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Lake Superior Magazine Exclusive
Dispatch from the Pride by Anne Lewis

Dispatch #4 - July 29, 2008

KEWEENAW PENINSULA, LAKE SUPERIOR (July 29, 2008) – The song “Starry, Starry Night” kept reverberating through my head as we stood the night watch on an glassy Lake Superior. The stars were so bright and unencumbered by other light that they seemed to cut through the low-hanging fog and reappear in the Lake.

The scene was reminiscent of the lagoon beneath the opera house in “Phantom of the Opera,” where candles lit the way through the mist. No sound interrupted our floating sensation except the steady swoosh the ship made in the water and the gentle purring of the engine. This is a Lake Superior that I would never have known had I not signed up to sail with Pride II.

The distinctiveness of Lake Superior was apparent yesterday as soon as we left the Soo Locks. We weren’t even out of Whitefish Bay before those on deck were scrambling for extra clothing. Lake Superior was at its most characteristic. Bright blue water and equally blue skies greeted us along with a west wind that took on a familiar sharp quality that I recall from living by the Lake. Today the wind is from the south, but we’re still all bundled up. It’s Lake Superior in its own inimitable and powerful way telling visitors you can ride on me or fish me, but no one can own me.

This morning’s watch started early. We were awakened earlier than our next watch because we needed to set the sails for a whole day of sailing. So before any of us could get our coffee or brush our teeth, we were up top, straining on the halyard to the chant of “EGGS” from the first mate, and “bacon” from those of us who were doing the hauling. I used to think I couldn’t do anything before I had my coffee. Turns out I can.

As we sail, the second mate in charge of our watch is letting me go below to look over the charts with him. The shore is becoming familiar, partly because I’ve driven it a lot, but also because I’m recalling the story of Paddle-to-the-Sea. This Holling Clancy Holling’s children’s book was not only read to me as a child, I read it to my children, too. I can recall the names of places and the imagery in the book so that I find myself framing much of this adventure in that context. I will leave a copy of the book on the Pride as a reminder of the crew’s Great Lakes journey.

When I’ve been in the navigation cabin, I noticed a brass name board on the wall. La Amistad. When I asked the captain about it, he explained that Pride of Baltimore II was the ship called La Amistad  used in the movie “Amistad,” about slavery in America and the great precedent-setting court case. The captain explained that Pride II had to be repainted and some things were changed for the movie, but this is where much of the sailing part of the movie was shot. Pride II has been in a few other movies as well, probably because the Pride organization has been so careful to keep the ship authentic as a Baltimore Clipper.

Yesterday a more modern image of the Lake was in view as we left the Sault. Looking out over to the Ontario shore of Whitefish Bay, there was a mammoth wind power farm with more than 120 windmills stretching along the high hills,. Without much difficulty, they are tapping into one of the many natural resources Lake Superior offers – wind power.

We motored many of those first miles on the Lake. We wanted to catch up to the Niagara which will be joining us and the Madeline for our entry into Duluth. We’re under sail now and the breeze is perfect. By 2 p.m. we should make the Keweenaw Peninsula, where I hope to send this dispatch.

As I talk with crew members and they learn that I’m from Duluth, they are asking me about things to do in their free time there. It’s giving me the opportunity to recall and recommend events, stores and restaurants they will enjoy in Duluth. They will be in the heart of the Duluth waterfront by the DECC (Duluth Entertainment Convention Center), and I know they will enjoy their stay in my original home port.

Most of the crew are young and from all over the United States. They have a special love of this ship and of sailing, so they’re anxious to have visitors come aboard at the same time they’ll explore what Duluth has to offer It’s sort of a nautical exchange program between Duluthians, Minnesotans and the crew of this magnificent tall ship. It will be an entertaining and educational exchange for all those involved.

-- Anne Lewis

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