Author: Erica

Pride of Baltimore and National Park Service Partnership Will Bring Pride of Baltimore II to More Families Around the Chesapeake Bay

Pride of Baltimore II off Fort McHenry, March 24, 2020, courtesy of Jeffrey G. Katz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2020
Contact: Erica Denner, 410.539.1151
erica@pride2.org

BALTIMORE, MD – Pride of Baltimore, Inc. (Pride, Inc.) is proud to announce a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) that will enhance the experience for visitors at select Chesapeake Bay ports along the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail (Trail). While Pride, Inc. has worked collaboratively with the NPS in the past — first as an officially designated Chesapeake Bay Gateway and then on interpretive programming at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — a recently signed cooperative agreement with the Trail will expand that collaborative programming to sites throughout the Chesapeake.

“We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with the National Park Service and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail in 2021. The free programming that will be available to underserved communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay along the Trail will strengthen our efforts to be more accessible to everyone,” said Jeffrey Buchheit, executive director of Pride, Inc. “We can think of no better partner than the National Park Service and we hope to work with them for years to come.”

“We are excited to launch this relationship and collaboration with Pride, Inc. to more meaningfully engage with families along the Trail,” said Shaun Eyring, acting superintendent of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Hampton National Historic Site, and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. “Together we will develop new interpretive programs and a traveling exhibit to connect with underserved communities and expand recreational opportunities throughout the Bay.”

The tall ship Pride of Baltimore II (Pride II) will serve as a sailing Trail ambassador that will engage visitors in the history of the people and places in the Chesapeake during the War of 1812. The experience will assist in building a foundation for future stewards of the Trail, as well as of the natural and cultural resources of the Bay. Visitors will be able to tour Pride II dockside and enjoy the full experience of a free day sail on Maryland’s world-renowned tall ship.

Pride of Baltimore II is uniquely suited to serve as a Trail ambassador since it is the only historically evocative reproduction of a War of 1812-era privateer that homeports on the Bay. Capturing public imagination through unique worldwide voyages of discovery, Pride II honors Maryland seafarers of all eras and, wherever she sails, shares the innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and patriotism that forged and continues to define Maryland’s maritime identity.

A full schedule of port visits will be available in early 2021 at pride2.org.

About Pride of Baltimore II

Baltimore Clippers, sleek, fast, and maneuverable vessels, gained fame as privateers during the War of 1812. Their success in capturing British merchant ships provoked the Royal Navy to attack Baltimore in 1814. Francis Scott Key, seeing the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry after the 25-hour British bombardment, was inspired to pen the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Pride of Baltimore II, like her predecessor, Pride of Baltimore, is a historically evocative reproduction of one of the most famous of these privateers, Chasseur. For more than four decades, these modern-day prides of Baltimore have promoted historical maritime education, fostered economic development and tourism, and represented the people of Maryland in ports throughout the world. Since her commissioning in 1988, Pride II has sailed over 275,000 nautical miles and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries.

To learn more about Pride of Baltimore II, please visit pride2.org

About the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail

The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is a 560-mile land and water route that tells the story of the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake Bay region. The trail traces American and British troop movements, introduces visitors to communities affected by the war, and highlights the Chesapeake region’s distinctive landscapes and waterways. It connects historic sites in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia and commemorates the events leading up to the Battle for Baltimore, the aftermath of which inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem. Congress established the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in 2008. The trail is one of 19 national historic trails administered by the National Park Service and one of 30 trails in the National Trails System. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/stsp.

###

An Agent of Change: A Letter from Our Board Chair

June 30, 2020

Dear Friends of Pride,

When I was a kid, my father, a cabdriver, drove me all over Baltimore City to teach me lessons during the time we spent together. He would educate me about communities and warn me about communities I should not go to alone. One such area was the Inner Harbor, where he warned me that, as a young black man, I could find myself in trouble even if it was not my fault. My father said he hoped that someday I could help change that for other young black and brown people. That it was our Inner Harbor, too.

One of the first places my father took me that I can remember in the harbor was aboard Pride of Baltimore II. I loved the water and I loved “pirate ships.” When I told a crew member that it was a cool pirate ship, he corrected me, that it was a privateer, which he explained was like a legal pirate ship. It turns out that this particular crew member was the captain, and he gave me a tour of the ship. He told me the story of Chasseur, a Baltimore Clipper from the War of 1812, which was the inspiration for the design of both Pride and Pride II. That captain could not have known that 30 years later, that 8-year-old kid would become the first black chair of the board of directors of Pride. Nor could he have known (well, maybe he had a hunch) that he would still be the captain of Pride II today. Thank you, Captain Miles, for taking the time to make sure my first impression of Pride was a welcoming one.

As the first black chair of the board of Pride, Inc., which manages the ship built as Maryland’s goodwill ambassador and a symbol of hope, investment, history, and tourism, I knew I must be more than just a symbol of change. I was called upon to be an agent of change. When I became chair in 2018, Pride was in turmoil, having missed the sailing season for the first time ever due to a lack of funding. People told me that everyone would understand if we could not lead Pride back to success because it had been mired in difficulty before my arrival and some had lost hope in it. But they didn’t understand that as a black man, since I was a child, I have always known that my failures are amplified in our society. I couldn’t fail. Nor did our board believe the best days of Pride were behind it.

Our first action was to grow the board because, while we were dealing with our financial troubles, we lost focus on our diversity. We added women, minorities, young people, and new accomplished leaders of different backgrounds and experience. We prioritized connecting the organization back to the myriad communities it serves in Baltimore and across the state. In that vein, we received a Baltimore National Heritage Area grant to get underrepresented communities out on the water for free ($10,000 awarded for 2020 and that program will now take place in 2021). This year, we would have launched an education program to tell the history of the privateer industry, both the good and the bad, and get more kids within the Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County Public Schools systems aboard. I am proud that we pulled off such a historic turnaround and ended the 2019 sailing season with money to invest in expanding our outreach in 2020. While COVID-19 ended many of our initiatives for this year, it has not and will not deter the energy and progress of Pride of Baltimore, Inc., the organization.

So, how do we make Pride of Baltimore II an agent of change? For starters, we plan to work proactively on helping the broader tall ships community acknowledge that many in the black community see it as an industry/sport for whites and not everyone else. Even though my personal experiences have helped me feel that this assumption isn’t true, not all experiences are the same and our actions to be more inclusive speak louder than our words.

I will be asking our board to prioritize finding additional ways to make Pride of Baltimore II an agent of change. This will not be doled out to a committee. It will be addressed thoughtfully by the full board of directors with all of our committees working in concert toward that common goal. We will look to ensure more opportunities for diversity in hiring of crew, staff, vendors, and consultants. We will find more funding for programs that facilitate access for minority communities so that they, too, feel welcomed in the harbors we visit and aboard Pride of Baltimore II. And we will work tirelessly to raise more money to educate communities about job opportunities in sailing and port communities. I will also ask the board to direct our staff to focus more of our grant writing to fund programs that will support underserved communities’ access to our education programs for free. The board, staff, and crew will undertake continual diversity, inclusion, and bias training to ensure that we improve the culture of our organization now and going forward. We will then take our action plan to the entire tall ship community and be an agent of change there, too.

There is a lot of listening, planning, and action to be done over the next few months for Pride to return in 2021, not stronger just for our home city and state, but as a thought and cultural leader for systemic change. Silence is not an option, and listening without action is unacceptable.

If we are truly committed, we need each and every one of you as friends of Pride to support the board, staff, and crew. We want your time, stories, input, and donations to help put these plans into action. I will be joining Captain Miles for a “Coffee with the Captain” in the near future. I welcome your thoughtful attendance and questions.

Fairer winds,

Jay

Jayson T. Williams
Chair of the Board of Directors
Pride of Baltimore. Inc.

Pride of Baltimore II to Remain at the Dock this Season

Sailing under the Key Bridge, May 14, 2020, courtesy of Mark Hergan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2020
Contact: Erica Denner, 410.539.1151
erica@pride2.org

BALTIMORE, MD – Due to the uncertainty that we are all facing in the midst of these challenging times, Pride of Baltimore, Inc.’s board of directors has decided to close Pride of Baltimore II to the general public for the remainder of the 2020 season. Even though the ship won’t be sailing, Pride staff will continue working to prepare for a strong 2021 sailing season. The decision to tie up Pride II for the season was based on a number of very important factors, including the safety and well-being of our crew, the public, and our office staff, as well as an attempt to shore up our finances for our long-term sustainability. This unfortunate, but necessary, move will allow us the greatest flexibility to once again serve as a sailing ambassador for Baltimore and Maryland once the worst of this crisis is behind all of us.

We fully recognize that the need for social distancing will continue to play out in the weeks and months ahead. Without the ability to safely welcome guests and visitors on board, we are unable to generate any earned revenue — a critical part of the diverse mix of revenue streams needed to make our operations sustainable.

Making the decision was heartbreaking, since we were coming in to the 2020 season “on the crest of a wave.” The 2019 season was a huge success for us. We welcomed more than 58,000 visitors on board as we traveled the Great Lakes during the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Great Lakes 2019. In a partnership with Visit Baltimore, our crew distributed Baltimore Visitor Guides in ports of call. Thanks to a state grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, we were able to partner with Pixilated, which allowed us to capture visitor contact information in a fun and creative way. We were also bolstered by the completion of our Strategic Business and Action Plan that was delivered to the state legislature in late November — a clear guide to success to build a sustainable nonprofit dedicated to the support of Pride of Baltimore II.

“Although the decision to tie up for the remainder of the 2020 sailing season was a difficult one to make, we feel that the safety of the crew, as well as of the general public, is paramount,” said Jeffrey Buchheit, executive director. “The future is bright and we will get through this. We just have to be strong and stay the course. There will be a time to sail again with the public on board. That time just isn’t now.”

Pride II has not been sailing much over the past few months, but our captain, staff, and crew created an engaging virtual voyage and a weekly live social event, “Coffee with the Captain,” both presented on our Facebook page. These efforts will continue even as Pride II remains at the dock for the remainder of this season. One of the most popular virtual voyage posts reached over 20,000 unique individuals, had 100 shares and 750+ post likes, and engaged 2,080 people.

“The board is proud that Pride can still serve as a goodwill ambassador even in quarantine! We very much look forward to being a part of a great Maryland tourism comeback story and continuing to serve as a tourism ambassador for Baltimore and Maryland in the years ahead,” said Jayson Williams, chair of the board of directors. “We can’t thank enough our state and local partners, donors, volunteers, crew, and staff for all of their hard work and support to keep us ‘virtually’ sailing.”

In the meantime, even though Pride II will remain at the dock for the season, we want to stay connected! Our friends can

We would also like to ask friends, who can afford to do so, to donate so that we can continue to prepare, without interruption, for a strong season next year!

About Pride of Baltimore II

Pride of Baltimore II, like her predecessor, Pride of Baltimore, is a historically-evocative reproduction of one of the most famous of these privateers, Chasseur. For more than four decades, these modern-day prides of Baltimore have promoted historical maritime education, fostered economic development and tourism, and represented the people of Maryland in ports throughout the world. Since her commissioning in 1988, Pride II has sailed over 275,000 nautical miles and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries.

To learn more about Pride of Baltimore II, please visit pride2.org.

###

2020 Pride of Baltimore II Uprig and COVID-19

Photo: Fuel run, March 22, 2020, courtesy of Patrick Smith

Date: March 23, 2020

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

The new mantra aboard is “hygiene, hygiene, hygiene.”

What makes this uprig able to continue in the new-normal of social distancing is next to zero public exposure. Pride is not associated with its own publicly accessible mooring situation. Many other “tall ships” (the more historical commercial sail rig/hull types versus classically-rigged minimally-wetted surface hull type yachts) are moored to home port piers set up for regular visitation from the public/students. Not so for Pride. She moors for winter storage and maintenance at a non-public “secure” commercial marine facility. Also, uprig started mid-February, meaning Pride’s crew for 2020 came from across the nation to make home aboard some length of time before the social distancing strategy for blocking/reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 virus. And developing extra strategies of shipboard and personal hygiene has been seriously adopted by all aboard. Paying special attention to washing in the shore-based head facilities before coming aboard. Not yet experiencing infection … so far, so good.

Meanwhile, the many decade (now increasing past four) legacy of Maryland and Baltimore’s iconic vessel Pride of Baltimore is all about remembering and sharing our state and city’s nation-building contributions to history and sharing a desire to connect with the rest of the world. Becoming our nation’s most internationally renowned “tall ship” in the process of what is a most unique promotion for a state and city.

So, what do we do with our Pride, nearly all rigged up, considering no illness and very low risk of illness along with nearly no risk of spreading? Go sailing! It is the only fundamental way for the 2020 crew to learn the ship. And won’t it be grand to see our Pride sailing? Of course it will!

Since all of the cancellations, we have been thinking we could try to sail this coming Maryland Day, March 25, this coming Wednesday … weather being friendly. If not? As soon as the weather becomes friendly.

Stay tuned.

Captain Jan C. Miles

Pride of Baltimore II Racing in 2020 Mustang Survival Annapolis to Bermuda Ocean Race

Pride of Baltimore II in Hamilton Harbor, Bermuda, June 1, 2017, courtesy of Theresa Airy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2020
Contact: Erica Denner, 410.539.1151
erica@pride2.org

BALTIMORE, MD – Pride of Baltimore II (Pride II or Pride) will be racing in the 22nd running of the Annapolis to Bermuda Ocean Race (A2B) in June for the first time in the race’s history! Her entry in the A2B has been made possible through a partnership between the Eastport Yacht Club, the race host in Annapolis, and Pride of Baltimore, Inc.

“We are excited to be working with the Eastport Yacht Club and the Bermuda Ocean Race team in Annapolis to have Pride II race! The visuals, a traditional wood tall ship in a fleet of modern racing vessels, will be extraordinary,” said Jeff Buchheit, executive director, Pride of Baltimore, Inc.

Started in 1979, the A2B covers 753 miles, making it one of the longest ocean races on the east coast of the U.S. The challenging course combines inshore and offshore racing tactics down the Chesapeake Bay, across the Gulfstream, and on to Bermuda. The race is Maryland’s only international sailing race and allows sailors to fulfill a lifelong ambition of a blue water passage to an island well-known for its soft coral beaches and hospitality. The 2020 race is sponsored by Mustang Survival, a respected marine technical and apparel company that has been at the forefront of marine safety for more than 50 years.

“Pride represents the true sailing heritage of Maryland and will be a welcome addition to the fleet,” said Michael Lehmkuhl, chair of the Bermuda Ocean Race Association, which organizes the event. “Racing to Bermuda on Pride will recreate some history, set some records, and awaken an old rivalry or two!”

A number of class divisions ensure a competitive experience for both seasoned racers and more casual cruisers. Pride of Baltimore II will be in the newly-created Privateer class.

“In 2017, Pride II raced from Charleston, South Carolina, to Bermuda in conjunction with the Rendez-Vous 2017 tall ships event. The winds were strong and favorable. It was a very fast trip with Pride averaging nearly 10 knots, making Bermuda in just three days and a few hours. Hopefully, she will have a similar trip to Bermuda in the A2B this year!” said Captain Jan Miles, Pride of Baltimore II.

Those not fortunate enough to be on Pride II or another vessel for the A2B will be able to track Pride and the rest of the fleet in real time.

The race is hosted by the Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Bermuda. For more information about the 2020 Mustang Survival Annapolis to Bermuda Race, please go to bermudaoceanrace.com.

About Pride of Baltimore II

To learn more about Pride of Baltimore II, please visit pride2.org.

About the Eastport Yacht Club

The Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) has established a sound reputation on the Chesapeake Bay as a “do something” club. Its heritage and pedigree come from the everyday people and workers of Annapolis and Eastport. Members share camaraderie and great times, on and off the water, with racing, cruising, social events, and community involvement.

Current members will tell you how satisfying it is to be a part of a diverse group of friends. EYC members are a family — bonded by common interest and a love of the water. The clubhouse offers members a million-dollar view: the historic Annapolis skyline, Severn River, U.S. Naval Academy, Bay Bridge, Eastern Shore, and, of course, the Chesapeake Bay. The EYC calendar is full of social activities and worthwhile, high visibility events — most associated with fun on the water, yet not one requiring the ownership of a boat or yacht.

Go to eastportyc.org to learn more about the Eastport Yacht Club.

###

Great Lakes End with a Flourish

Photo: Vineyard views, courtesy of Captain Jan Miles

Date:Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

The Tall Ship Challenge Great Lakes 2019 campaign of Pride of Baltimore II ended with a flourish.

Following dawdling for Tropical Storm Dorian, Pride managed three quick transit legs to make her scheduled homecoming date of Saturday, September 21, 2019.

It started with a motorized rush to Lunenburg after the passing of TS Dorian for refueling ahead of what could be seen as another rush to New Bedford during long-range forecast for friendly winds ahead of another round of contrary winds.

With Lunenburg refueling, plus some ship’s laundry and grocery shopping done, there was a three crew barbecue hosted by Picton Castle’s crew. A celebration of the three ships (Picton Castle, Bluenose II, and Pride of Baltimore II) that left together from Lunenburg back on June 15, returning on the same day after three months. All three vessels successfully fulfilled all of their tall ship festival obligations. Generating plenty of stories in the press all over the Great Lakes and also back at home via social media and online press.

After the one night in Lunenburg, it was off again for Pride’s crew Thursday to race to Cape Cod with a short period of favorable winds before the contrary southwesterly winds forecast to arrive over the Gulf of Maine Saturday. This “race” was successful. In fact, some very fast 9-10 knot beam reach sailing with all “plain” sail (four lower sails with square-topsail plus main-gaff-topsail and jib-topsail) was had for about 15 hours. Multiply the speed by the hours and a very significant portion of the mouth of the Gulf of Maine was crossed before the wind died off. After a short time of motoring, the wind came back as forecast from the southeast and the last 50 odd miles was finished off quickly Saturday morning. Leaving merely the distance from the “fist” of Cape Cod to the east entrance of the Cape Cod Canal. This quick ending to the Gulf of Maine crossing meant being protected from the forecast southwesterly winds that arrived soon after crossing the Gulf. This quick crossing also provided plenty of time to make the arranged rendezvous at New Bedford Harbor with US Customs & Border Protection authorities morning of Sunday, September 15.

After clearance was achieved, while moored to Fair Haven Marine fuel dock (thank you, Captain Robert Glover, for arranging the touch & go with Fair Haven Marine), there was reason to stall heading on toward Baltimore due to the southwest winds. Contrary winds for heading to the Delaware Bay forecast to linger through Monday. What to do with the stall time? Pay a visit to American traditional sail icon Captain Robert Douglass of course! Captain Douglas is owner and master of the highly renowned revenue cutter square topsail schooner Shenandoah of the harbor of Vineyard Haven on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Shenandoah and Captain Douglas have been sailing since 1965. Always a smartly handled square-topsail passenger schooner with no engine. Both vessel and its creator owner/master are icons to the post World War II period of growth of American traditional sailing vessels introducing many to the wonders of such sailing. With some time to wait for another period of favorable wind forecast for midweek, it was easy for me to make the decision to call Captain Douglas to see if he would be in for a courtesy call. And so it was that Pride spent two nights at the dock in Vineyard Haven. Courtesy of the generosity of the owner of Tisbury Wharf Company laid on by Captain Douglas. An opportunity to give some time off to Pride’s crew in an exotic part of Massachusetts, as well as mingle with other American schooner crew from both Shenandoah and Alabama. And of course as see plenty of classic yachts from the early 1900s. But also an opportunity to get some maintenance done ahead of homecoming at the end of the week.

The transit to the Delaware Bay turned out to be another fast one. Not completely sailed. Some motoring on Tuesday. When the wind came up from the northeast and east it was all sailing. Eventually with plenty of wind requiring reducing sail being that the strength was peaking at 35 knots Wednesday afternoon. Once reaching speeds of better than 10 and keeping such speeds safely & comfortably through reducing sail, Pride made the entrance of the Delaware Bay evening time Wednesday with a 10 foot following sea. Northeast winds meant continuing to sail all the way up that bay very fast on its smooth protected water till near the C&D Canal around midnight. Took all sail and motored on to Pride’s maintenance dock near the area of Baltimore called Canton. Arriving early Thursday.

We took the afternoon off after the ship was cleaned and stowed and we also had a late start to Friday. Took a charter by Maryland Port Administration for two hours. Then Saturday, made the grand entry official homecoming with Baltimore’s very enthusiastic Mayor Young aboard, who very much appreciated the many cannon salutes Pride’s crew made as she grand standed her way all the way up into the Inner Harbor then back to Fells Point for a welcome ceremony audience. Speeches by Pride, Inc. representatives and Mayor Young and City Council President, Brandon Scott. Deck tours for the public followed plus another two-hour day sail, this one for the general public.

The press welcome was amazing. All of the TV channels multiple times that day. Plus some showing on Sunday.

Hello, Maryland! Your Pride is back!!!

Captain Jan C. Miles