Liberty Clipper

As I am sure most of you have heard by now the replica of the Tall Ship Bounty went down in Hurricane Sandy on Monday off the coast of NC.  There were 16 crew members (11 men & 5 women) on board and all but one was rescued...The Captain.  There was one person that was rescued that didn't make it and died Monday night. 

The news reported that on Monday morning, the vessel had started taking on water, its engines failed and the crew had to abandon ship as it went down in 18' waves.

The ship was originally built for the 1962 film "Mutiny on the Bounty" starring Marlon Brando, and it was featured in several other films over the years, including one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.





Bounty going down off NC

 

So the reason I bring this up is because while vacationing in Boston in 2009, Barb and I sailed on a Tall Ship.  I was thinking about that day and the ship that we were on and if the Bounty was anywhere close to that ship I don't know how they survived at all.

That vacation was one of the first that we took by ourselves...yes no KIDS!!!  So to rub it in I sent the kids a note each day about how much we were doing and how much fun we were having.  Listed below is what I wrote back then about our Tall Ship ride on the Liberty Clipper...

Today we went on a Tall Ship Cruise.  This is normally a cruise that holds 110 people...well we had 8!    Then we met a lady who told us the last time she was on they asked for volunteers to help raise the mask...well I knew I was in trouble...do the math. 

The Captain said they don't normally take the boat out unless there are at least 10 people but they were going anyway....because the wind was so fierce it would be a great sailing day...oh yea right down my alley...high winds, big surf, big puke!!!!  

Well they instructed us that all of us would have to help raise the mask...at that point I looked around and there was 8 guest...3 men and 5 women!   Well we got the front mask up...I would like to say without trouble but that would be a lie.  During the raising of the 2nd mask they asked the big guy to move up...well guess who they were talking about...yea that really p _ _ _ __ me off so I told her...who you calling the big guy?   All in good fun of course. 

Now the problem is yesterday because of all the walking, everything below our waste hurt and now because the sail boat couldn't get enough passengers our upper bodies hurt.   The good news is we still have 4 days of this FUN?!!! 


I have to tell you that this was a great excursion and we are very glad we did it.   It was very cold out there but we met some great people on the boat and the crew was incredible.   I have never been on a sailboat and it was a lot of fun...I do have to say it was a little nerve racking when you are taking on water on the lower end because the wind is blowing so hard the boat is tipping that far! Anyway a great boat ride!!!   Ryan you would have loved it and I am sure you would have been right there helping with the mask whether going up or down.


Barb throwing Tea overboard!

 

 

As I have said many times if Boston isn't on your bucket list it needs to be...great city, great food, great people and great fun!