Update on Friendship

You may have noticed a big, gaping hole in our waterfront this month.  Indeed, the Tall Ship Friendship is not currently in port.  We miss her dearly.

I have an update on Friendship's status, and a few answers to the frequently asked questions we've been hearing around town.

First, a Q&A:

1. Where is she?  Friendship is at the Fairhaven Shipyard, which is in southern Massachusetts near New Bedford. 
2. Why is she gone?  Per her US Coast Guard certification, Friendship is required to have an annual haul-out. It's like a physical examination for a large, wooden vessel. 
3. Why now? It's our busiest season!   Making an appointment for a haul-out is not as dependable as making a doctor's appointment.  She was originally scheduled to be gone in September, in which case she would have been home in October, but the schedule was delayed by the shipyard schedule.  Also worth noting, the last time Friendship was hauled out, a considerable amount of work was needed and she was gone for more than six months - April through October, 2009.  Rather than risk that happening again this year, the National Park Service opted to have her haul-out done in the fall.  This way another "worst case scenario" would impact Salem Maritime National Historic Site over the winter months, not the summer months. 
4. What's being done?  Friendship is being checked for wear-and-tear, power-washed, and receiving a new paint job above and below the waterline.

Next, a couple of pictures.

These pictures from her haul-out are courtesy nps.gov/sama.  She is due back in early November.  When the work is done in Fairhaven, she is going to be in port and open for visitation at New Bedford Whaling National Historic Site for two days.

We're really sorry if you came to Salem and missed Friendship.  She is a wonderful piece of our waterfront and our maritime heritage.  She is also a great ambassador for Salem and the Essex National Heritage Area, so when she isn't here, we will let you know where she is (last summer she was in New York City and Gloucester for different events), and perhaps you can visit her when she is traveling.

I'll let you know when she's due back in Salem.  It's always a great photo opp when she comes in on the high tide!

Friendship to sail on August 7th

Image courtesy Essex National Heritage Commission.

We love the tall ship Friendship.  We especially love her when she's in port and people can climb aboard and explore her decks, learning about Salem's maritime history and imagining the life of a sailor, a sea captain, a navigator.  One of the reasons we love Friendship so much is that she can sail.  She is a US Coast Guard certified vessel and she was built to sail, so - on occasion - sail, she must. 

On August 7th, Friendship will depart Salem for a port visit in New York City.  Her trip is part of a youth program called Friendship Sails! A Youth Journey on the High Seas.  The vessel will spend 2-3 days at sea, and once in New York the youth aboard will attend a Youth Summit with their peers from New York City and Baltimore.  She will be berthed at the Dennis Connor's North Cover Marina on the Hudson River on August 10th. Friendship will return to Salem on August 16.

The National Park Service and Essex National Heritage Commission are hosting a "Bon Voyage" event on Derby Wharf on Sunday, August 7 at 4:30 PM.  People are invited to bring handkerchiefs to wave at Friendship as she leaves port, the traditional send-off that was practiced in Salem in the 18th century.

It is fantastic to watch Friendship leave from Derby Wharf, especially when there is a crowd waving hankies, and it is equally fantastic to see her come out of the harbor from Winter Island Maritime Park.  You won't need a handkerchief at Winter Island, but I recommend a camera. 

Visit nps.gov/sama for Friendship's 2011 sailing schedule.  

Image courtesy Essex National Heritage Commission.

About the Friendship 

The Friendship of Salem is a full-size replica of the original ship constructed by the renowned shipbuilder Enos Briggs in Salem in 1797.  She is a 171-foot three-masted “East Indiaman” - the type of merchant ship that made Salem a leader in the opening of international trade with the Far East, Europe and Russia in the years immediately following the American Revolution.  The Friendship is the largest wooden, Coast Guard certified, sailing vessel to be built in New England in more than a century.  The original Friendship made 15 voyages around the world before being captured by the British during the war of 1812.  The new Friendship is part of the National Park Service's Salem Maritime National Historic Site which includes the last remaining intact complex of colonial era wharves, the 1819 Custom House where author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked and several related maritime structures and Federal Era houses. Friendship is a fully operational sailing vessel.  She is permanently berthed at Derby Wharf in Salem but, on special occasions, she sails to ports along the New England coast.  This trip to New York City will be her furthest sail to date, but plans are being made to sail to Baltimore, MD to commemorate the War of 1812 next year.  Friendship’s keel was laid in 1996 and she was certified by the US Coast Guard as a passenger carrying vessel in 2010.   

Salem Maritime mourns loss of beloved Friendship Captain

At Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the replica tall ship Friendship’s lower yards are tilted, or “cockbilled,” and a black streamer is flying from her mainmast in a traditional form of shipboard mourning.

Captain James Fox, the beloved captain of Friendship, died on August 17, 2010, following a battle with cancer. He will be missed by all the National Park Service staff and volunteers who worked with him since Friendship first arrived in Salem.

“Captain Fox was one of the first and most passionate supporters of getting Friendship to the national park in Salem," said Salem Maritime Superintendent Patricia Trap. “He signed on as a volunteer to captain the ship to Salem in 1998, and from then on devoted thousands of hours to be sure that the ship safely fulfilled her mission as a floating ambassador for the National Park Service, the Essex National Heritage Area, and the City of Salem.”

Captain Fox was instrumental in getting Friendship through her U.S. Coast Guard Certification requirements to allow passengers to sail on the ship. “With Captain Fox’s leadership, we are now ready to embark on a new chapter in Friendship’s history—developing a sailing program for the general public,” stated Trap. “We will miss him.”

In his memory, a plaque with the names of the captains of the original and the modern day Friendship will be placed on board the ship that he helped to bring to life. "Wherever Friendship sails from now on, he will always be with us," said Colleen Bruce, Chief of Marine and Special Programs at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

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Our thoughts and condolences go out to Captain Fox's family, his friends, and the volunteers and staff at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

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The image above, taken by Leighton O'Connor, shows the Friendship with its masts tilted in the sunset on Wednesday night.

For more information on the tall ship Friendship, visit nps.gov/sama.

Historic Salem, Inc. Celebrates Summer on FRIENDSHIP

It’s back by popular demand! Join Historic Salem, Inc. aboard the tall ship Friendship of Salem for a “Summer Sipping” Fundraiser on Sunday, August 15, 2010 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.


On board, attendees will be able to sip a selection of wines courtesy of Market Wine and Spirits and Salem Wine Imports, sample cuisine from Salem’s finest purveyors, and bid high at the silent auction, which will feature a selection of prizes from local hotels, restaurants, cultural attractions, and retailers. (You can see the whole list at HistoricSalem.org.)

This event will be dockside. In case of inclement weather, the Summer Sipping will be held at St. Joseph’s Hall on Derby Street. The event is handicapped accessible; though prior notice is requested to best fulfill the attendees needs. The National Park Service requires that visitors wear soft-soled footwear.

Tickets are $50.00 for members of Historic Salem, Inc. and $65.00 for nonmembers. Tickets purchased on the day of the event are $65.00. Advance ticket purchases are suggested as space is limited and this event typically sells out. Tickets may be purchased online at HistoricSalem.org, by phone at 978-745-0799, or by visiting the headquarters located at 9 North Street.

Photo credit: Malcolm Fitzgerald

Enjoy this Memorial Day

Best wishes for a happy Memorial Day to all, and thanks to members of the American military past and present, and their families, for all you do and have done.

National Park Service prepares for the return of Friendship of Salem!

National Park Service Superintendent Patricia S. Trap announced today that Friendship of Salem is sailing home. "It is time to celebrate. Friendship is in the water and if the weather holds, we invite the community to join us Sunday, November 22nd, shortly after 2:30 pm on historic Derby Wharf to wave her home."

Part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Friendship has been under repair at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard since May. She was launched off the marine railway on Thursday, November 19, 2009. Since then, the Friendship crew has been hard at work getting the ship ready to set sail home.

"We plan to depart Boothbay on Saturday, November 21, with an anticipated arrival during high tide on Sunday, November 22nd," confirmed the Chief of the Marine Divison, Colleen Bruce. "Inclement weather can delay her departure and subsequent arrival, so we suggest that anyone interested in welcoming our ship home to first check the park's website (nps.gov/sama) or contact the National Park Service Visitor Center at 978-740-1650," she urged.

To celebrate her arrival, the National Park Service will distribute a free, commemorative handkerchief to the first 75 people. The hankies will be distributed from the National Park Service Orientation Center at 193 Derby Street starting at 1 pm on the day of Friendship's arrival.

In the 18th century, family and friends would gather on the wharf and wave their hankies as a ship arrived home after an extended absence. "Waving the ship into port is both a fitting tribute to her homecoming and a great way to commemorate Salem's rich maritime heritage," stated Trap.

Tall Ship Repairs - Free Lecture on Thursday, November 4

As all of FRIENDSHIP's many friends are aware, Salem's Tall Ship has been in Maine for the last six months. A trip to the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard for routine maintenance turned into a much bigger project than anticipated.

Join the National Park Service at 7 p.m., on November 4, at St. Joseph Hall, 160 Derby St., Salem, to see slides and hear stories about the ongoing work. We'll also get an update on the certification process as well as a sneak preview of FRIENDSHIP's schedule for 2010.

This free lecture is sponsored jointly by FAME and by the National Park Service. Refreshments are served. The Hall is handicapped accessible. For more information, call 978-729-7600 or 978-740-1660.

A Glimpse of Friendship

We miss our tall ship! We really do, and it pains us to know that she will be away from port through October. National Park Service has been great about keeping us in the loop, and this morning park historian Emily Murphy sent me a link to pictures and information about the Friendship, which has been hauled out for work in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

The drama of the missing tall ship began in May this year, when Friendship traveled to Boothbay Harbor, Maine, for her haul-out and required US Coast Guard certification inspection. Unfortunately, during the inspection a considerable amount of rot was discovered in the ship's stem. (Like a plant, if the stem is compromised, a boat doesn't have much holding it up.) It's important to remember that Friendship is a wooden vessel, and she sits in water 24 hours a day. Rot is not unusual, and it is something that needs to be taken care of to ensure the Friendship will return and be here for many years into the future.

I suppose the difference between the original Friendship's Salem of 1797 and today's Salem is that the boatyards were all here in Salem. She would have been hauled out locally, and the local gossips and town criers would have kept us all abreast of Friendship's status. Today she is far away, and we wish her well for speedy repairs and a safe return.

You can see pictures of the ongoing work on Friendship on nps.gov/sama. I've pulled two of my favorites into the blog.

I'll let you know when Friendship is scheduled to return to her berth on Derby Wharf.

Friendship will be away from port for two more months...

This information came out on Friday. We hope repairs move swiftly and that Friendship will be home in Salem soon.

If you are planning to come to the Salem Maritime Festival on July 31-August, 1, the Kalmar Nyckel will be in port and tours of the visiting vessel will be available. Click here for more information on the Salem Maritime Festival.

Here's the information on Tall Ship Friendship:

Salem Maritime National Historic Site today announced that the tall ship Friendship of Salem will not be at the Salem Maritime Festival, July 31-Aug 1, or making her much-anticipated trip to Newburyport’s Yankee Homecoming, August 13-16. “We are very disappointed that Friendship has not been able to sail this summer, as we had planned one of our most exciting sailing seasons so far,” said Salem Maritime Superintendent Patricia Trap. “However, ensuring the safety of the ship, her crew, and the visitors we hope to welcome aboard as passengers in the near future is our top priority. We want Friendship to be afloat at Derby Wharf and sailing as an ambassador for the National Park Service, the Essex National Heritage Area, and the City of Salem for years to come.”

Friendship traveled up to Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in early June to be hauled out for routine inspection and maintenance. Close inspection discovered rot in the bow of the ship that will necessitate extensive repairs. “Rot prevention and removal is a constant process on a wooden vessel.” said National Park Service rigger Jeremy Bumagin, who is the chief mate for the vessel, “and to this end, when the ship is in port you will see our carpenter John Pyndynkowski and our dedicated volunteers replacing weakened wood and making sure that the exposed wood is painted, sealed or oiled to minimize water infiltration. But in this instance, we had more water infiltration than we anticipated.”

Repairs are currently anticipated to take another two months, although the final schedule has not yet been determined. It is hoped that Friendship will be back at Derby Wharf in September. For updates on the ship’s status, please visit the “Friendship Sailing Schedule” page on Salem Maritime’s web site, www.nps.gov/sama.

NPS Photo: Friendship in dry dock, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, June 2009.

The First Bentley Visit

Salem welcomed eight 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spurs on Tuesday, July 1st. The luxurious cars were driven by journalists from the US, United Kingdom, and Korea. The cars parked on Central Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site for about an hour while the journalists took a brief tour of our Bewitching Seaport.

The visit to Salem is part of a five-week media promotion being conducted by Bentley Motors USA, which just moved to Boston.

If you want to see about a dozen more of the Continental Flying Spurs, Bentley is returning on Thursday, July 3rd. They will be parked on Central Wharf again (approximately 160 Derby Street) from about 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm.


(We're glad the Bentley crew from England was able to enjoy a bit of ice cream on the wharf while the journalists took their tour!)

Friendship's Mighty Volunteers

Yesterday Captain Jim Fox, who is the volunteer captain of Salem's replica tall ship Friendship was recognized for his contributions to Salem and the region with a Hospitality Award, given at the annual Governor's Conference on Travel & Tourism. Captain Fox leads an incredible group of volunteers who not only keep Friendship ship-shape, but who actually sail her to ports of call including Gloucester, Newburyport, Boston, and Newport.

The Boston Globe ran a wonderful article about the shipwrights who donate their time to Friendship last year. I recommend reading The Old Men and the Sea.

The original Friendship was built in 1796-1797. The three-masted, square-rigged, 342-ton vessel was an “East Indiaman,” the type of merchant ship that made Salem a leader in trade with the Far East in the years after the American Revolution. The model used to construct Friendship is on display at the Peabody Essex Museum. The National Park Service has a bulletin about Friendship available on their web site, www.nps.gov/sama. Friendship is open for visitation year-round.

Congratulations to Captain Fox on his award, and many thanks to Captain Fox and all of the volunteers and NPS staff who contribute so much to ensure Salem's maritime heritage is alive and well on Derby Wharf.