For those who don't know me, I am Peggy and I photograph for the Maritime Heritage Alliance.  The ship you are viewing in this Blog is called the Welcome.   She is a replica of a 1774 British War Sloop.  The Welcome has the distinction of being the first Sloop built in the Great Lakes and was originally used as a fur trading vessel.  It was later bought by British and served as a supply ship durning the Revolutionary War.  In 1871 she want aground in a winter storm and was salvaged out and lost in history.   On July 4, 1973 the second Welcome's Keel was laid in the same location the first Welcome was built.   She took Ten years to complete.  1994 Maritime Heritage Alliance took over her care and spent the next 15 years repairing her and sailing her in Grand Traverse Bay.  This year thanks to the all volunteer crew, the Welcome received a new bow sprit, and new electrical wiring.  June 1, Welcome was put into dry dock and this amazing crew scraped the entire hull, took out old calking and replaced it, bent and shaped 18 new planks, replaced drive shaft, and gave the old girl two new coats of paint in 31 days.  For those of you that don't understand the scope of this project, The Welcome is 55 feet long, 16 feet accross and 7 feet from her keel to her deck.  Every single joint in hull has to be hand stuffed with cotton batting (very tightly) and sealed with special calking.  Last week our beautiful old girl passed her Coast Guard Inspection and earned her 6 pack licence.
Today, The Welcome sailed out of Traverse Bay for the first time in 15 years.  To say it was emotional for the crew is  an understatement.  To see all the hard work pay off and to begin a seven week journey around the Great Lakes choked up alot of the crew.  Today the Welcome sailed in to Charlevoix with her head held high, with grace and spirit.  Today is a special day in history.  I wish each of you could have experienced it.  I was such a great feeling to be able to capture this moment in time.  Greater honor yet to have the privilege of filming her journey this summer.
Now for a request.  Welcome still needs alot of work to keep her sailing for the next twenty years.  Right now she is in desperate need of a new deck.  The decking has dried so bad over the last few years that when it rains it rains inside the ship as hard as it does outside.  This brave crew this summer is sailing week long legs, with very wet bunks.  Now Jim pours his heart and soul into this boat, but he is a bit dower and very big Nay sayer.  He doesn't think we will get the money to save this old girl and get her the new deck, new engines and bilge pump she needs to keep her sailing for next twenty years.  I happen to believe it can be done, and I need your help to prove to Jim he needs to have more faith.  So if everyone that reads this would donate one dollar and tell one friend, I bet you we can raise the money to complete the repairs.  Would you give up one pop or hamburger to save a piece of history?    
you can stay posted to MHA website  for updates or visit candidlensstudios to purchase pictures of MHA boats and ongoing projects.  I feel it is important to tell you we survive on donations and Volunteers.  it takes over 51000 hours a years to maintain and sail these ships.   We have men who work maintaining and rebuilding these ships 8 hours a day 5 days a week year round.  Some crew members brave leaky bunks, cold weather, long hours a week at a time to sail around the Great Lakes teaching Maritime History, all without pay.  We have amazing crew.  Please join us in preserving these pieces of history, learn, share, and teach with us.  There is no amount of support that is too small and all are welcome to share the journey whether it be through following  our blogs, donating, working in the wood shop, visiting our ships or by completing Sail Training and sailing with us.
 For those wishing to make donation you can send your $1.00 to...
Maritime Heritage Alliance
322 Sixth Street
Traverse City, MI 49684