AsHIP NOTES, SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS
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A national effort is underway to establish what would be the first federally-designated water trail in the US. The Friends of the Chesapeake National Water Trail seek to create a National Park Service water trail that will follow the routes traveled
SPUN YARN gift from Youth Adventure, Inc., the nonprofit sail training organization headed by Mrs. Bennett from 197 4 until her passing in 2001. Scholarships will be awarded according to need, with priority given to students who show individual initiative and leadership qualities. Applications must be received by ASTA by April 1st and November 1st of each year. (ASTA, 240 Thames St., POB 1459, Newport, RI 02840; 401 846-1775; www.sailtraining.org; e-mail: adria@sailtraining.org) . . . USS Missouri (BB-63) Association, Inc. is holding their annual reunion 1-5 Sept 2005 in Alburquerque, NM. (Herb Fahr, 516 931-1769; e-mail: Mobb63mo@aol. com) USS
by Captain John Smith when he first explored and mapped the Chesapeake Bay almost 400 years ago. Span ning the length of the Bay, from the Virginia Capes to the Susquehanna Flats, and encompassing the tidal waters of all the Chesapeake's major tributaries, the proposed water trail wo uld unite more than 1,500 miles of waterways into a single, comprehens ive network equivalent in scope to the Appalachian Trail. The proj ect is bei ng closely coordinated with Sultana Projects, Inc. 's current endeavor to build a replica of the 30-foot open boat that Smith used during his explorations (see: www.johnsmith400. org). If all goes according to plan, this replica will make the inaugural voyage of the new Chesapeake National Water Trail during the summer of 2007. (To learn more abo ut The Friends of the Chesapeake National Water Trail contact: Nancy Merrill, The Conservation Fund, 703 525-6300, www.conservationfund.org) ... The Ernestine Bennett Memorial Scholarship Program has been established to assist applicants over the age of 14 participate in a sail training experience with special consideration given to young women and residents of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. The scholarship fund and program was initiated with a generous
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... The shipwreck SS Portland, resting in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Massachusetts, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places (see Sea History 107, pages 1621). To qualify, the site has to meet three criteria: it must be associated with events that made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; it must embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, and/or method of construction; and its archaeological remains must yield important historical information. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, part of the US Dept. of the Interior. (http://stellwagen. noaa.gov) ... The Manjiro Historic Ship Society's plan to build a working replica of the 112-ft. whaling ship John Howland is gathering momentum. The organization hopes to build and use the ship for use as a good-will ambassador. In 1841 the young, shipwrecked Manj iro Nakahama was rescued by the New Bedford whal-
ing ship. He was the first known Japanese person to live within the US, and he remains a revered historical figure memorialized in both countries for his Manjiro in 1880 accomplishments as a translator, navigator, diplomat, educator and statesman. No less important was the role played by John Howland's captain, William Whitfield, who rescued Manjiro and raised him like a son back in Massachusetts. These two men ultimately helped unite their two nations in a cooperative manner, predating Commodore Matthew Perry's 1853 arrival in Japan under the cover of naval firepower. The new john How/,and will voyage around the world visiting Japan and the US on a regular basis. In 2004, the organization announced that the ship will be built in Monterey, CA, despite hopes in Massachusetts that she would be built in New Bedford, her original home port. (Manjiro Historic Ship Society, www.usjmf.org; e-mail: info@usjmf.org) . . . South Australia's famous Port Adelaide is the subject of great debate these days regarding the government's proposal to build fixed bridges over the Port River. Residents
and business owners have expressed concerns that the area's rich maritime heritage character and economic potential will be negatively impacted if tall ships are blocked from the inner harbor by closed bridges. In 1859-60, settlement of the region took off afrer copper was discovered nearby. The area soon developed into one of the richest grain-producing areas for Australia and continues to do so. The last of the great sailing ships loaded their grain cargo from SEA HISTORY 111 , SUMMER 2005