Appledore IV

The schooner Appledore IV is a 65 foot, two-mast, Gaff rigged schooner typical of working boats that sailed the Great Lakes before the age of sail ended. 

Commissioned by Herb and Doris Smith and built by Mark Treworgy she was launched in 1989 as the fourth in a series of schooners built for world voyaging.

Unlike her predecessors she boasts a steel hull.

Here is Appledore IV entering The Port of Sturgeon Bay for the Tall Ships Festival last week.

click image to enlarge

You can learn more about the Appledore schooners here.  

Madeline

The schooner Madeline is a 56 foot, twin-mast reconstruction of a mid-19th century Great Lakes schooner and one of the State of Michigan’s official tall ships. 

She was built between 1985 and 1990 in Traverse City, Michigan by volunteer members of the non-profit group, the Maritime Heritage Alliance. Her mission is to serve as a floating center for the interpretation of Great Lakes maritime history.

Here she is arriving at The Port of Sturgeon Bay participating in the Tall Ships Festival.

click on the cannon fire to enlarge

You can learn more about the schooner Madeline here.

The Pride of Baltimore

Pride of Baltimore II is a reproduction of an 1812-era topsail schooner privateer - known as a Baltimore Clipper.

Commissioned in 1988 this vessel is a replacement memorial to the original Pride of Baltimore, which was tragically sunk by a white squall off Puerto Rico in 1986 takinght elives of the captain and three crew members.

Since it was launched this tall ship has sailed nearly 200,000 miles, and visited over 200 ports in 40 countries in North, South, and Central America, Europe, and Asia.

Marking her arrival with cannon fire these photos document her arrival at The Port of Sturgeon Bay last week.  

click on images to enlarge

You can learn more about The Pride of Baltimore here.

U.S. Brig Niagra

Another visitor to the Port of Sturgeon Bay late last week - the US Brig Niagra.

We have met the enemy and they are ours - Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.

From the US Niagra League- 

On September 10, 1813, nine small ships — six of them, including Niagara, constructed at Erie – defeated a British squadron of six vessels in the Battle of Lake Erie. A pivotal event in the War of 1812, it led to regaining Detroit, lost at the war’s outset, and lifted the nation’s morale.

The U.S. Brig Niagara is a two-masted, square-rigged sailing vessel. In 1813, she had a crew of 155 men and boys who manned her sails, 18 carronades and two long guns. The crew was organized into two watch sections (port and starboard) for routine duties while underway. More experienced sailors were stationed aloft, while others under the direction of petty officers manned the rigging which controlled the sails from deck. In battle, men also manned the guns and carronades. Boys carried the black powder charges from the magazine to the guns. Marines and soldiers were assigned to the fighting tops on the masts where they could fire their muskets on the enemy ships. Officers directed setting sails, firing cannon, and maneuvering the brig in response to orders from the captain.

According to US Niagra League this vessel is the wooden-hulled replica brig that served as the relief flagship for Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie.  

She is absolutely beautiful under full sail.

click on images to enlarge

You can learn more about the Niagra here. 

Windy

From the tall ship visit to the Port of Sturgeon Bay is the Windy.

click on the mainmast to enlarge

Windy is a traditional four-masted gaff topsail schooner.  Although this vessel is constructed of modern-day materials - in every other respect she is a throw-back to the trading schooners of yore.

Based in Chicago she is occupied with public and private events and has all the charm of the years when sail ruled the waves.

You can learn more about the Windy here.

Draken Harald Hårfagre

click images to enlarge

This is the Draken Harald Hårfagre.

It is a Viking longship built in the municipality of Haugesund, Norway.  It also happens to be the longest Viking ship built in modern times.

The Draken Harald Hårfagre brings the seafaring qualities of a warship from the old Norse sagas to life.  It is a ship that combines ocean-crossing sailing capabilities with a warship’s use of oars.

I have a great deal of respect for the Vikings – not the football team – but the real Vikings.  It takes a brave soul to venture upon the North Atlantic in an open boat.  This modern Viking warship actually sailed from Norway, to Iceland, to Greenland and to North America – winding its way through the seaway, Great Lakes and the destination tomorrow of Green Bay.

Holy crap. These sailors have balls of brass.

There also happened to be a huge man with a huge red beard at the tiller of this vessel.  No doubt they are pillaging the Door County countryside tonight.

You can learn more about this tall ship's voyage to America here.   Amazing!

Stroll

From another relocated camera.  

If I whitetail deer could sashay along a trail with a nonchalant stroll this one has got the technique perfected.

 

Lighthouse Living

I was checking-out the lighthouse at Point Beach State Park last weekend and was amazed to see people living there.  I got to thinking - I thought the Coast Guard didn't use lighthouse keepers anymore.  They automated all of the navigation lights didn't they?

But sure enough - there was a real family here at the lighthouse - with kids and everything.  I would have walked over and asked them what their story was but there were scary, official USCG signs warning me to Keep Out!  I was stumped.

Here's the real story and this is totally cool.

You can rent the dang place.  Yes, the Rawley Point Cottage (lighthouse keepers quarters) is available to rent.   Minimum stay is 2 nights; maximum stay is 7 nights. Advance payment is required 7 working days prior to the reservation.  There are two units and each can accomodate up to eight individuals.  You need to bring your own bed linens, towels, wash cloths, all paper products, toiletries, dish towels, and food.  You can even bring your dog.  Everything else is provided.

You can learn more about this here.