Royal Gazette – September 29th 2006

Land ahoy! Spirit of Bermuda arrives after eventful voyage
By Elizabeth Roberts and Dan Jones

This was the moment a homecoming hero glided gracefully into Bermuda waters for the first time.

Spirit of Bermuda anchored safely off Ferry Reach at about 6.30 last night, Captain Chris Blake confirmed.

And he described the last few hours of a maiden voyage, that saw the 112-foot, three-masted schooner set sail from Maine on Sunday, as “awesome”. A small flotilla of boats came out along the south shore to welcome Spirit back to the Island, with the crew of the training vessel catching first glimpse of the lights of Bermuda at 4 a.m. yesterday. Land was first spotted at about 11 a.m.

Asked how it felt to be back after the 735 nautical mile trans-Atlantic trip, Captain Blake said: “Everyone has got a buzz.

“Everyone is really pleased about the whole thing. The mobile phones came out as soon as we arrived, with people ringing home to mum to say that they are safe.”

Meanwhile, the crew of the homeward-bound vessel – which offers world class educational programmes for 14 to 20 year olds – called up students at Whitney Institute yesterday afternoon to share stories of their adventure on the high seas.

Bermuda Sloop Foundation founder member and director Jay Kempe, speaking from the boat, told the Royal Gazette it had been a worthwhile experience for all those who set sail on the historic trip.

“What they have accomplished, I don’t think they will truly appreciate until they have returned home. I’d say their self-esteem and confidence has gone up a few notches.

“They have dealt with everything that came up,” he reported.

The ship appeared on Bermuda’s horizon yesterday morning and sailed along the south shore from west to east in late afternoon, before anchoring overnight near the Oil Docks off Ferry Reach, St. George’s where Spirit’s quarantine flag was raised.

She will head for Ordnance Island early this morning to clear Customs before sailing back out through the Town Cut around 9.45 a.m., around Fort St. Catherine, along the North Shore then up to Dockyard. She will then glide into Hamilton Harbour to arrive at Albuoy’s Point by 2 p.m for an official welcoming ceremony and an afternoon of celebrations. The ship had 32 crew members ranging from 61-year-old Captain Blake to 15-year-old fore watch crewman Marcus Fox. A total of 27 hail from Bermuda.

Former Whitney students Kanhai Woolridge, Rockal Evans and Ed Stowe were on board for the journey, which saw the mainly novice crew battle appalling weather.

Mr. Evans and Mr. Woolridge joined with Captain Blake for a special satellite phone call into the M3 department’s afternoon assembly at Whitney to talk directly to the 12 and 13-year-olds about their experiences.

“I’ve learned a lot of rope work and also learned about the weather and the water and the moon and waves. All sorts of fun and interesting things,” said Mr. Woolridge, 19. “The water is a wonderful place. You learn a lot about yourself as you have time to reflect and think about things you would not usually think about.”

Mr. Evans, 18, told how the crew had spotted dolphins – and explained he had been motivated to join the ship “for the experience, and because I like sailing a lot.”

Captain Blake, 61, said a force seven gale with winds up to 38 knots in the early part of the trip saw several members of the crew experience sea sickness before they got used to life on the ocean waves.

He named the best experience of the trip as “getting up in the morning and seeing everybody on board smiling and enjoying themselves at the same time as running the ship in an efficient way.” Mr. Woolridge and Mr. Evans pledged to visit the school in person in the near future in order to share more of their experiences.