Al Bezanson submits-
Glimpses of The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race in Portsmouth, VA – Part 2
Mystic Seaport’s BRILLIANT, first in the medium class this year in Gloucester, was among the few that finished early. Most of the fleet was well astern dealing with light air, then heavier headwinds.
WOODWIND runs public sails out of Annapolis and is a consistent winner in this race. She is of lightweight construction, built by John Scarano in Albany in 1993. Every year, after the pig roast, there is a famous rum party aboard for all the crews and volunteers.
APELLA, 2nd in class in Gloucester this year, with PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II. She is a Shearwater 45, designed by Dudley Dix and built in South Africa.
This was the 25th GCBSR and LADY MARYLAND has sailed in most all. She is a pungy, built in 1985 by Living Classrooms in Baltimore and used for hands-on multidisciplinary education for students of all ages.
A J MEERWALD of Bivalve, NJ is the state’s official tall ship. Built in 1928 for oyster dredging, she is fully engaged in educational programs with the Bayshore Discovery Project.
FAREWELL, built in a backyard in Annapolis and launched in 1972, is a scaled down Grand Banks schooner design by Peter Van Dyne. FAREWELL and GREEN DRAGON were rivals in Class C in six of these races between 1997 and 2009.
Brett Ramsey took time out for a high speed drive to VA over the weekend to talk to boat owners and sample the legendary hospitality that is the feature of the GCBSR.
On the inside, TOM BOMBADIL, Pasadena, MD with ISTAR, the 37 ft schooner launched this summer in Provincetown by Stormy Mayo. ISTAR has been a project for nearly forty years, and would have been at the Gloucester race this year had she not been held back by headwinds as she returned from Maine.
Dr. Al Roper, President of the GCBSR Executive Committee, was up all night managing docking and seeing to it that every schooner got a full measure of southern hospitality.
More to come, including the race results in Part 3 of this series.
Al Bezanson
Good Morning Gloucester 
The Woodwind is to Annapolis as the Lannon is to Gloucester ~ a visitors must do ~. 😉
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For sure! With two Woodwinds sailing out of the Annapolis Marriott the Kaye family has had enduring success with public day sails. Location may be key, but it takes a lot of hard work and creativity, as the Ellis family here in Gloucester can tell you.
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Agree! I sailed on Woodwind in 2001 or so, a great time!
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Thanks, Mary.
We love meeting visitors from around the country and around the world and giving them a taste of Gloucester with a sail on the Lannon.
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Love this series Al–so interesting to learn more about the schooners from your perspective. Thank you!
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Kim, I grew up with National Geographics marveling at creatures and their habits – the subjects you have been sharing with us. When you come to know boats and fellow sailors it adds a whole new dimension to your life in much the same way.
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Great photos and information Al! Sounds like you had a fun trip. Thanks for sharing.
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Karen, the 20 hour (RT) drive wasn’t much fun, but I wouldn’t miss this event. When you participate in the race you get acquainted with a lot of waterfront people from all over the bay. The GCBSR hospitality is legendary.
Most of the larger schooners take paying passengers, as they do in Gloucester. For a full measure the deal is to get on a boat in Baltimore, spend a few days socializing with schoonerfolk and volunteers around Fell’s Point, race the length of Chesapeake Bay (hoping for good weather) and take in the Pig Roast. The experience can be habit-forming.
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Great stuff, Al. Much appreciated.
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