

Above is the Quarterdeck, below was a special catered dinner in the saloon.

Left Behind

2005-06-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

Today Bill hauled out for her Marine Surveyor inspection. All crew are required to disembark as the travelift takes her out of the water, but I had a feeling someone was missing.

No, not Bryce. I knew he was in the water, shivering madly.

The rest of the crew was on the dock, standing by... but where... was....

SPIDEY! Man that kid gets around.

I wonder what Spidey's owner, Jim Gladson of LAMI, thought of Spidey's shenanigans. There's Jim below in the foreground.

And here is one of the surveyors. JB and Shawn are asking him questions about what he's marking. Much of the very bottom of the keel is rotten. The rest looks great! I'm thinking that many of the crew will be employed by Puerto Ricans in 2 months.

Sated

2005-06-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

Looking foreward from the main crosstrees

Looking aft at the main gaff.

Spidey hangin' with Martha

Chef Guillermo prepares tomorrow's dinner...

But above is what he cooked tonight (swordfish, roasted red pep salad and red potatoes cooked in wine and garlic!). See the crew's sated look after eating...

Spidey Hidey Hole

2005-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Above is Lady Crew "Shiny". Below are Lynx crew Kirsten and Matty

Here's Sean "Griff" hanging from a bosun's chair on the main, varnishing.

Captains JB and Michael Kellick commanding a fine vessel with morale officer Heather

Carpe Riggum!

2005-06-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks climbing our shrouds has been like a circus act gone wrong - where you're sure the guy is about to fall. We tuned the rig, took her out sailing on the Gray's Harbor bar, and after that one sail we were still spinning around wildly while climbing topmast shrouds. In the twilight hours of our last day in Westport we descended on the lanyards like a plague of flat-seizers - Carpe Riggum! That's well, belay. And we were off...

Although we were almost delayed by a TSUNAMI. The question was, go way out to sea or head for higher ground? We wanted to go out to sea and save the boat! But it wasn't necessary. The town decided not to evacuate and there were many cheers for the bars still being open. As our new crew Raff Mendez said: "You bet there's gonna be a tsunami... a tsunami of BEER inside my mouth!"

We love our new Puerto Rican crewmembers!

THANK YOU to the Islander Hotel in Westport for wi-fi in their lobby, 15 donated hotel rooms, breakfast for all the crews! You guys are AWESOME!

Below are Lady & Lynx during their first Westport battle sail.

Yay for Mini Brigs!

New crewmember "ROBO" with Engineer Macgregor, hooking up the intercom.

OK so Natalie thought she could handle the throat halyard, with new slippery line, with Adventuress's sails bent on and creating quite a bit of tension on our rig (they don't totally fit - the peak is way high, both the main and fore are reefed, and we're pulling up the boom jaws a lot higher than usual). The line didn't exactly get out of her hands, it took her hand with it. Natalie has rope burn like you've never seen before! She's cooking one-handed. I said "Natalie! They replaced your hand with a roast!" What they should have done was replace her fingers with spatulas and whisks.

Here's Nick tending to Natalie's raw paw.

AH... the morning of the movie shoot I woke up and said "I can't work in these conditions! Where's my assistant?? I need to be dressed! Get me my Shiny!" But the movie crew didn't bring us assistants. They brought us breakfast, lunch and dinner at the top of the dock for 2 days though!

Here's Lady/Lynx cook Jesika Starr and Assistant Shopkeeper Carley Tallman before hitting wardrobe.

A beautiful Westport sunset.

The movie crew also brought lots of fake cargo to make Bill look like a merchant vessel.

And plenty of camera gear of course.

Last day in Westport: transferring an old sail up the dock. The guys are checking out a big purple starfish.

Our mate, Capt. Michael Kellick, waves goodbye to Lynx.

Baby Guns, I mean Big Guns, since he's Bosun now, poses for the camera. Bosun Shawn Jonutz shows off his new bicep implants.

Mast work and new crew on Bill

2005-06-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the crane removing the old foremast with shrouds attached.

Above are Yana and Bryce. Yana has been working through maintenance and is Lady alum. She's getting off the boat soon to return to her home in Brooklyn, NY. Bryce is from Tahoe, and is a licensed EMT going to Maine Maritime Academy. He's getting credit for his summer aboard Bill.

Below is longtime Lady Alum (master, mate, steward) Captain Michael Kellick. Michael is our current Chief Mate and SAG representative (if any of us were SAG members...). That means he's our Hollywood connection. He's worked in "the business" and works as a liason between the filmakers and the boats to make everything run smooth. This coming week, the Lynx, Lady, and Bill are all going to be part of filming a movie about Blackbeard for the Hallmark channel. It will probably come out next year. Michael is known for his puns and great sense of humor.

New Mast and New Faces

2005-06-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

These two pics are of the refinished mainmast being replaced. It was black with slush and pollution before.

Below decks. Above is "A Compartment" (like a focsl). Viewing the port bow. Below is looking aft from "A" on the stbd side, through "B Compartment and into the galley, through 2 watertight hatches. The shower is the door on the right.

Above is Nick, new Bill crew, former Lady crew. Below is Kent and John Boy, project coordinators for the Seaport on the Bill's remodel.

Above is Bob Esposito, affectionately known as "Slideshow Bob" - an awesome and useful volunteer and GHHSA boardmember. Below are Nick and our new engineer, "Macgregor" fixing up the new mast wedges.

Check out the new sticks

2005-05-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

http://ladywashington.org/archivemay2005.html

I (Kim) will be returning to Bill of Rights this Friday. We'll be getting ready to head out to Westport next week and greet Lady WA and Lynx!

Hopefully I can get to a computer this weekend and put a bunch of new pics/info on this site!

Unless, of course, I could get Nathali, Shawn, Phineas, Nate or Mark Toy to send me an update......

The sticks are back!

2005-05-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

John Boy is wrapping up his time on Bill of Rights as captain, overseeing the important maintenance project this month that is going to make us look new again for the festival...

The sticks are back! The Bill of Rights is once again a schooner. After several intense hours at the Sierra Pacific Pier the Lower masts are stepped, the booms are resting on their tables, or at least close by, and the Bill looks good again. It's amazing how much of a difference some sticks make.

With all that has happened today I have mixed feelings. I'm looking forward to my time on the Lady, but I am going to miss this crew and even though I hate to say it, I'm going to miss this project. Getting the sticks in a little early has been a huge triumph, considering all the roadblocks we've had to clear.

Project MVPs are:
MV-Bosun- Shawn. Shawn has been throught some of the most overwhelming projects and just stuck to them untill they were done
MV-Shipwright- Scotty Kimmet. Scotty put in extra hours to insure the heel tennon was perfect. He also faceted the top of the mast above the new tressel trees.
MV-Site Manager- Kent Wall. Kent has been a pleasure to work with, never complaining about the clutter of his shop, or the paint drip here and there in his spar lathe. His carpertry skills have been relied upon heavily in the construction of the new tressel trees, boulsters, hounds, and a million other things. Thank you Kent.
MV-Lathe Operator- Matt. Thanks for the new foremast Matt. Matt has also lended a hand in construction of the new fore top, and can get the flat bed to run, something that none of us can do. (I had to tow it with the forklift today)
MV-Volunteer-Jonathan Thomas, and Nate Killops. It's a tie guys I love you both. Jonathan and Nate are the type of guys who work well independantly, as well as have the leadership skills to lead a project.
MV-Local Volunteer- Dan, thank you for driving into the shop and lending a hand, the new leather on the shroud eyes looks great, the patch service under them looks great too, and a zillion other things are in their rights beacause you came. Thank you.
MV-Cook- Natalie. Natalie kept food in the crew and smiles on our faces... I think it was her cooking that kept the Volunteers coming back for more.
MV-Engineer- MacGregor- He knows what you did. Most of it is beyond me.
MV-Lady Crew Member that was here- Bob. You helped keep me sane Bob. You don't know how to weld or are able to whip up a mean leather chafe pad quick like Nick and Yana, but you kept me Sane thank you.

Thank you all for your hard work, those of you I didn't mention thank you too, you were probably just so good at what you were doing that I didn't notice that it ever needed fixing.

Monday I will decend on the Lady like a plague of locust bringing benovlence, compassion, neat deckedness, and better furls.

John Morrison

Erin & Bhodi Live!

2005-05-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Mark Olson, the Lady Washington's official webmaster, donates unfathomable amounts of time and money into supporting the brig Lady Washington and all things affiliated with her. He's professionally trained in wooden boat design and has served in many crew positions, including first mate, aboard the brig.

Mark just posted an update regarding our departed crew, Erin Doak and Bhodi Sherridan.

Thanks to Yuri's instruction, I have learned how to post links on this blog! Yuri is alumni brig crew as well, currently working as a shipwright in the British Virgin Islands. So now there are links to our affiliates and to the websites put up just for Tall Ships 05.

Update from John Boy

2005-05-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Bill of Right will be finally give up her title: "Best looking barge in Grays Harbor" The Masts(new fore, old main) will be going in Saturday Morning around 10am at the Sierra Pacific pier on the Chehalis river in Junction City. Capt. Christopher Trandell will be arriving tonight and stepping back to the wheel for the big day. The Bill of Rights Crew meet with Capt. Victor this week who is hoping to by the Bill. His plans include community service programs, as well as courses for college credit on board during the school year. If Capt. Victor decides to buy Bill then he will be taking her to Puerto Rico, so watch the ASTA billet for that trip.

Welcome Back Nate!

2005-05-18T00:27:00.000-07:00

Our beloved crewmember from the Lady, Nate Killops, as well as alumni Lady crew Phineas (AKA Michael) Macgregor and of course John Morrisson are here, eating some of Natalie's great food, along with Shawn (not pictured). It's so great to see Nate back after his long european trip!

photo courtesy of maintenance volunteer Jonathan Thomas. Thanks Jonathan!

Bill of Rights Needs YOU!

2005-05-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

John Boy reports...
The work on the bill is going well, we havn't run into any major road blocks yet, and are hoping to put the sticks back in her early.Scotty Kimmet is arriving tomorrow and will be out shipwright on the project for the next week or two. He'll be chasing rot, rebuilding our skylights on the cabin top, and faciting out new foremast. He will aslo lead the shop crew in building the new tressel trees, hounds, and the like.We're into the big push for the next week preping for the sticks to go back in, so if any one has some extra time and would like to come down and help call me at (360) 589-2299.

John Boy

2005-05-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

Elissa

2005-05-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

Here I am, tarring the main course brace pennant on Elissa in Galveston. The t'gallant and top pennants were easier than the main! I attempted to haul the block inboard with a gasket around the shroud, then I tried to lift the stiff served pennant over the yard, so I wouldn't have to hold it while tarring it. I would have done better if I'd tended myself in a bosun's chair!

The Way North

2005-05-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here's our great volunteers Roy & Deborah, cranking on the winch to haul our anchor out of Drake's Bay, CA

Here's Bosun Shawn mending the staysl while underway.

Here's Shawn again. What do you suppose he's rigging to the main boom while underway? (Hint: mainsl blew, and we have extra headsls! Oh Jeez!)

GHHSA Operations Manager Mark Toy in all his 18th century glory!

The well-loved Cottrell Brothers performing a not-so-sad Burial at Sea

The Boy is in charge!

2005-05-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

John Boy said...
Bill the Barge!Bill's sticks are out, down, and a new one coming off the lathe today. Les is going to try and sell her old foremast to the mouse and make some money on her. We're all doing well here... Although JP is leaving us tomorrow morning and will be sorely missed. Tomorrow is a big day for the Bill. We are getting 22 men, 2 teams, from Washinton Department of Corrections-- Yay Orange Jump suit day. So today has been mostly prep work for tomorrow. We'll be having them Scrape, Sand, Wire brush, haul, lift, paint, oil, shovel, and whatever else we can think of. Cheers to all my old crew.
Love ya Kim
John Boy

In case you are not wont to open "comments", I have copied and pasted this informative comment from The Boy, as he's running the show down in A-Town! Hopefully we'll get some updates from Natali, Shawn, Mark Toy and whoever else is helping fix up our girl Bill.

I just finished 3 days of volunteering aboard the 1877 barque Elissa down in Galveston, Texas! Read more about that here. Their new rigger, Dave Mowr, wanted me to pass along a greeting to Bill captain Christopher Trandell, as they used to crew together aboard AJ Meerwald. Dave is the most experienced tall ship sailor they have at Elissa. He recently crewed aboard Denis Sullivan with Karen "Jellyfish" Clapp, as well! Sounds like they had fun.

Bill of Rights Mainsl (R.I.P.)

2005-04-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

More to come

2005-04-27T02:44:00.000-07:00

Our girl Bill is getting a makeover. I (Kim) will be writing lots of entries about our transit north once I get steady access to a computer, which will be soon. Great pics, too! Check back in a few days.

Are we there yet?

2005-04-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Nope.

But Bonine sure works great.

And the bos'n is busy, if you know what I mean. This isn't one of those transits where everyone gets to sleep a lot. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

The weather's been beautiful. The ocean is gorgeous, as always, without fail. Lots of jellies.

We saw a giant orange bird in the sky this morning. It was really loud and made off with one of our crew! Yikes! We got her back later, unharmed, though.

Shawn's been dunked repeatedly, keeping those heads'l furls intact. Joanie plays mandolin and sings Irish drinking songs. The salt sea still loves us even though she puts us through our paces!

2 days to Coos Bay. (We hope!)

Look Who's Got A New Blog...

2005-04-06T22:43:00.000-07:00

The Lady, in her constant attempts to keep up with our lovely Schooner, has started her own blog:

http://brigtime.blogspot.com

I heart the info superhighway!

Girlz with Gunz - that's hot

2005-04-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Laura visited this weekend! Thanks for the hard work Laura!

Touchhole flame

Nice gunz! Maybe this one should be on the Women of Tall Ships calendar?

Quite the heel!

Elaine & Kim. Elaine will be missed! Come back soon, Elaine!

Hot Sausalito

2005-03-31T22:28:00.000-08:00

Guess what Erin's doing.... c'mon, she does it ALL THE TIME!

That Crazy Haida lookingdown into A Compartment on Bill

The Ships' cooks found rapiers in the back of Todd's car. They avasted the provisioning temporarily

One of our newest volunteers, Bill!

Here's most of the crew - discussing proper reefing procedures of a big gaff sail over chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and OJ

Soon to be Bosuns Mate, Shawn, plus Jes, in the galley

Finally dockside in Sausalito. A lift broke on the way here, so the short transit was a bit hectic. Here's Bosun Rich Sloat, 2nd Mate Bhodi Sherridan, and 1st Mate Jim Pearsson discussing the rest of the day's projects: bedding the new kevel that blew apart on the way to SF Bay from Morro Bay, rigging a new lift for the mainsl, scraping, sanding, priming and painting, caulking hatches and prisms.... and the list goes on.

Cook's tat

a belated St. Patricks!

2005-03-27T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'm late with all the cute St. Patty's photos! Here's our beloved volunteer crew Natalie. Today (Easter) is her last day aboard and she will be missed. Natalie has been the biggest help EVER when it comes to helping the Education Coordinator! She loves to tell stories, sing songs and entertain in general. Plus she's a genuinely peppy and happy person. She never complains, and is always eager to help. The other day we had a group of kids on board for more than TWICE the regular sail time, and Natalie jumped in to fill up the time with her songs and stories. Natalie loves to make baggywrinkle. Most of the new baggywrinkle on Bill of Rights is her handiwork. She will be missed and we're trying to get her to leave her land life and join us long term...

A surprise shot of brig crew - Rachel, Shiny, Stacy and Elaine

Oh, and then there's Kim and Erin, who along with volunteers, have exhausted time and sanity trying to keep these sails together!!!!

Greetings from the middle of the South Bay

2005-03-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

Looks like we're gonna be here for awhile... enjoy the view, and let's have dinner....

Redwood City, CA

2005-03-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

New kick-butt crew on Bill of Rights: Shawn being trained aloft

boat dog "Bowditch"

Volunteer "Kit" in Nuki, getting ready to be hauled up on the brig's aft davits

tonights dinner: vegetarian sushi and egg drop soup! with sesame or green tea ice cream for dessert

dinner line on the brig: shawn, stacy, rachel, jesika, cap'n christopher

Battle Sail Weekend in Oakland!

2005-03-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend, aboard schooner Bill of Rights, we changed positions.
Erin Doak, an experienced gunner and our current Bosun's Mate, took the
place of Rich Sloat as our Gunner. And Kim Carver is now her Gunner's
Mate! What fun! The girls tag-teamed the lyle gun and the swivel to
best defend our beloved schooner agains the dastardly brig that keeps
chasing us! Just for reference purposes, here's one of the brig's guns.
A 3 pound deck gun, with, as their gunner "Shiny" found out, a little
kick to it. We load the charges (gunpowder in tinfoil) prick the foil
through the touchhole, and lead a gunpowder trail up through the
touchhole, then light that with slowmatch (a line soaked in saltpeter
and set to burn slowly). Then we aim for the brig's transom! She's a
bit better at sharp turns, but we still stomp her good some days.

A fine example of proper use of a cabin for ultimate storage capacity.
The brig has bunks in it's main hold, and benches- all of which hold
stuff for their store, and food, and clothes, and gear.

Look at that forecourse fly! That dang brig came within 20 feet of our port side! And they STILL didn't shoot on time!

Expert gunner Erin Doak after firing off the Lyle Gun. You can practically smell the sulfur.

However badly we might try to sink her, she's still beautiful!

Oakland, CA

2005-03-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

Saw this sailing near the marina...

The brig's crew bent on a different topsl. This brig goes through main topsls like our Bosun's Mate Erin goes through Starbucks coffee. This is a view from the Barnes & Noble in Jack London Square this morning.

Shiny and Myuh in Myuh's office, the engine room on the brig. He likes it so much here, he has a cot he can sleep in. Notice the Crocodile Hunter strapped into the exhaust..

We thought we might use the cot as a body bag, just like the old days. Please, Shiny... no stitch through the nose...

Brig cook Rachel did some nice artwork on Shiny's hand

Haida Bob with his usual radiant smile, greeting visitors

Bosun's Mate Erin working on Bill of Right's mainsl

Mate Jim and Bosun Rich sanding our main boom

Jack London Inn donated 2 hotel rooms to the boats for a week! Yippee! And today is my day off, so here I am, updating the site!

San Fran & Oak Town, Baby!

2005-03-09T21:14:00.000-08:00

a brig sailing past San Fran

Captain Christopher Trudell of Schooner Bill of Rights

Volunteer and Chantey-Woman Natalie

Volunteer/Trader/Baggywrinkle-Maker Megan

Kim at the A-Compartment hatch

Natalie entertaining a young tourist

Shiny the bosuns mate, aloft on the brig again!

Shiny Aloft

2005-03-05T11:58:00.001-08:00

In San Fran

2005-03-05T11:58:00.000-08:00

Volunteer and experienced sailor from Morro Bay - Brian

Volunteer Greg - what a joy to have aboard!

We learned during this transit that tying the foresl boom preventer to the kevel is best done with the line leading from the kevel, outboard through the hawse, THEN to the boom.

Like this. Oh yeah - that's what was left of the foresl peak halyard hanging there too.

And here's Bhodi repairing that halyard

volunteer Dave Alvarado

All the transit crew (sans Kim)

Greg, Starr, Indy, Dave, Elf, Jim, "V", Joel, Erin, Brian, Bhodi, Cap, Rich

Kim on the foresl gaff at sunset last night

Morro Bay to San Fran transit Crew

2005-03-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

Here's Erin teaching our new volunteer, Megan, how to belay a line

We stumbled upon this "art display" late the other night...

Jesse, Kim and Starr in the reflection of the prop

FRANKEN-SAIL!!!

Bhodi's new tattoo

Erin fixing up the liferings

Our beloved Elf!

Captain Christopher

Chief Mate Jim looking out at San Fran

2nd Mate (not 2nd rate!) Bhodi

Our sailing partner

Most of the Morro Bay-San Fran transit crew: Greg, Brian, Dave, "V", Indy, Elf, Erin, Bhodi

Plus our youngest transit crew - Joel! (golden gate bridge in background)

Joel shining the compass

Bosun Rich scraping the rails

Dave at the lister box generator (again!) will we ever get this thing to work?

Thats Cap through one of the biggest sail rips I've ever seen. Time for a Deep Reef.

Sailing on 2/27/05

2005-02-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

Scott Swaaley with Haida Bob, furling the forecourse on the Lady

Passengers ready to sail on Bill of Rights

Just outside Morro Bay

Captain Christopher Trudell giving his safety speech

I loved Shiny's pigtails too much to not post them...

Flying Dutchman

2005-02-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

Last night we used our gift certificates at Flying Dutchman cafe for
desserts all around. Here's BoR bosun Rich, Lady mate Eric Allen, BoR
2nd Mate (not second rate!) Bhodi, Bosuns Mate and 2nd Mate's Mate Erin
Doak, 2 Lady crew who's names I'm not sure of...

Lady Education Officer Insane Elaine Eno, BoR volunteer Nathan "Indiana" or "Indy"

I think Bhodi or Erin drew this. Nicely done!

Here's

the rest of the crews. Captain Evil, Lady Mate Brian and Engineer Myuh

wrote a chantey to the tune of "Boyz in the Hood" and gave us all

a performance last night.

Jesika Starr & Myuh

2005-02-28T21:24:00.000-08:00

Jesika Starr after provisioning. Reading cookbook.

Jeremiah Gempler - the Lady's longtime engineer, tonight at the 2 dogs cafe

Where's Da Rock?

2005-02-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

Jesse and Starr at the microbrewery after a GREAT day of sailing. Starr is wearing her new $8 shirt that a local tour shop made up as a joke, since all the tourists come in and ask where the biggest, most obvious landmark in town is. "Where's Da Rock?"

brig Lady Washington executing a sail manuver, trying to escape the wrath of schooner Bill of Rights! It's not over 'til the FAT LADY SINKS!

a view of the Lady from aboard the sloop Rogue

The boats heading back to the dock, past The Rock

More of the same

Bill of Rights' transom

Bosun's Mate Erin Doak manning the fores'l sheet

SUPER COOL Scott Swaaley aloft with Handsome (but Crazy Haida Warrior) BOB

And way up there on the main t'gallan are Shiny and Myuh

Photo of our beloved schooner and home...

2005-02-26T13:06:00.000-08:00

134' sparred! I love jib tops'ls!

Lots of photos!

2005-02-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

Bill of Rights' Galley. Starr making breakfast this morning - eggs to order with fresh bread and bacon. This is a VERY small galley and there's no room for other people to do dishes while she is cooking. Today is a late wake up - as it is Saturday. After breakfast there are chores to do, then morning dockside tours, then an afternoon battle sail.

Here is the Saloon. I am standing aft, just forward of the captains cabin, which is the aftermost cabin. Here I am looking foward at the Saloon and the soon to be breakfast eaters (L to R - a guy from LAMI visiting, 2nd Mate Bhodi, Volunteer Dave, Captain Christopher, and David Cottrell with his back to me). You can see the door to the engine room on the left, beyond Bhodi, and the step down into the galley there on the right. Beyond that is a watertight hatch leading to "B Compartment" where there are private and open berths, a head, and a fridge. Beyond THAT is "A Compartment" with 16 berths and another large center table. The forward cabin from A compartment is the Focsl, AKA Bosuns Locker, but still technically 4 berths are there, and then all the way forward is the chain locker.

Starr posts a sign on the breakfast table so people know there are eggs to order available if they want.

Last night at a local cafe - here's Starr and the new Chief Mate, Jim or "JP". We talked about the affect that the Sierra Club has had on his life, growing up in Portland, Maine and relying on industry work there, be it maritime or otherwise.

Chief Mate Jim and 2nd Mate Bhodi

Holy COW! We had a long meeting last night. Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority board member David Cottrell had been on board with us, but is leaving today. He took our suggestions regarding publicity, ed programs, and our plea to actually get paid, back to the Seaport board members.
The crews ate together again on Bill of Rights, where there is far more room for everyone to sit. Here's David Cottrell and Lady steward Crazy Haida Bob chowing down on excellent squash glop with fresh bread.

CHB and JP getting more glop.

Lady crew Chief Mate Brian Day, with Purser Ann Meyer and boatdog Bowditch

Bosuns Mate Erin Doak and Shiny

Erin scopes out the different kinds of fresh bread.

Here's the Lady Washington galley - Starr and Rachel mixed the glop over there.

Bowditch in the Main Hold on Lady Washington. Shiny had boat watch AND Bowditch watch. Bowditch was itching to wander the streets of Morro Bay.

Earlier yesterday - Starr teaching "Trade" to students in the saloon.

David Cottrell teaching "Life of an Officer" and navigation near the helm.

Here he is shining brass.

Shiny and Insane Elaine at the Two Dogs cafe.

Bill of Rights purser Valerie

Bosuns Mate Erin Doak

First post!

2005-02-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

We got to Morro Bay a day early, so it was a maintenance day. Erin and I sewed & patched a two foot fores'l rip all day long.

Jeremiah and Starr
Schooner Bill of Rights in her earlier days. She is 33 years old and still beautiful! We don't set the fore tops'l or the jib much. We ALWAYS set the main, fore, stays'l and jib tops'l. She's 134 feet sparred and 100 feet tall!