Pride of Baltimore II What's New Return

	Against a backdrop of brilliant blue skies, sparkling harbor waters, and a brisk offshore breeze, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II made a picture-perfect arrival in the Inner Harbor on Friday, November 27, 1998, at high noon. This homecoming marks the end of the year long, 26,000 miles voyage that took Maryland's Sailing Ambassador to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. The ship, along with her two captains, crew, Christa McAuliffe Teacher Aboard, and a dozen special guests who joined the vessel near Ft. McHenry, were warmly greeted by several thousand enthusiastic supporters, fans, and well-wishers. Excitement was heightened by dragon dances from Grace and St. Peter's Chinese Language School, and by a specially composed "Welcome Home PRIDE" ballad written and performed by Baltimore's own troubadour, Pat O'Brennan, who was backed up by the Children's Chorus of Carroll County, directed by Idalea Rubin.

		A brief ceremony, hosted by WJHU radio personality Marc Steiner, welcomed the vessel home.
	Remarks were offered by Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, Pride Board Chair Henry Rosenberg, Maryland Port Administration representative Sam Azzarello, and State Department of Education representative Darla Strouse. Captains Jan Miles and Dan Parrott introduced the crew to thunderous applause. Framed pictures of the ship, autographed by the crew, were presented to Mr. Lin and Mr. Hue, representatives from the People's Republic of China, and to Mayor Schmoke. The Inner Harbor amphitheater was festively decorated with WELCOME HOME PRIDE banners made by school children from across the state. Over 60 banners were submitted to the contest. The first place co-winners were students from Deerfield Elementary School, Edgewood, MD, and Grantsville Elementary School, Garrett County. Representatives from these two schools won the privilege of sailing into the harbor on the ship. The honor of ringing the PRIDE BELL was won by students at Severn River Middle School, Arnold, MD.

	At the end of the ceremony, Captains Miles and Parrott completed a duty entrusted to them by well wishers in Baltimore's sister city of Kawasaki, Japan, just before the ship set out for home across the Pacific Ocean. A Japanese tradition is that at the beginning of an important undertaking (such as a sea voyage), one eye of a paper machié head is "made," i.e. filled in. The other eye is to be filled in at the successful conclusion of the project. Accordingly, the captains ceremoniously "made" the second eye of the head. A photograph was taken that will be sent to PRIDE's friends in Kawasaki to attest that the tradition has been dutifully honored and the voyage safely completed.
The Homecoming celebration concluded with a reception at Planet Hollywood. PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II will be open to the public for free tours at the Inner Harbor amphitheater between noon and 5 PM on Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29.