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Greetings all! As I write this, we are secure in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, enjoying a mix of maintenance time, daysails, and receptions. On Saturday, July 10, Captain Jan Miles will relieve me as captain and sail Pride II towards New England and the Canadian Maritimes, participating in tall ship events as she goes.

Following our time in Charleston, SC, back on June 6-7, we sailed off to Wilmington, NC, and had a proper booming sail of it with the wind out of the South West at 20-25 knots. We ran out to the East about 50 miles so as to get a reach angle on the Cape Fear River (and to get closer to the Gulf Stream where the fishing is good) and then jibed over - all the while doing 9 to 10 knots through the water. At this speed we were going to arrive at the mouth of the river at about 1:30 AM and, while its possible to transit the river at night, its not preferable. So I started trying to slow Pride II down a bit so as to arrive at first light. We already had a double reefed main so we took it completely and got rid of the jib, which slowed us to 8 knots. It was only after we took the topsail that our speed dropped below 6 knots. We arrived off the Cape Fear River at 0200 hrs and sailed with reduced canvass until dawn when we discovered that the channel had been shifted two miles from its previous location. This change was so recent that it had not yet been listed on our chart updates, which happen quarterly.

So up the river we went, taking time to exchange cannon salutes with the town of Southport. The wind was South West and fresh which allowed us to sail on a flood current about half way up the river before the wind failed and the tide came against us. At the port of Wilmington, we rendezvoused with the schooner Unicorn and proceeded to the downtown area for a maritime festival. This event was wonderfully organized and drew many folks down to the river over the weekend. Wilmington is a peaceful city with a lot of history. It's always a pleasure to take a little time out to stroll her streets and admire the architecture. When I was there last in the early 1990s, there had been an active "B" movie production industry in town but the exchange rate with Canada caused that effort to move north. Still, Wilmington seemed to be doing very well and the riverfront celebration had a large and happy turn out.

On Monday morning, June 28, we cleared the lift bridge with Unicorn in our wake and headed down the river to begin our jaunt around Cape Hatteras. I was counting myself lucky to be part of a management scheme that affords Pride II a rate of advance of 120 miles per day to get from point A to point B.I had to have the ship in Baltimore by noon on July 2; Unicorn had to be in Philadelphia by the afternoon of the June 30.

Setting out from the mouth of the Cape Fear River was a little bumpy with the wind blowing fresh across the tide causing some square waves for the first 10 miles out into the deeper water. Soon, however, we were free of the coastal tide effect and, as with our run from Charleston to Wilmington, we stood well out to the East moving very quickly under four lowers and topsail. With the wind SW by S at 18-20 knots, we sailed out almost 100 miles before we established a slant on Cape Hatteras which would allow us to steer a comfortable broad reach after the jibe. Seas were running 6-8 feet and the mates and I agreed it was "a great day to be going this direction." We jibed at midnight at the watch change and found the wind had veered a touch so that the run up to the Cape was a shallow broad reach as opposed to a deep reach or a run. The wind force held up and, despite squalls moving through the area, we had a dry night.

At noon on Tuesday, a front move through our area. The net result was we all got wet and the wind simply went away. Ah well, we'd run well out to the Gulf Stream and it was moving us along well, so the mains were warmed up and we steamed for the mouth of the Chesapeake.

I was a little preoccupied with the fishing. After having done so well up to this point, I was getting greedy. I wanted one more meal of Mahi Mahi and the Gulf Stream was the place to get it. And we got him - almost all the way to the ship. Probably a 12 lb. bull who shook the hook as he was being swung aboard. Ah well, next time.

Wednesday, the June 30 found us at the mouth of the Chesapeake with the wind filling in from the South with a little East. After the first turn to the North, this was a dead run for Pride II. With the wind under our coat tails and with topsails and t'gallants abroad. we sailed Pride II wing and wing up the Bay, occasionally gibing the fore or main as we wended our way north. We sailed like that until the early hours of Thursday when the wind again departed off of Cove Point. We motored into Annapolis at sunrise to drop a hook off the town and priddy the boat and rest the people.

Friday, July 2, was homecoming for Pride of Baltimore II. We departed Annapolis at 0700 in a no air day and pushed for home. As we approached the Key Bridge in Baltimore's Outer Harbor, the wind filled in enough to carry sail and, with cannons primed, we stood in for the Inner Harbor. There awaiting us were six Class A tall ships from various countries as part of Baltimore's "Sailabration," a summer festival of sail. As we saluted the vessels with cannon fire and prepared to join Constellation at her dock, the bronze bell in the Inner Harbor began to toll and a chorus of ships horns greeted Pride II. It was very touching for all of us aboard, that bell especially.

Following the homecoming, Pride II was busy hosting Baltimoreans aboard during open houses or taking them out onto the Bay for daysails. July Fourth was a fun event with folks aboard to enjoy a picnic style dinner prior to watching really close, really loud fireworks in the Inner Harbor.

The most poignant event for me came on July 9 as Jan Miles took command. This was a daysail and reunion for crew members from the original Pride from 1981, the first crew assembled by Pride Of Baltimore, Inc. It was a pleasant day with enough wind to move the boat. Lots of Pride crew and possible second generation Pride II crew scampered aloft and out into the head rig. I started sailing as a volunteer deckhand on the original Pride in 1982 with some of these guys and it was a wonderful opportunity to visit. Fair winds to all those folks, present or away.

Pride II is now away to the Northeast preparing to race a fleet of tallships from Long Island to Newport. I'm pushing paper work, upon which all vessels float, looking forward to August when I rejoin.

Fair winds,

Captain John Beebe-Center