Mayflower II Restoration in Mystic Seaport

The Museum of America and the Sea at Mystic Seaport is restoring Mayflower II, the 57-year-old wooden ship, a faithful replica of the 17th century Mayflower that brought Pilgrims to the New World. The original didn't survive. Mayflower II was built in Great Britain and then gifted to the United States; it symbolizes collaboration of Great Britain and the United States during the WWII.

Mayflower II is expected to be fully restored in time for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival, in 2020.

Meeting the Wampanoag People. Without their help, the Pilgrims wouldn't have survived the first winter in the New World.

We visited Mayflower II this winter and early spring with Dalvero Academy, at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. It is much smaller than the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, and it has a cheerful personality. Presently, during restoration, there are only two masts on the ship. I look forward to seeing it fully rigged in Plymouth, where Mayflower II will spend the summer. 

Winter Freeze

I was in Mystic Seaport with Dalvero Academy this past weekend, and boy was it cold! But nothing stops us from drawing, especially when there is so much beauty that only freezing winter air and light can create.

Home Sweet Home

Susan Funk of Mystic Seaport

The Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, the last surviving wooden whaling vessel in the world, has successfully completed her 38th Historic Voyage, and settled back at Mystic Seaport, the very place that spent 5 years on her restoration at the Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard. These brief drawings capture the homecoming celebration that Mystic held for the ship on August 6th, 2014. The Morgan is now on view in Mystic Village Chubb’s Wharf.  Home Sweet Home.

New Bedford Homecoming

To continue my story about New Bedford from previous post... The Charles W. Morgan whaling ship was built there in 1841, and on June 28th, 2014, the city of New Bedford held a homecoming ceremony for the restored vessel on her historic 38th Voyage. Festivities included an official part with speeches and music, followed by a colorful parade of ships, all captured in drawings below.

New Bedford, once the richest city in America thanks to the whaling industry, was also most progressive. City's elite, comprised of Quakers who owned ships, banks and insurance companies, fought fearlessly for the abolition of slavery. The city seal of New Bedford reads "Lucem Diffundo"  ("We Diffuse the Light"), which can be understood in more than one way. In literal sense, New Bedford was once "the city that lit the world" with whale oil used in lamps. In metaphorical sense, this culturally diverse place was enlightened enough to be first in offering freedom, protection and equality to escaped slaves. Today, New Bedford is leading efforts in offshore wind renewable energy.  

"Adjust the sales to the wind and keep moving."

"Window into the World". The Charles W. Morgan, docked in New Bedford on June 28th, 2014.

Homecoming ceremony, the official part.

Opening ceremony processional with flags from places where Morgan had sailed during her 80-year whaling career.

State Senator

Dignitaries

President of Mystic Seaport, Mr. White

Interlude with traditional Portuguese Fado music

Parade of ships. The biggest American flag that day.

Parade of ships.

Parade of ships. Flags.

 ...

The next day, we attended a non-denominational church service at the Seamen's Bethel, the exact same church that Ishmael visits in Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.”

The two plaques on the building read: “The Whalemans Chapel of Herman Melvilles Moby Dick” and “Seamen’s Bethel. 'In the same New Bedford there stands a whale man’s chapel and few are the moody fishermen shortly bound for the Indian or Pacific oceans who failed to make a Sunday visit to this spot.' Moby Dick”

What's interesting is that the pulpit in “Seaman’s Bethel” looks like the front of a ship, which was an adaptation in the 1960’s to match Melville’s imaginary pulpit description in “Moby Dick”. The original simple box shape kept disappointing tourists, who expected the interior of the chapel to match the literary classic, so city council of New Bedford re-built it.

"He who has the steerage of my course may direct my sail." ~"Romeo & Juliet", Shakespeare

Sunday Parishioners.

Angelic voices of the choir.

The 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan

The Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, the last of its kind in the world, left Mystic Seaport on Saturday, May 17, for the first time since 1941, to commence the historic 38th voyage. As the news reporter, who was doing a live report right behind me, pointed out, the Morgan was at Mystic before Pearl Harbor happened and before WWII began. I thought to myself "…and before my father was born."

One of the two tug boats at Mystic Seaport that pulled The Morgan

She was toed by a tug boat via Mystic River across Fishers Island Sound and up the Thames River to New London. As the ship disappeared from view at Mystic, we jumped into cars and drove to Avery Point by UConn to watch her pass in the distance from a scenic overlook.

Watching The Morgan from Avery Point

Welcoming crowds in New London's City Pier

Charles W. Morgan docked in New London's City Pier

Charles W. Morgan in New London

New London's train station right across from the pier

The ship docked in New London's City Pier and that's where she will be outfitted for June sea trials.

Worker bending sails on top of the mast

Following Sunday the outfitting began with workers bending sails, i.e. attaching them to masts. It was so amazing to watch and draw them!

Bending Sails on the Morgan

Bending sails on the Morgan

I have yet to see and draw the Morgan in her full glory, with opened sails. Can't wait till June!

Dalvero Academy is working on a new show, scheduled to open in 2015 at the Museum of America and the Sea. Stay tuned for more on that! 

Mystic Seaport in New Year

New wood in the belly of the whale ship C. W. Morgan

Here are a few most recent drawings from Mystic Seaport. The Morgan restoration is coming to completion. It's all about new wood, new interior, new exterior, new energy and new mission.

C. W. Morgan is in the water. The masts are in. Rigging is in process.

New wood in the belly of the whale ship C. W. Morgan

Portrait of a Wood Carver

Portrait of a woodcarver who works at Mystic Seaport.

Milestones at Mystic Seaport

Scaffolding around the Charles W. Morgan whaleship during restoration.

This upcoming Labor Day weekend of 2013 marks the end of a year-and-a-half-long gallery exhibit at the Museum of America and the Sea, Mystic Seaport, CT, for our Dalvero art group. "Restoring A Past, Charting A Future" opened in the spring of 2012, and it is a major milestone for us as an artist collective. We curated and produced our first museum exhibit, led by our beloved visionaries, artists, teachers and founders of Dalvero Academy, Margaret Hurst and Veronica Lawlor. They brought us to Mystic one freezing winter of 2009 to reportage an on-going restoration of the world's last surviving wooden whaleship, the Charles W. Morgan. And we have been returning to Mystic a few times a year ever since. The weekend of July 21st 2013, Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, under the leadership of a great man and our big supporter, director Quentin Snediker, witnessed a milestone in the life of the ship. The Charles W. Morgan was lowered into the water, after spending 4+ years in restoration. It's the 172nd anniversary of the vessel’s initial launch!

Scaffolding around the Charles W. Morgan whaleship during restoration.

The Morgan has been covered by so many various arrangements of scaffolding over the course of the last 4 years, that I began to see much poetry in it. The scaffolding, I mean. And I drew it on various visits, attracted to its transient nature and beauty. It's a support system and a symbol of commitment to change and completion of what's set in motion. Its role is that of a bridge: to connect past with the future. And then it's gone... Fascinating to draw its complications and spaces.

The ship spent years being cocooned, looking like a whale in scaffolding.

Charles W. Morgan whaleship, cocooned in scaffolding during restoration.

Until she finally emerged, a new kind of symbol. And people rushed to greet and embrace the new beginning.

Emerging new symbol of restored whaleship, the last of it's kind in the world.

Right before the launch ceremony, cleaning and applying last touches to the ship. July 21 of 2013.

The lowering of the ship into the water attracted many spectators, there were notable speakers, and our art group received a special invitation to draw during this ceremony. A few of us had passes to be on board of Sabino, a boat parked right next to the Morgan. I had a breath-taking view of the Mystic river at it's busiest. I've never seen so many boats in it. People sailed in to watch, and had celebratory parties afloat. 

Here in the middle is Quentin Snediker, the director of restoration. This was a big day for him.

A very expensive and complicated dolly was created just for the Charles W. Morgan.

The Sheriff of the Mystic police department at the ceremony.

Sabino, the boat on which I was stationed during the ceremony.

View from the Sabino onto the Mystic river and thousands of floating spectators.

The ship is slowly being lowered into the water, as the men hold ropes.

The Charles W. Morgan, Ship Of Hope.
Getting ready for its 38th voyage in 2014. ‪‪
A historic event for America.
Another milestone.