The Adventuress Cruise
by Kym Backland
Title
The Adventuress Cruise
Artist
Kym Backland
Medium
Photograph
Description
It was a beautiful weekend a few days ago! Lovely sunset for all the Mother's and people going to go be with their families for the holiday! The Mountains were out in their full glory. Then in the shot with the sunset cruise, is the iconic Adventuress. It is the jewel and pride of the Seattle Waterfront. She's a beauty! Oh how I love this ship!
In 1913, John Borden II of Chicago, founder of the Yellow Cab Company, took possession of the luxury schooner Adventuress. Yacht designer B.B. Crowninshield had watched over her construction and the slender-hulled, gaff-rigged schooner was launched at the Rice Brothers' Yard in East Boothbay Maine. On her maiden voyage, Adventuress sailed down the east coast, through the Straits of Magellan and up to arctic waters. Borden's mission was to secure a bowhead whale specimen to complete the whale exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Borden was unable to secure a specimen because of an unusually early formation of pack ice and over-hunting of bowheads. However, young naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews was able to do pivotal work on the fur seal population on the Pribilof Islands, known as the "Galapagos of the North."
John Borden For reasons still unknown, sold his nearly new yacht to the San Francisco Bar Pilot's Association in 1914. Adventuress' career as yacht was over, earning her the paltry mention..."de-rigged for a work boat. In Crowninshield's historic inventory of his own designs. Adventuress as a pilot 1915 marked the beginning of Adventuress' career as a working boat. For 35 years, she plied the rough, treacherous waters off the Farrallones. The work was hard. Transferring pilots to the massive ships entering the bay, scrapes, bumps, and full-on collisions were as common as a smooth ride.
Weather forced her in just once, and then only because the foremast went over the side. She served the Coast Guard, guarding the bay, during World War II. In 1951, the pilots bought themselves a more sturdy ship - a war surplus minesweeper - and let the old schooner go. Never exactly common, yachts of her size had become rare, almost extinct, by 1950. That fate almost fell to Adventuress. She was beached for ten years near Sausalito where negligent party-goers caused a serious fire. Adventuress' stern had been chopped off in an accident and she still had the cut-down San Francisco rig. To add insult to injury, there was a house about the size and shape of a trolley car sitting aft of the mainmast, running nearly to the stern. The main boom was well above the house set more like a giant flag than a sail. Whomever steered had to look through three sets of windows to see forward. Still, she was the stuff of which dreams are made.
About 1960, O.H. "Doc" Freeman, founder of the Lake Union Chandlery that bears his name, brought her to Seattle. "Doc" ultimately gave up on the big boat as did the next owner - and the next - but Adventuress finally found a dreamer named Monty Morton who had a plan to use her as a sail-training vessel. Morton founded a non-profit organization called Youth Adventure, and went sailing. In 1962, the late Ernestine Bennett came with a pack of Girl Scouts to Seattle to sail. She was looking for a challenge and she found one.
Mrs. Bennett became involved in the management of the sail-training program. In time her love for the boat grew. In 1974 she became the head of Youth Adventure and the financial steward of Adventuress. As a result of that stewardship and with many volunteer hands, the boat was restored to nearly all her original lines. In 1988 she began serving as a floating classroom for the environmental education leadership program, Sound Experience. In 1989, Adventuress was named a National Historic Landmark.
Sound Experience, patterned after programs, like the highly successful Clearwater Hudson River program, was founded in 1988 by Barbara Wyatt and Morley Horder to protect Puget Sound through education. In 1991 Mrs. Bennett decided she had found the right successors to Youth Adventure and she offered Sound Experience an opportunity to purchase Adventuress for the people of Puget Sound.
Late 1980s Sound Experience, a non-profit organization based out of Port Townsend, currently sails Adventuress to ports throughout the Puget Sound. The ship provides programs April through October. Approximately 3,000 youth and adults board her each year to learn her history, Puget Sound's and the ways we can work together to protect the environment in which she sails. The program is actively supported by hundreds of volunteers who help crew for school groups, public day sails, week long trips and continue the work of historic preservation and restoration.
Adventuress 2008
The ship is a beauty again. She continues to catch the hearts of those who sail with her as well as inspire their dreams. Most importantly, Adventuress is growing leaders who will serve her mission to protect the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) for generations to come. The historic schooner Adventuress is still a working vessel. We think her designer would be proud.
I have most recently read another article about Adventuress is a Wooden Boat Article. I will update this article when I finish reading it. I read they put "PURPLE HEART" in her.. I do love me some Purple Heart Wood!
Uploaded
May 13th, 2013
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Viewed 768 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 03/27/2024 at 7:32 PM
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Comments (58)
Jacek Dudzinski
Amazing work. I love it! If you have a sec, please let me know what you think about my images. I really want to progress with my knowledge
Mary Deal
Oh, Kym! This is almost like the Ketch I sailed on around the Caribbean in the late 1960s. It's owner brought it up out of the Caribbean sea. It had long before sunk and was abandoned. If abandoned, anyone can claim a boat and bring it up and refurbish. That's what the owner of the boat I was on did. This is similar to that boat, except the one I was on had an aft mizzen mast, but this is so close and brings back some delicious memories. FAV/L
Kym Backland
DAWN KORI SNYDER, Thanks so much for the feature of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your very new group SHIP TO SHORE AND ALL THINGS NAUTICAL. I love this group. I appreciate you starting it, and featuring me as well!
Kym Backland
TINA WENGER, Hello Again! Long time no see! Thanks so much for the feature of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your very new group SUNSETS OF THE WORLD. You sure work quickly! I appreciate your time and stuff you do! Thanks so much for all 5 features!
Kym Backland
FOR THE LOVE OF ART .... love all the features today! Thank you so much for the feature of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your group FOR THE LOVE OF ART GALLERY.. so many features today, I really appreciate it!
Kym Backland
FAYE GIBLIN, Happy Friday to you ! Thank you for the feature today! I appreciate you featuring my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE In your group GREAT ART FOR COMMENTS AND VOTES.. .. I appreciate it ...You gave me so many features and were so generous .with your time too!..
Kym Backland
SARAH, Our new fearless leader! hehe Thank you for the feature today of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your group SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY.. I know it's taken me a few days to show my appreciation... thanks again Sarah!
Kym Backland
SHRADHA, Happy June and Thursday to you! Thank for the multiple features today, and for the one of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your group LANDSCAPE THAT MESMERIZED ...I really appreciate it all the features tonight!
Kym Backland
BOB AND NADINE.. So many groups you mange! Wow! NADINE AND BOB, Happy June and Wednesday to you! Thank for the feature of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your group ALL LANDSCAPE AND SCENERY...I really appreciate it Bob..Hope you are having a wonderful day, and things are getting better for you and your family.
Kym Backland
NADINE AND BOB, Happy June and Wednesday to you! Thank for the feature of my photo THE ADVENTURESS CRUISE in your group ALL NATURAL SCENIC LANDSCAPES I really appreciate it Bob..Hope you are having a wonderful day, and things are getting better for you!