Meeting the Pride of Baltimore II

May 19^th, 2013

 

A look at a map showing Athens County of Southeast Ohio can leave a sailor a little blue. Lake Erie is four hours to the north. The Chesapeake Bay is many hours to the east. The largest body of water close to home is the Ohio River, which has the possibility of a tug with a long string of coal barges around any bend in the river.  Its many bordering hills and direction changes makes for fluky winds. I owned a Catalina 25 and sailed on the Ohio River for two seasons and on Lake Erie for one. here are worse places for a sailor to live, but not many.

     After many day dreams and night dreams of sailing somewhere, anywhere, I decide to do something, do anything to get onto a boat sailing in some interesting body of water. In the winter of 2013, newly retired, I was snooping around the internet for sailing possibilities.

      Google searching for ways to go out onto the ocean, Landing on the Pride of Baltimore II website after a couple of dead ends, I find an ad for a 46-day trip aboard a 145’ long Baltimore Topsail Schooner from Baltimore to Cleveland via the St. Lawrence River all for a decent price! “Holy crap!  I can do this!” This would be the jolt to my life that was long needed.  Calling right away I find out that there is still space available and the only things required are the money, a doctor’s release since I was over 65, and passing muster in an interview with the captain.

     I also had to pass muster with Mary Ann.  Almost right away she says “Go for it”!  This is shortly after she said “You’ll never make it.” But this just makes me more determined.  

     Sunday May 19^th, Will (my oldest son) drives me to Baltimore Harbor from his home in central PA. I had stopped in Lewisburg to see him and his family before beginning this journey.  I had asked him to drive me to Baltimore because he loves sailing and I knew he’d like to tour a 145’ sailing vessel.

     My first view of the POB2 is of her mast and spars and rigging.  I’m impressed and intimidated, also nervous – a new situation, new people to meet, and (my biggest worry) can I do what I signed up for.  My voyage with the POB2 is not going to be a joy-ride. I’m sailing as a guest/deckhand.  Guests will be expected (but aren’t required) to work.

     Being a deckhand (guest or not) will be a challenge; I’m carrying some unfriendly baggage on board.  For the past 20 or so years I have been dealing with a condition the doctors call fibromyalgia but which is essentially chronic pain and fatigue, accompanied by depression, insomnia and mental fogginess.  It’s relentless.  Long before May 2013 I had learned that to have any type of a life, I am going to have to push past many things to achieve it.

     And here I am, on a dock in Baltimore harbor, looking at the POB2, ready to go aboard. We do go aboard, stash my gear and meet some of the other crew. There are new things to see, even a cannon, which I hope is real.  Will is jealous.  I would love for him to go with me.  But he drives home.

--Bob Kerber