Schooner Adventure’s 100th birthday celebration sail at the breakwater –
Happy 100th Birthday Schooner Adventure!
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Category Archives: Schooners
Catching up!
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a lovely end of summer and Labor Day. I feel so very grateful to have our home here in Gloucester, a home where our family wants to gather to share wonderful dinners, fun times, and explore all the beauty Cape Ann has to offer. We’re lucky that I love to cook, our son loves to cook, and husband Tom likes to grill, so there is no shortage of happy meals here. If I had to choose, September and the first half of October I think have to be the most exquisite time of year on Cape Ann, and this first week of September has proven to be true.
So much to catch up with. I want to first share about an outstanding organization, the American Oystercatcher Working Group, which is a co-operative network of biologists, researchers, and resource managers that is dedicated to the conservation of American Oystercatchers. Members work across the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the US, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America. The thing is, anyone can join! 
American Oystercatcher and 14 day old chick
I was recently contacted by Debra Reynolds, who is on the AMOY Working Group steering and leadership committee. She requested to share my short film about AMOY on their website. Here is the link: Award Winning Filmmaker Kim Smith Delights in American Oystercatchers. You can also find a fantastically detailed species account from Birds of World on their website here.
Methuselah Monarch
I don’t recall if I sent this link for a most impressive insect spotted while filming pond stories, Ammophila nigricans, a species of thread-waisted wasps. Their common name describes them to a tee! I am seeing many more butterflies this summer than in the previous several summers, including just this past week, a Orange Sulphur, Common Wood Nymph, and a first for me, a Yellowjacket attacking a butterfly. Yesterday Charlotte and I saw our first Methuselah Monarch of the season, one of the super generation of Monarchs migrating to Mexico. We have had so many Monarchs on our Common Milkweed, lots of good rainfall, warm days, and no super storms. I hope this all portends of a strong migration along the Atlantic. We can Hope!
Those green eyes and pink legs! Orange Sulphur
Every Labor Day weekend, Gloucester also celebrates Schooner Festival and this year was the 42nd! Here is a link to a time lapse video of the beautiful, beautiful Parade of Sail.
Friends have recently written requesting how to subscribe to my blog, where I can share more photos and videos than in emails. I’ve posted instructions here in case you’d like to subscribe. Please let me know if you encounter any problems.
I hope you enjoy these last few weeks of summer.
Warmest wishes,
xxKim
Congratulations to Mass Maritime’s Ernestina Morrissey, and Schooners Malabar X and Phra Luang – Gloucester Schooner Festival complete list of winners
Congratulations to the 42nd Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival race winners!
Mayor’s Race and Esperanto’s Cup for schooners in the large category
1st place: Ernestina Morrissey
2nd place: Adventure
3rd place: Tabor Boy
Ned Cameron Cup for schooners in the medium category
1st place: Malabar X
2nd place: Adirondack III
3rd place: Alert
Betty Ramsey Award for schooners in the small division
1st place: Phra Luang
2nd place: Green Dragon
3rd place: Eileen Marie
Ernestina Morrissey docked at I4-C2 Saturday morning
Snapshots from Sunday’s Parade of Sail
Simply Glorious Parade of Sail feat. Schooner Thomas E. Lannon
Schooners, schooners, schooners! Strong winds and gorgeous clouds made for one of the most exquisite Parades of Sail ever. The Lannon is the first schooner in the short film and you can watch the crew hoisting her sails at about twenty seconds in. Many of the schooners did not have their sails up in the inner harbor, I imagine because of the wind and risk of running into one of the smaller vessels. The wind also made for some camera shake but it was unavoidable.
Happy Sailing <3
Music: “This is the Day” by The The
List of schooners participating in the 42nd Annual Schooner Festival 2026
Large Schooners 80′ of more length of deck: Adventure, American Eagle, Denis Sullivan, Ernestina Morrissey, Harvey Gamage, Tabor Boy
Medium Schooners 45′ – 79′ length on deck: Adirondack III, Alert, Ardelle, Malabar X, Spirit, Thomas E. Lannon, Tyrone, When and If
Small Schooners less than 45′ on deck: Bald Eagle, Blackbird, Eileen Marie, Elizabeth, Phraluang, Green Dragon, Isabella, Lewis H. Story, Redbird, Strombus
2026 Gloucester Schooner Fest Schedule of Events!
To view the complete event program including lots of great information and history about the Schooner Festival, along with a complete list of participating schooners see the complete program guide here.
From the 2025 Parade of Sail feat. the American Eagle – At about 2 minutes you can see the American Eagle crew hoisting her sails. The American Eagle was the last fishing schooner built in Gloucester. She launched on June 2nd, 1930 and was powered by both sail and engine. She now makes her home in Rockland, Maine, under the stewardship of Captain Tyler King, a Gloucester native.
Thursday – Community Day
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Maritime Gloucester Museum & Exhibits Open
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Schooner Challenge, Gloucester Harbor – Join our local Schooner Captains as they participate in a friendly competition putting their seamanship to the test over an “obstacle” course. Passengers will be given their own set of tasks to win the coveted Rum Bottle Award. Visiting schooners already arrived will join the event. The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners. Ticketed passengers and crew will be invited to a post challenge awards party.
Friday – Greet the Fleet Day
All Day Arrival of Participating Vessels 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Maritime Gloucester Museums & Exhibits Open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Public Sails 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
“Greet the Fleet” Sail 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Chamber of Commerce Block Party
Saturday – Maritime Heritage Day
8:30 am – 6:00 pm Public Sails
10:00 am International Dory Races Learn more at: internationaldories.com
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Maritime Gloucester – Heritage Day Museum and Exhibits Open, Schooner Deck Tours Free to the public: schooner deck tours, music, food, crafts for all ages, skills demonstrations, community vendors, & family activities. $25 hourly schooner sails on Schooner Ardelle!
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Schooner Viewing & Deck Tours Schooner Floats – I4C2, 65 Rogers St *Ocean Alliance – 32 Horton St, Rocky Neck Thanks to generous support from our sponsors, we are again able to provide a visitor-based dockside experience that puts the public on schooners for deck tours. This is a free option for the public, but donations are always appreciated.
6:30 pm – 10:30 pm Fireworks Sails Witnessing the fireworks over historic Gloucester Harbor is a magnificent sight. Seeing it above you from the deck of a schooner is a breathtaking experience you do not want to miss. These sell out quickly, so don’t delay. Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Boat Parade of Lights This annual event showcases a parade of local private boats and begins at dusk in the Annisquam River.
9:15 pm Fireworks Display over the Harbor Time is approximate
Sunday – Race Day!
10:00 am – 11:30 am Parade of Schooners – Schooners proceed from the Inner Harbor, past the Fishermen’s Memorial on Stacy Boulevard and Stage Fort Park, to the race starting area off Eastern Point. Various non-profit and business organizations offer Parade of Schooners or Race viewing opportunities
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Maritime Gloucester Museum & Exhibits Open
10:30 am – 2:00 pm Shuttle Bus to Eastern Point Light From St. Anthony’s Church, Farrington Ave to watch the start of the Mayor’s Race. Free of Charge courtesy of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority
1:00 pm Schooner Races
The start of Mayor’s Races for Esperanto Cup & the Columbia Trophy Off Eastern Point. The race course is decided the morning of the race by the Schooner Festival Committee at
Parade of Sail feat. the Beautiful Schooner American Eagle!
At about 2 minutes you can see the American Eagle crew hoisting her sails. The American Eagle was the last fishing schooner built in Gloucester. She launched on June 2nd, 1930 and was powered by both sail and engine. She now makes her home in Rockland, Maine, under the stewardship of Captain Tyler King, a Gloucester native.
From wiki – Andrew and Rosalie was built in 1930 by the United Sail Loft Company in Gloucester, for Patrick Murphy, a local fishing master, and was named for his children. The ship was used in fishing operations by his family until 1941, when it was sold to the Empire Fish Company, who renamed her American Eagle. They converted her for use as a trawler, a role she served, mainly under the ownership of the Piscitello brothers, until 1983.
She was purchased in 1984 by John Foss, who had recently restored the Lewis R. French (also a National Historic Landmark), and was restored at the North End Shipyard at Rockland, Maine. Foss rebuilt her for the cruise ship trade, and she now spends summers cruising Penobscot Bay in Maine on 3-7 day cruises, though she generally takes one longer cruise per year to places like Grand Manan Island in Canada. She is one of the few schooners in Maine that go on longer cruises, and one of the few that go offshore looking for whales. She also generally returns to Gloucester every year.
Parade of Sail from the Dogbar
Click the image to enlarge.
Sky Drama from the Deck of Schooner American Eagle
Liv, Charlotte and I went to see the schooners docked at I4-C2 this morning. We only explored the American Eagle briefly as we nearly go caught in the wildy rain, wind, and hail storm.
Great weather is predicted for the rest of Schooner Fest weekend. See the full event’s schedule here.
YOUR 41st ANNUAL SCHOONER FESTIVAL GUIDE HERE!
Congratulations to Geoff and Mandy of Cape Ann’s Schooner Strombus – See Full Schooner Race Results
Thank you to all the Schooner Captains and Crews for providing a glorious 40th Annual Schooner Fest for us all to enjoy!
Schooner Strombus – Parade of Sail
Schooners Adventure and Strombus
Beautiful Parade of Schooners! – new short film
Gloucester’s magnificent 40th Annual Schooner Festival Parade of Sail
Canon in D major composed by Johann Pachelbel, performed by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Music from the Internet Archive of Royalty Free Music – Creative Commons – with attributes – non-commercial.
Scooners Isabella and Adventure
Gloucester Schooner Challenge 2024
Schooner Adventure and the Schooner Isabella, built by Harold Burnham
Schooners Adventure and Strombus Wending Through Gloucester Harbor
Scene from last night’s Schooner Challenge –
Schooner Strombus, restored by local shipwright Geoff Deckebach, and the majestic Schooner Adventure
WONDERFUL WILD CREATURES 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW!
Saying goodbye to 2023 with a look back at just some of the magnificent creatures and scenes we see all around our beautiful North Shore.
The slide show begins with January and runs through December. When clicking through, you can see the photos are captioned and dated. If you would like more information, all the photos are from posts written throughout the year, and most of the posts have short videos featuring the animal.
Some of the highlights were a Northern Lapwing blown far off course, Barred Owls, flocks of Snow Buntings, successful Gray Seal rescue by Seacoast Science Center, the return of handicapped Super Mom and Super Dad to Good Harbor Beach, Great Blue Herons nesting, Rick Roth from Cape Ann Vernal Pond team helping me find frog’s eggs for my pond ecology film, Bald Eagle pair mating, Earth Day Good Harbor Beach clean-up, Osprey nesting,Creative Commons Collective native plantings at Blackburn Circle, mesmerizing encounter with a Fisher, Mama Dross Humpback and her calf, Beth Swan creating PiPl logo, PiPl chicks and Least Terns hatching, Pipevine Swallowtail pupa, PiPl t-shirts and decals selling at Alexandra’s Bread, rare Nighthawk, Spring Peepers, chicks fledging, trips to Felix’ Family Farm with Charlotte, Monarchs in the garden, Merlin, juvenile Glossy Ibis, and a flock of Horned Larks.
Perhaps the very most memorable moment was a wonderfully close (and extended) encounter with a Fisher. Read more about that here: Lightning in a Bottle
Happy New Year Friends. We’ll see what 2024 brings our way <3
TALL SHIP LYNX ROUNDING EASTERN POINT LIGHT!
The stunning Tall Ship Lynx rounded Eastern Point light just after sunset and headed in for its annual maintenance haul-out at the Marine Railways. Schooner Adventure greeted the vessel and they were firing off guns as they came into port.
The Tall Ship Lynx travels throughout New England in the warmer months and winters in the Golden Isles of Georgia at St. Simons Island.
For more information about the Lynx, visit www.TallShipLynx.org.
Tall Ship Lynx in Gloucester through the years
WONDERFUL CONNECTING HISTORY ABOUT THE SCHOONER ROSEWAY AND SCHOONER DENIS SULLIVAN
Recently I was contacted by a gentleman, Bill Girolamo, who was a passenger aboard the magnificent Schooner Denis Sullivan during the Parade of Sail and race. He was hoping to find images of the Denis Sullivan from shore and after a google search he found mine. The Schooner Denis Sullivan is a 3-masted Great Lakes cargo schooner and was recently purchased by the World Ocean School. 2023 marks the first year the Denis Sullivan participated in the Gloucester Schooner Festival.
Photo by Ron Grant: the Schooner Roseway crossing Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery Maine
Bill shares that the Schooner Roseway, also owned by the World Ocean School, is in Mystic, Connecticut, undergoing a complete restoration. I hope this means we’ll see Roseway in next year’s festival! Bill writes that “The Roseway will be 100 years old next year. There will be a Centennial Celebration for it once it is out of Mystic CT, in one more year. Its life was amazing, having been built originally in Essex MA by the owner of the Hathaway Shirt company from lumber on his land in Ipswich as a Schooner fishing boat and the story continues for the next 100 years… amazingly.”
Last year, in 2022, Bill was invited to sail aboard the Roseway during Schooner Fest as his uncle was a pilot on the Schooner during the years it was a pilot boat in Boston Harbor. The Schooner was also a patrol boat during World War II and was was mounted with guns and painted gray. Bill wrote the lovely sonnet in tribute to the Schooner Roseway.
Many, many thanks to Bill Girolamo for sharing these wonderful connections!
LAST NIGHT OF SUMMER SUNSET DID NOT DISAPPOINT! WITH TALL SHIP LYNX
Last evening, the Tall Ship Lynx arrived to Gloucester Harbor just as the sun was setting. The sky grew rosier and rosier long after the sun had dipped below the horizon.
Tall Ship Lynx and Schooner Adventure
Autumnal Equinox Sunset Ten Pound Island Lighthouse
From the Tall Ship Lynx website – The Tall Ship Lynx is an educational organization dedicated to hands-on programs that teach the history and present examples of America’s struggle to preserve its independence. The ship is an interpretation of an actual privateer built in 1812. The maritime challenges during the War of 1812 are taught aboard Lynx utilizing a comprehensive, interactive program designed to enrich personal achievement through teamwork and the discipline of sailing.
In 1997 Woodson K. Woods embarked on a journey to build a privateer inspired by the original historic tall ship from the War of 1812 – The Privateer Lynx. His goal was to create a living history museum to educate children and adults alike about American history through active sail training aboard a real wooden sailing ship.
What went into Lynx was not just wood, rope, brass and canvas. It was not just sweat, blood, heartache and laughter either. What went into her goes far beyond history, ambition, inspiration, determination and commitment. In 2016 Lynx was purchased from Woods Maritime LLC , by the Lynx Educational Foundation, Lynx hails out of Nantucket Island, Ma. Donald Emmons Peacock, President and captain. Our partner in education is Egan Maritime Institute in Nantucket. Lynx winters in city of St Petersburg, Florida our winter home. Since 2015, Lynx Donald E. Peacock, president, and Captain Lynx winters in St. Simons Island, GA, November through May.
On July 28, 2001 in Rockport, Maine Woods’ vision was realized. Past and present converged as Lynx was launched in a gala event ordaining a magnificent future on the high seas.
The creation of Lynx embraces eternal truths: passion, sacrifice, perseverance, honor and courage. All of these emotions gave her a soul long before she tasted her first saltwater. At sea, Lynx is the legacy of her creators: the thinkers, the designers, the builders, and most important, the dreamers…
SCHOONER DENIS SULLIVAN
Welcome to Gloucester! You are looking at the extraordinary three-masted schooner Denis Sullivan, as she wends her way though Gloucester Harbor during the Parade of Sail.
The only replica in the world of Great Lakes Cargo ships, the Denis Sullivan was recently acquired by Sail Boston. The schooner sailed from its former home in Milwaukee to its new home in Boston last October.
We hope to see the Schooner Denis Sullivan at the Gloucester Schooner Festival for all the years to come! I heard from the crew that they loved Gloucester and had a fantastic time!
Music by Donovan – “Catch the Wind”
PARADE OF SAIL WITH SCHOONER STROMBUS AND THE EAST GLOUCESTER GANG!
I love trying to capture friend’s boats during the Parade of Sail. Here’s our neighbor’s Geoff and Mandy’s beautiful Schooner Strombus that they built and launched back in 2017, and the sweetest crew of East Gloucester friends!
The Schooner Strombus won the 2023 Betty Ramsey Award in the Marconi Rigged Class!
Strombus Schooner Launch Party, from July 2017-
A new schooner was added to Gloucester’s growing fleet. The schooner was launched today at 11am from the Rocky Neck Marine Railways. Strombus, built by Geoff Deckebach, with help from his wife Mandy, was twelve years in the making. They began gutting and restoring the boat all those many years ago when work and raising a family slowed progress. About a year ago, Geoff decided to turn his full attention to the restoration. The schooner is simply beautiful. More work will continue on the interior and it will be ready enough to motor along in this year’s upcoming Schooner Festival.
SUN AND SAIL PHOTOS FROM THE GLOUCESTER 2023 SCHOONER FESTIVAL PARADE OF SAIL AND RACE RESULTS!
What glorious weather for the entire 39th Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival and Parade of Sail!
If interested in the name of the schooner, click on the photo; most are captioned.
GLOUCESTER MARITIME HERITAGE DAY HAPPENING TODAY FROM 10AM TO 4PM
Scenes from today’s Maritime Heritage Day – The event runs from 10am to 4pm, with demonstrations and sails taking place throughout the day. Some of the highlights are the kid-friendly demonstrations including a vintage rope making machine, an iron forger, and Sea Scouts explaining oyster culture.
One of the very favorite demonstrations was net-making, taught by Captain Joe Sanfilippo of Extreme Gloucester Fishing.
Captain Joe Sanfilippo is part of the SaLT group (Sea and Land Together) that gives lectures and teaches classes at Cedar Rock Garden. A new series of classes is being offered in the fall
More about Extreme Gloucester Fishing
Extreme Gloucester Fishing Commercial Fishing Training Center is a sustainable fisheries learning center, providing hands on training in the classroom and on local commercial fishing vessels. Our focus is the professional training of sustainable fishing practices and job placement within the fishing community. During your time at Extreme Fishing you will develop personally, academically and professionally. Whatever your focus:
– Marine Safety
– Marine Electronics
– Vessel Handling
– Diesel Mechanics
– Fishing methods and terminology
– Policies and Regulations
With the completion of the curriculum you will have learned the skills, knowledge and tools to build a foundation for a successful future. Captain Joseph Sanfilippo is a Northeast Commercial Fisherman born and raised in historic Gloucester, Massachusetts, the youngest of five boys born into the business. His extensive knowledge, work ethic and passion for the industry has led him to pursue and achieve great accomplishments. He has co-owned three 60-90 foot stern trawlers and personally owned and operated an 86 foot trawler. Having started working on family boats, he acquired the many skills it takes to be one of the best Commercial Fishing Captains in the Northeastern U.S. His passion and heritage have led him to teach his skills to many young Commercial Fishermen. He has worked with many community boat repair and fishing gear shops along the way and takes tremendous pride in all he does. At age 50, he is one of the youngest Captains in the Gloucester fleet.
Our Vision is for Extreme Gloucester Fishing Training Center to provide an oceans, bays and river related theme based education designed to actively engage and challenge it’s students in all things commercial fishing. Trainees will be valued for their strong work ethic, knowledge, experience and leadership capabilities. Extreme Gloucester Fishing will stay on the leading edge of innovative technologies and teaching strategies and help support a sustainable fishery. Gloucester is home to a rich fishing history and has to be first in its approach to commercial fishing to stay competitive.
OUR BEAUTIFUL GLOUCESTER
Scenes from the Gloucester Schooner Festival Challenge August31, 2023
Schooners Isabella, Ardelle, and Thomas Lannon – all three schooners were built by Harold Burnham
GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FEST COMPLETE RACE RESULTS 2022
Congratulations to the winners and to to all the participants!
CAPE ANN BUILT! VIDEO CLIP SCHOONERS ROSEWAY AND AMERICAN EAGLE ROUNDING EASTERN POINT DOGBAR BREAKWATER
The Schooner Roseway is a 96 year old tall ship, built in Essex, MA in 1925. When our founders first procured Roseway, they thought she would be the classroom. The reality is, and what we have learned in the last 16 years of student programming, this national historic landmark is far more than just an interactive floating classroom – Roseway herself is a teacher.
READ MORE ABOUT THE ROSEWAY HERE
A Schooner is Born
Launching: June 2, 1930
Gloucester, Mass.
“Standing at her bow, arms laden with flowers, and grasping a bottle of something we used to see much of before Prohibition, Miss Rosalie Murphy, daughter of Captain Patrick Murphy, who will command the craft, smashed the bottle on the shoe of the schooner as she started…” – Gloucester Daily Times
READ MORE ABOUT THE AMERICAN EAGLE HERE
DAZZLING GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FEST PARADE OF SAIL
A picture perfect day for Gloucester’s 38th annual Schooner Festival Parade of Sail. The Harbor was dazzling with boats of every kind, including schooners, fishing boats, sailboats, pleasure boats, tour boats, kayaks, and more.
Spectators lined the shoreline from Stacey Boulevard to Eastern Point.
With thanks and deepest appreciation to Daisy Nell Collinson and the Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee – Daisy and Stan Collinson’s Schooner Redbird in the foreground