Dear friends and fans,
In Part 17 of our blog series celebrating 50 years of Pride of Baltimore, we continue exploring the remarkable history through the stories, photographs, logs, and memories preserved in our archives. There is so much history still waiting to be shared, and these stories are only a small glimpse into the adventures, partnerships, and unforgettable moments that shaped Pride of Baltimore. We cannot wait to continue sharing more as we celebrate 50 years of Pride in Baltimore.
Pride of Baltimore’s 1985 European voyage would ultimately carry the ship more than 20,000 miles to 27 official ports of call across Europe.
Pride’s first unofficial stop on this landmark voyage was Baltimore, Ireland, described by the crew as a home away from home during their visit. From there, the ship proceeded to her first official port of call on the European voyage, Cork City. The reception Pride of Baltimore received in Ireland was enthusiastic, with Jan Miles recording in the log that “sleep has become an achievement above and beyond the realm of possibility.”
One of the most notable highlights of the voyage was the ship’s 21-day visit to London, where Pride of Baltimore was greeted upon arrival by Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer, Maryland state officials, representatives of the Maryland Port Administration, and British executives. Michael Lofton, spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Economic and Community Development, described the ship in Port of Baltimore magazine as a “heck of a marketing tool.” During her stay in London, a total of 20 receptions were hosted aboard the ship by Baltimore corporations. Among those who hosted receptions were the Maryland Economic Growth Association, PHH Group, Maryland Department of Economic and Community Development, Environmental Elements Corporation, and the Maryland Port Administration. While in England, Pride of Baltimore also participated in a friendly race coordinated by the Sail Training Association with the three-masted schooner Sir Winston Churchill. Pride of Baltimore won the race on corrected time and was awarded a commemorative trophy. The story of this race deserves a much deeper look and will be featured in a dedicated blog in the near future. |
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Another fascinating aspect of the voyage was the connections formed between schools in Baltimore and schools in foreign ports. General Wolfe Elementary School in Fells Point exchanged letters with students at Mayfield School in southwest London, while Roland Park School in Baltimore formed a similar pen pal relationship with Huntingfield Primary School in England. These exchanges reflected the broader mission of Pride of Baltimore, not only as a sailing ambassador but as a bridge between communities and cultures.
From England, Pride of Baltimore continued into the North Sea and on to Scandinavia, sailing into the land of the midnight sun. Along the voyage, the crew kept a shipboard log where anyone inspired to write could contribute stories, poems, sketches, and reflections from the journey. This companion log complemented the log kept by Captains Jan Miles and Armin Elsaesser.
One favorite entry comes from crewmember Dan Parrott while the ship was in Oslo, Norway, where Pride of Baltimore reached the northernmost point of her journey at 60° latitude, just 400 miles from the Arctic Circle. Parrot wrote with amazement and a touch of disbelief that Joe McGeady’s watch read 12:30, yet it was still fully light outside. “And still there are voices of those on the dock drifting down into the hold,” he wrote, describing the sounds of the ship’s cats mixed with conversations drifting aboard, including a “know-it-all American tourist husband blabbing to his wife something he thinks he knows about into her patient ears.”
Pride of Baltimore was welcomed in Oslo by the Lord Mayor, the American Ambassador, and other dignitaries. It was there that the ship spent the Fourth of July, celebrating America’s 209th birthday by hosting a party onboard in partnership with the U.S. Embassy and timing a cannon salute to the 1812 Overture.
Ahead of the ship’s visit to Poland, Pride of Baltimore also called on Copenhagen, Stockholm, Kiel, and Hamburg before finally arriving in Gdynia, Poland, the culmination of the European voyage. Captain Elsaesser later noted that “the stop in Poland has been the most important visit so far,” adding that “person-to-person exchange is what the Pride is all about … The visit we made goes a long way toward understanding Americans.”
Pride of Baltimore’s arrival in Gdynia marked the first visit by an American-flagged ship in 11 years. While the people of Gdynia were initially cautious, curiosity quickly turned into enthusiasm, with more than 3,300 people visiting the ship in just five hours. Crew members were inundated with requests for autographs on small brochures about the vessel. The generosity flowed both ways. In the crew log recording souvenir sales, one crewmember simply wrote: “For Gdynia, we gave instead of sold.” The crew had decided not to charge for souvenirs because of the value of the Polish currency.
Following the visit to Poland, Pride of Baltimore retraced her route back out through the Baltic and North Seas before continuing south to Dunkirk, Lisbon, and finally Málaga, where the ship would shift focus toward maintenance and crew turnover.
The original plan was for the ship to turn to a maintenance period before continuing on to the Mediterranean with stops in Malta and Greece. The schedule called for Armin to take a summer break and return to Pride and bring the ship home in the fall.
These plans would change following a series of terrorist attacks in Europe culminating on January 7, 1986, when President Ronald Reagan issued an order for all Americans to leave Libya. That same day, Pride’s board of directors met in Baltimore and ultimately made the decision to cancel the second leg of the European voyage. And so preparations were made, and by March 3, the ship was fully crewed and ready to voyage. Armin noted in his log that “The ship is now looking as good or better than I have ever seen her look. I am satisfied that she is in all respects ready to sail home.” On March 12, Pride’s tanks were topped off and lines were cast. With thoughts on the voyage ahead, Pride got underway for home.
I hope you are enjoying our ongoing 50 Years of Pride series.
On May 14 Maryland’s iconic tall ship and official sailing ambassador, Pride of Baltimore II, will be ceremonially rededicated as we begin our commemoration of America’s 250th Anniversary.
You are invited to join us for this waterfront gathering marking several milestones: the 40th anniversary of the loss of the original Pride of Baltimore, the 50th anniversary of the vision that launched Pride, and the rededication of Pride of Baltimore II as she continues her mission representing Maryland at home and around the world.
FREE Public Event
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: 301 E. Pratt St, Pier 1, Baltimore, MD 21202
This is a free public event, but we encourage guests to register so we can plan accordingly.
Stay tuned for part 18 next week.
Cheers,
Patrick
Bibliography:
Gillmer, Thomas C. Pride of Baltimore: The Story of the Baltimore Clippers. International Marine, Camden, ME, 1992.
Pease, Greg. Sailing with Pride. C. A. Baumgartner Publishing, Baltimore, MD, 1990.
Waldron, Tom. Pride of the Sea. Citadel Press, New York, NY, 2004.
“Friends Across Water.” East Baltimore Guide, November 14, 1985.
“Pride Makes European Goodwill Voyage.” Port of Baltimore Monthly, September 1985.
“Pride of Baltimore Carries U.S. Flag, Goodwill to Poland.” The News American, October 15, 1985.
“Pride Wins Race.” Chesapeake Bay Magazine, September 1985.
