Sloop Providence Summers on the Great Lakes by John R. Wadleigh company of other Tall Ships, proceeding Rhode Island's sloop Providence, the reproduction of the first ship accepted in independently to Oswego, New York in a the Continental Navy of 1775 and the first ten-hour daylight sail, with ten members combat command of John Paul Jones, of the Oswego High School Sailing Club came home to Newport, Rhode Island on embarked . They found life aboard a Tall September 22, after a 4600-mile, twoShip "a bit surprising, not all fun and and-a-half month summer cruise into the glamour." The sloop's crew did their best Great Lakes. Providence, the idea of to compress much of the week's ASTA Newport historian John Millar, was built course into ten hours under sail. by the non-profit Seaport '76 Foundation From Oswego Providence went back to of Newport as a Rhode Island Bicentensea on July 23 to transit the Welland Canal nial maritime project. Since l'l77 the into Lake Erie. For the next week Provsloop has been operating along the Atlanidence had another crew member, Navy tic coast from April to October, visiting Journalist 2/c Marjie Shaw, on leave from ports as far south as Norfolk, Virginia, the Naval Education and Training Center proceeding further south in some years to staff at Newport. She later wrote of her winter at Key West. Taking part in historsomewhat hair-raising experiences as line ical reenactments and civic events, Provhandler in the transit of the Welland Canal idence has also been used for charter locks : "I began to feel proud of myself for cruises and exhibits in various ports. being a part of this event. I was filthy, Since l'l79 she has participated in Amerisweaty, exhausted and my hands and legs can Sail Training Association (ASTA) ached, but I was proud to be there." cruises where young people have learned After stops at Dunkirk, New York and first-hand the seamanship required of Erie, Pennsylvania Providence proceeded their forebears two centuries ago. to Port Clinton, Ohio where in 1813 ComThe 25th anniversary of the St. Lawmodore Oliver Hazard Perry of Newport rence Seaway and the 450th anniversary led his fleet into battle against a British of Quebec provided incentives for Provfleet. Perry 's brief action report, "We Above, Providence departs Port Clinton , Ohio idence's summer foray into the Lakes . under sail. Below, visitors line up to board the have met the enemy and they are ours" set sloop at Kingston, Ontario and, at bottom, Extra fund-raising efforts by the Foundathe tone for the visit of Captain Rodrick ship's cook Debra Carp with Captain Albert tion were supplemented by the state of and his crew to this lake port. A special Rodrick. Rhode Island and the Newport Convensouvenir edition of 40 pages of the News on June 2 tion and Visitors Authority, and Herald honored the sloop. Thousands ·~ the sloop left Newport for Portsmouth , swarmed on board during visiting hours, ~ New Hampshire where she joined other and for their stay, Port Clinton belonged to :g Tall Ships for a race to- Halifax . Trainees Providence's sailors. ~ from ASTA were embarked during increFrom Port Clinton Providence headed ]~ ments of the cruise which continued north out of the Lake and up to Detroit and Lake g around the Gaspe and up the St. Lawrence St. Clair for a busy weekend. From there -1l to Quebec City. Providence's Great Lakes it was homeward bound with stops at itinerary took the ship as far west as Huron , Ashtabula, and Cleveland, Ohio, I= Detroit, Michigan. to Buffalo's busy waterfront for the Labor Twenty-five years earlier much of this Day weekend, and then back into Lake itinerary had been covered by a sizeable Ontario. Canada said adieu to the sloop at task force of the US Atlantic Fleet as part Brockville, Ontario on September 10 and of the official opening of the Seaway. In twelve days later, on a crisp first day of that summer of 1959 those modern warautumn Captain Rodrick conned his ship ships, many based in Newport, quickly past Castle Hill Light and into Newport found out that the citizenry on both shores Harbor where she was welcomed by the of the lakes loved ships and sailors. The Mayor of Newport, the Northeast Navy crew of Providence speedily found the Band and others. same to be true! In every port there were This winter Providence has gone from crowds and an enthusiastic welcome, and full commission to "in ordinary" status. more than once it was good to return to sea This 19th century naval term means refor a rest. duced commission, a few on board, but After ceremonies at Quebec on June 30 time for refitting, repairs, and rest for the the sloop continued in company with crew-and, for Providence, plans for the other Tall Ships to Toronto and from there new sailing season of 1985 after the joined an ASTA race across Lake Ontario "Bravo Zulu" season of 1984. .t to Rochester, winning the Molson Cup, Admiral Wadleigh was founding Presifirst to finish and first in corrected time. dent, now board member of Seaport '76 At Kingston, Ontario Providence left the in Newport, and is a member of ASTA.
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SEA HISTORY, WINTER 1984-85
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