Arrival and Race!

Greetings and welcome to our first post on the Pride of Baltimore II website. I hope that you will stay with us as we chronicle our travels aboard this amazing vessel. Let the story begin... We arrived aboard Pride as the end to two days of travel, including two plane trips, one unconfortable bus ride, and about 5 hours of sleep. Stepping out of the cab at the start of the pier, we hefted our heavy bags to our new home, the only tall ship on the dock, the Pride of Baltimore II. Greeted by the crew, we moved temporarily into an open cabin and managed to stay awake for a few pints at a near by pub. After a month of anticipation, it was great to finally be on board. The following few days were filled with safety orientation and general maitanence as crowds gathered to watch the incoming tall ship fleet. My night off was spent in the company of lords and ladies and knights of the realm at the Officers social (I was invited to fill out the crowd), very grateful that Pride provided the dress outfit, and discussing race tactics and dancing with captains. Bhodi's night off was spent fighting 400 Russian sailors for a piece of the buffet and a few pints of beer at the pre-race party. On Saturday, we cast off our lines and headed out among our larger sisters. The sky was hazy but the sea energetic and the wind swift. By the time we crossed the start line, every stitch of rigged canvas was flying, including the weather studdingsail and the t'gallant. I realized that this level of heel was normal and moved quickly to keep up with the adept crew.

As the day passed we fell into the watch system. I was stationed on C watch, 12-4, while Bhodi was a part of B watch, 8-12. The weather remained the traditional Pride fare, beating to weather and seas but she has a gentle motion and my stomach, long on land, was gratefully undisturbed. Sails were struck and reset as the winds and tacks varied. Bhodi was sent into the rigging several times while my watch remained relatively uneventful. Time passed as I caught up on sleep. It was good to be at sea again.

On Sunday, we passed Mir on opposite tacks, a breathtaking sight, and on Monday morning, Pride II for the first time ever, held the position of first and first in class and fleet. But, as they sometimes do, the tide changed.