NMHSNEWS ANNUAL M EETING IN BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND Ir could hardly have been a better day to stand on the Bristol waterfront and imagin e sailing off aboard one of Capt. Nat Herreshoffs yachts as NMHS members and friends gathered for our Annual Meeting at the Herreshoff Marine Museum on Saturday, 5 June 1999. More than 100 of us ignored the call of the sea and instead spent the day in camaraderie, discussing the work of the Society and the future of the maritime heritage. Ir was clear that everyone was engaged by the strides the Society and its members are making on the education front and in our partnership with Operation Sail 2000.
A National Presence NMHS Chairman Craig A. C. Reynolds focused on our goal to solidify our presence as a national organization and encourage active participation from our members aro und the country. He particularly praised the work of trustees on both coasts who are leading drives to advance NMHS projects, including Alex Zagoreos 's work to build and sail a replica of the Hudson River sloop Experiment, Ed Zelinsky' s and Admiral Tom Parrerson 's unique partnership with the National Park Service to restore the Pacific steam schooner Wapama in San Francisco , and Capr. Fred H aw kins's work with the Sir Francis Roundtabl e-the California counci l of NMHS-to provide scholarship memberships for cadets at the California Maritime Academy. NMHS is enriched by the work of these trustees and the many others who make our programs and activities possible. Two new trustees were elected to the
board during the Annual Meeting: Warren Leback, former Maritime Adm inistrator, and Robert La Banca, currently serving as Treasurer of Operation Sail. Reynolds outlined the in creasing budget and scope of NMHS proj ects. T he Society's education work with OpSail has opened up opportun iti es to increase NMHS' s presence in the field of maritime history and education across th e nation. We are reaching out to educators through our teacher training institutes to enable teachers to more effectively incorporate maritime history in their classrooms , and we are wo rking directly with students through our History-at-Sea Programs.
In Other News Over 1000 raffle tickets were purchased for a chance at a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2, raising over $ 5 ,000 for the Society thanks to the generosity of C unard Line and Craig A. C. Reynolds. T he winning ticker belonged to Jam es Palmer of California. After the Business Meeting and a luncheon overlooking the Bay, we heard from Dr. D. K. Abbass, director of the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project, about exciting work being done on shipwrecks in the waters off Rhode Island. We were also given a special introduction to Capr. Nat H erresh off and hi s work by Ha lsey H erreshoff, president of the M arine Museum . T he following day, many members traveled to Newport to explore the International Yacht Restoration School and the work they are doing to train yo ung peop le in the restoration of historic vessels. SHELLEY REID
NMHS members and trustees enjoy H alsey H erreshojfs presentation at the Annual Meeting.
TALL SHIPS ON THE HUDSON
Launches Educational Program for Operation Sail 2000 U nder a clear sky on 4 August, NMHS launched its education program for Operation Sail 2000, "Beyond the Spectacle," at histo ric Pier A, at the tip of Manhattan. C urren tly swathed in scaffolding, it is undergoing a restoration by Wings Point Associates. The oldest wooden squarerigged vessel still sailing, the brigantine Gaze/a, was docked on one side. Across the pier was the handsome replica of HMS Bounty and, sailing back and forth in the harbor, the regal frigate Rose captured the eyes of the city, appearing the next day in a classic photo in The New York Times.
"And What They Can Become" Eight students sporting NMHS "Historyar-Sea" T-shirts boarded the Bounty carrying the flags of the eight ports of Operation Sa il, w hi ch NMHS V ice C h airm an Richardo R. Lopes presented to the City of New York. In welcoming the students, N in fa Segarra, Deputy MayorofNew York City, saluted the NMHS History-at-Sea Program for encouraging yo ung people to "find themselves, learn what they can do , and what they can become." Folksinger Pete Seeger then led all hands in song and spoke of the message of the tall ships and his OpSail-related proj ect, "S hips to Save the Waters." Joining the Deputy Mayor in speaking to the importance of "Beyond the Spectacle," the historic ships and their life lessons for yo ung peo ple were: Commissioner James Ortenzio, chairman of the Hudso n River Park T rust; Commissioner H enry J. Stern ofNew York City Parks & Recreation; Commiss io ner Joel A. M iele of the D epartment of Environmental Protection; City Council Member Kath ryn E. Freed; Vincent Roberts, OpSail Deputy Director for Community Affairs and Planning; Captain Brian A. McAl lister ofMcAilister Bros. Towing and T ransportarion and an NMHS trustee; and Captain Jean Wort, also a trusteeofNMHS. T he next morning, 120 students, teachers and volunteers boarded Rose and Bounty fo r a day's sail-training drill as they sa iled up the Hudson with the Gazela. Ar the end of a day that began with apprehension and excitement we heard: "I didn ' t think I could do it, but they told me I could, and I did! " BURCHENAL GREEN
6
SEA HISTORY 90, AUTUMN 1999