Share Your Memories
Have you sailed on Schooner Adventure? Tell us about it!
Do you have a relative that worked aboard her? Share their story.
Have you sailed on Schooner Adventure? Tell us about it!
Do you have a relative that worked aboard her? Share their story.
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Docked at: Maritime Gloucester Harriet Webster Pier, 23 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA
Mail to: The Gloucester Adventure, Inc., PO Box 1306, Gloucester, MA 01931
Office: Fitz Henry Lane House, 4 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA
Email: info@schooner-adventure.org | Phone: 978-281-8079
Copyright © The Gloucester Adventure, Inc | Header Photo © Cheryl Briscoe | Skippy Illustration © Rusty Kinnunen
1/20/19
I sailed on her in 1980 for a week.. I don’t know if this is true, but this is what I remember (I’d like to know if its true). As I remember, they had removed the front mast and replaced it with a 90 foot 1 piece mast. Moved the front mast backward, then put a 40 foot stack on that. Then used the back mast as the boom(?).
In our “tourist crew” we were divided into people that were Type A workers that wanted to do everything, and “just passengers”. I seem to remember it took 10 people on each side of the deck to haul up the sail. We had no engine, except a powered dingy that could move the ship if we were becalmed. Amazing that little thing could move 125 tons.
When we ate, we were famished! We attributed that to the constant movement of the boat. And with no refrigeration we were encouraged to eat it all! The cook, a young lady, made chicken one night with cinnamon that was incredible – never had cinnamon on chicken which has become a lifelong favorite.
I had a little calculator that had an early digital alarm that I set to get up from my dark wood bunk before everyone in the morning, so I could go up on deck. It was gorgeous! One day we bought a passing fisherman’s catch of lobster, rowed the longboat to shore on a small deserted island with the remains of a stone fireplace on the hill, then built a driftwood fire under a large cauldron they brought, and had lobster dinner. How cool is that! Better than any movie! I was swimming a mile a day then, and thought I’d swim to the island. I dove from the side, entered the unbelievable freezing water, then immediately swam back to the ship – almost didn’t make it back. The cold just sucked the energy from your arms.
That trip was to combine my 2 passions – photography and ships. I bought a $1200 Canon A1 with one Soligor zoom lens. The lens broke on the 1st shot!! Aghh. On the last day I saw another passenger that had a Canon, so I borrowed her lens and shot all my film in 1-2 hours. Got some great shots though.
Great memories!
Do you have records or comments back to 1954 or 1955? I was 9 or 10 in summer camp in Maine and my mom by herself sailed on the Adventure to visit me. I thought it was so brave of her and she loved it.
She is long gone. We live in PA. I had no idea this ship still existed. My wife and I are planning a visit to Mass. and seeing the Adventure and possibly sailing on it would be special. Her name was Helen Russell.
thanks,
June 30, 2018 I was enjoying a beautiful late afternoon, early evening on the back deck of my boat in Rockland, Maine, when I saw this big black schooner slowly making her way into the harbor and tie up to the town dock. There are several schooners in and about Rockland Harbor but this was a new one to me and also my boat dock neighbor. What a beautiful sight!! I am normally an early morning riser but Adventurer’s crew beat me up as she was gone when I came out of my cabin this morning (7/1). I couldn’t wait to get to my computer to check her out. So happy this beauty was restored and is sailing the North Atlantic again.
My great grand father Thomas McManus designed the schooner Adventure. I would love to gather family members for a sail on the ship. Can you tell me what are the opportunities available?
Thanks
Kathleen Dever
I was just telling my husband about my trip on the Adenture, AGAIN. I think it was in 1970 -1971, I can’t remember. I was looking at the pictures and something wasn’t right, then I read Mary’s commend. Yes, she was white! What a beautiful lady to sail on! My parents had sent a telegram wishing me a Happy Birthday, and telegrams were public! That night for dessert they made a beautiful birthday cake! That was so kind and delicious! What a wonderful trip and I remember Capt. Jim! Great teacher!
We went out of Camden. Wonderful memories…….
I would just like to say what a Wonderful crew they have running the Adventure. My Great Grandfather Jeff Thomas built the Adventure for my Grandfather Gordon Thomas. Jeff was the Captain of the vessel. So much history to her that my Grampy told us all growing up. Some of our family were able to sail aboard her this past weekend for a Memorial service for my Uncle Jeff Thomas. What an honor it was to be on there. What a wonderful job they all did with the Memorial Service. It was Beautiful. And like I said the crew aboard couldn’t have been any better to us all! With the storms brewing on Sat. we had to keep postponing it through the day to wait for it to pass. So we all got to spend a lot of the day together. They couldn’t have been any kinder to us all.I look forward to sailing aboard her again! Thank you all so very much!
I was honored to have sailed with Captain Jim Sharp for a week back in 1984-85. What a wonderful week. I was great to see you at the Sail Boston event on June 21. Thank you for my replacement Tee shirt, the original wore out many years ago.. I will hunt for the pictures from 1984,when she was white, and bring them to you for a laugh. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking her on and making her the “Queen of the Windjammers” again. She is a truly a beautiful lady of the sea.
Boothbay? Second life? Camden, Maine was home port for Jim during his tenure. I sailed for him as crew in ’69 and first mate ’70. Boothbay was not a favorite port of call evah!
She is just so beautiful! I can wait to visit her and see my brother.
Amazing things happen sometimes and The Gloucester Adventure along with others like her is a piece of awesome history given to our children, Thank you
How all ya-all doin…great day !