projects, including fellowships for scholarly research and the development of new undergraduate courses in the humanities, production and development of films, the development and staging of major exhibitions, digital tools, and the preservation of-and access to-historic collections. Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the NEH supports research and learning in hisrory, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. For a listing of grants, categories, and deadlines for the upcoming awards cycle, vis it www. neh.gov/grants/grantsbydivision.html) ... All is quiet but not entirely forgotten on board the schooner Virginia. In April, despite the lack of a crew and administrative staff to run the show, a group of volunteers put together a work party to remove the schooner's winter cover and do some basic maintenance. In 2009, Virginia was in the Caribbean for the winter season, her crew planning on operating the vessel for a
number of educational programs, when her board of directors recalled the ship home to Virginia and promptly laid off most of the staff, both shorebound and shipboard. The organization was out of
In April a volunteer work party dismantled Virginia's winter cover. money; in fact, it was, and is, still in debt to the tune of about $ 1.5 million from construction costs and the organization's $1 million yearly budget, which it couldn't maintain. The Virginia has not operated under sail nor run any programming since. About $5 million in taxpayer money was used to build and operate the vessel, which was launched in 2004. Last
winter, the schoo ner's owner, the Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation, entered into a partnership with Nauticus Foundation of Norfolk to bring the schooner to the downtown Norfolk waterfront. The 120-foot wooden knockabout schooner is modeled and named after a 19 16 pilot schooner. Virginia is currently docked behind Nauticus on the downtown Norfolk waterfront. The sevenyear-old schooner's future is very much up in the air, but h er faith fu l volunteers understand well that if you don't maintain a wooden vessel, there won't be anything left to work with in a few years' time. (VMHF, www.schoonervirginia. org; Nauticus, One Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510; Ph. 757 664-1000; www.nauticus .org) ... Hy-Line Cruises and the Cape Cod Maritime Museum are celebrating 100 years of continuous service of the coastal steamer MN Prudence this summer. The museum deb uts a new exhibit on 26 May and Hy-Line will be offering cruises on board Prudence out of H yan nis, MA, though October.
The antiquity and charm of the original Mariners House has been updated to include all the modern amenities, featuring completely renovated private rooms, private baths, elegant common rooms and all the in-room necessities of modern life.
Starting at
~65
per night
including breakfast. Lunch and dinner also offered daily
(Not included.) Guests must be active seafarers with proof of service.
160 Years of Hospitality and Guidance to Professional Mariners
DA IA
MCLAUGHLIN BOAt-l>UILDER
J
CUSTOM Bo.ATS AND YACHTS SINCE 1970 508- 563-3075 46
11 North Square, Boston, MA 0 2113 Voice (617) 227-3979 Fax (617) 227-4005 inn@marinershouse.org www.marinershouse.org To Make a Reservation, call 1-877 -SEA-9494
SEA HISTORY 13 5, SUMMER 20 11