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Pride's eastbound voyage begins

6 August 2010
Pos: 47 09.2’N x 090 28.3’W
Wx: S F 3
Sailing under all plain sail, plus T’Gallant & Stuns’l
Course: 075 T, Speed: 6.5 kts

Breaking the Inertia & East (then South then West) to Lake Michigan Pride of Baltimore II has officially left Duluth. The long trek back to the Atlantic Ocean is started. And as difficult as it was to get to Duluth by beating to weather, breaking the inertia of being so long in such an interesting place was almost more difficult. Arriving on 27 July to the Superior, Wisconsin side of the “Twin Harbors,” Pride II has not been attached to the same port for so long since leaving Baltimore on 31 May.

Of course, we were gone for a two night “cruise” with guest crew – which included a pleasant anchoring off of Knife River, Minnesota and terrific sailing for the first five hours of race three in the Tallships Challenge Series, then 14 hours of beating back over the same 40 miles to arrive back in Duluth for a trio of daysails – but we never actually left the “snout” of Lake Superior.

This morning, however, we packed up and left for good. At least for this year, or a few years. A couple of final good byes and a salute to the Aerial Lift Bridge, then we were gone, setting sailing and motorsailing with light South-Westerlies. They have since filled in, allowing us to shut down and sail since about 1500. And currently we are East of the Apostle Islands, watching the sunset across their red cliffs. Soon we will cross 90 West Longitude for the first time in 11 days, this time heading East. And this time, the wind is actually favorable, so the Stuns’l is set and the ship is sliding along happily.

The crew, too, are happy to be back at sea, back in a routine. As much as any port has to offer, the business and social obligations have all the hours filled from mooring to departure. It is a great thing to be able to show off your ship, and to see how it inspires the crowds to imagination of what life must be like aboard her. But we all need to live that life in order to talk to anyone about it. And, of course, to get the ship where it needs to be.

All best,
Jamie Trost and the finally Eastbound crew of Pride of Baltimore II