Captain’s Legacy Society Inaugural Scholarship Awarded
courtesy fuel
photo by bob wallace
In August, the Captain’s Legacy Society (CLS) awarded its first scholarship to 26-year-old Chandler Biggs of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, through which she was able to embark on an eight-week sailing apprenticeship aboard the schooner Shenandoah. The CLS aims to connect inexperienced sailors with traditional sailing ships for an underway, full-time working experience. The primary goal of CLS is to provide a character-building, life-changing experience via the rigors, individual challenges, and teambuilding that occurs naturally when part of a traditional sailing ship crew. It is the added hope of the CLS board that this experience might spark the beginning of a maritime career. Founded to honor the late Capt. Bert Rogers, the Captain’s Legacy Society is a nonprofit organization based in Wickford, Rhode Island. Bert Rogers was the executive direcShenandoah tor of Tall Ships America and former executive director of Ocean Classroom Foundation, after many years sailing both before the mast and in command. His entire adult life was dedicated to the seagoing experience—first his own aboard the world-voyaging brigantine Romance, and then as a mentor and supporter of both young would-be seafarers and professional sailing ship crewmembers. Originally from Southern California, Chandler Biggs had no previous sailing experience but was interested in working aboard Shenandoah, owned and operated by the Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning (FUEL), based out of Martha’s Vineyard. CLS funding enabled Chandler to embark on an extended live-aboard experience sailing as an apprentice beginning in August 2021. Chandler gained hands-on experience working alongside the professional crew and FUEL co-founders, Captains Casey Blum and Ian Ridgeway. Stories Chandler shared as her two-month stint was drawing to a close were exactly what the CLS board had hoped to hear: hard work; thrilling sails; chores, chores, and more chores; laying aloft; furling topsails and headsails; quiet anchorages; steering the ship; coastal navigation; night watch; being part of a team; sore hands; and becoming in tune with the elements. Her experience was so positive that she signed on Chandler Biggs standing by to come about. for an additional four weeks, during which time the vessel was down-rigged for the winter. Given the glowing feedback from both Chandler and her captain and FUEL’s co-founders, CLS augmented her scholarship to cover this valuable experience. Chandler has completed her term aboard Shenandoah with a sea-time letter in hand, which will be the first step toward a licensing goal should she choose to pursue a maritime career. Chandler reports she has been “bitten by the schooner bug,” and she is already looking forward to her next underway opportunity. Interested in applying to CLS or having your vessel be considered for CLS scholarship recipients? Please visit the organization’s website for details on eligibility. Individuals must be at least 18 years of age and have the desire to rise to the challenge of a potentially intense, life-changing, seafaring experience. Preference will be given to those seeking experiences onboard ships conducting longterm passages at sea, but shorter, sailing-intensive traditional vessel operations will also be considered. Vessels hosting a CLS-funded apprentice must be in good standing with Tall Ships America or a reputable recognized member of the traditional sail community. The Captain’s Legacy Society welcomes donations to help get more young people onboard sailing ships in the coming months and years. Information on how to donate is available online at www.captainslegacysociety.org. For more about Capt. Bert Rogers, visit www.seahistory.org/fair-winds-bert-rogers/. —Dona Giglio, Executive Director, Captain’s Legacy Society
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SEA HISTORY 177, WINTER 2021–22
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