KRUZENSHTERN and PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II entered Charleston at the same time today. The broken foremast of KRUZENSHTERN was plain and painful to see. It appears she was on a braced up sharp port tack with sails set to her royals when the breakage occurred. From the topmast trestles up, which is nearly the upper half of the whole mast structure, has folded over to the starboard side. The word on the street is that no one was injured. But the same source says that there is evident pain and sadness aboard. I sure hope there is available support to make KRUZENSHTURN whole again. She is an early 20th Century sailing machine that today has accumulated a nearly unbreakable track of international sailings throughout her life as both a cargo vessel and as a training vessel. The 21st Century sail training world and tall ships community will be wholly changed for the poorer if it is determined that repairing her is not worth the money and time. Speaking from personal experience, it is indescribable how one feels in such a situation. I can only imagine the difficulties with such a large and unique vessel that is also a significant sailing ambassador for her country. Let me be a voice to join others out-loud in the support of making KRUZENSHTERN whole again and sailing for her country out to the rest of the world!
Keeping the daily Race Control radio schedule has proved nearly impossible while dockside in Charleston. It was only by a radio relay via CAPITAN MIRANDA to Race Control that I was able to pass on PRIDE’s status and time of finish. To learn of PRIDE’s new standings for today I went to the TSAC 2009 web site and discovered PRIDE had increased her lead over JOLIE BRISE to take 2nd in Class and 2ndin Fleet. There is vindication in these results for where we sailed and how much work it was on the part of the crew to accomplish the finish. Now we wait to find out if JOLIE BRISE is able to reclose the gap and/or TECLA falls back enough for PRIDE to jump ahead. Meanwhile I got an email from TECLA asking for a local contact of a sail maker because “our mainsail has split”. I was able to get local tall ship liaison to tell me of a sail maker and get his email address. Then with the assistance of URANIA still being at sea and equipped with a powerful radio, pass onto TECLA the sail maker’s email address. In TECLA’s email message to PRIDE asking for help locating a sail maker they carefully wished us “good sailing (not too good) and good winds (not too good)”. Right back at you my good sailing friend!
Jan C. Miles, Captain aboard Pride of Baltimore II