Picking Up Their Rivets

Not long ago we had a blog post about adopting an actual rivet from the BROWN for fundraising purposes.  Everyone who adopted rivets from our blog post was invited to pick them up this past weekend and to enjoy a special tour of the ship. Many more were sent to those who don't live close enough to pick up their rivet.  Howard lead the first tour and entertained everyone with stories and information about liberty ships and WWII. Howard, can usually be seen on the Flying Bridge during our Living History Cruises.  As either a pilot or Chief Mate, Howard has wonderful information and stories.

The tour started on the main deck and our guests were taught how to toss the heaving lines. Heaving lines are small lines that are thrown out to line handlers on a pier or another ship to attach to and pull across heavier lines.  The monkeys fist is the weighted ball at the end of the heaving line to give it some weight so it travels further. 

There were two groups in this tour. Boy Scout Troop 441 is sponsored by VFW Post 2462. They purchased a rivet to display in their space as a way to honor their sponsors. Liam showed everyone how to coil the line and the best technique for sending it flying.

The other group was a family.  They were the second couple to be married on the JOHN W BROWN, back in 1995 and they adopted a rivet as a way to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

They brought the announcement from their wedding. It was a real treat for us to see!

Crew member/docent, Al is giving Brett and his mother a tour of the ship and explaining the hatches and holds of Liberty Ships.

The tour moved aft and Howard talked about differences between merchant mariners and the Armed Guard. He also explained how loading and aiming the guns changed over the course of the war.

When you're on the JOHN W BROWN you're welcome to explore many parts of the ship.

Taking a turn at the wheel on the Flying Bridge is something most people will do if they can, even though the ship is not moving. During a Living History Cruise you can do this for real. There is a silent auction on each cruise and the winner gets to steer the ship while she's underway. Certainly an experience of a lifetime!

Another favorite place for visitors to visit is the Engine Room. Here everyone gets a look at the top of the triple expansion steam engine.

There's lots to learn in the Engine Room with it's gears and valves and nooks and crannies. Today it was nice and cool, not at all what it's like when the ship is underway.

We love having company and enjoyed hosting this special group today. We hope that all our guests enjoyed their day as much and they took some some nice memories along with their adopted rivets.

For more pictures taken on Saturday, check out this album of shots on Flickr.  Ferd is a photographer and a friend of the BROWN'S, who adopted a rivet and took the chance to return and take more picture.

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.

Sunrises on the BROWN

On 12/7/14, coming back from the Shipyard at 530am, in 20 degree weather and in the dark, one of our Irish shipmates passed the crew member with her tripod and camera and said 'Good Gracious, Mae, aren't you an odd one out here with that camera in the dark' (make sure you say it with an Irish brogue).  The ship is normally a great place to take pictures with so much of interest to see, but by adding a colorful sunrise, you've just exponentially made the shot cooler.

Taking sunrise shots of the ship, one can't help but think of all the 'lost' sunrises that merchant marines and armed guardsmen saw in the war, those skies that students saw from 1946-1982 when they boarded the ship on Monday through Friday for high school in NYC, and the ones that all members have witnessed since the BROWN became Project Liberty Ship.  Unable to go back and share those sunrises, we are taking the opportunity to share some more recent ones taken by a volunteer, who happens to have an addiction to sunrises of any sort.  But sunrise shots of the BROWN are 100% more special. Just about everything about the BROWN is special...

Come forth, all ye 'night owls' and see what the morning folk see each morning as they drink a wonderful, steaming cup o' joe and enjoy the first visual gift of the day.

Taken from Baltimore's Cruise Terminal on the morning of the 9/8/12 cruise.   A bit stressed- out since the rain didn't stop until about 6am and passengers were arriving for the cruise with lots of clouds still hanging around.   A sweet, close call.  It turned out to be a lovely day. 

The morning of 9/27/13.  We were chartered for Baltimore's Trawler Fest and the ship was used for different sessions of the  Trawler Fest University.  Crew members slept aboard this week and most stayed in bed and missed this light show in the sky, but a few did witness this.

This morning was magical.   Last one I'll share from that wonderful September morning. 

Same place, different day, and taken from the pier instead of from the ship.  9/28/13

Broadway Pier in Fells Point, taken on our Fourth of July Family Fun Fest weekend.   This was at 5:11am 7/6/14 and the shot is taken from the main deck of the ship, shooting the Broadway recreation pier, home of the 'police station' of the HBO show Homicide: Life on the Street

Same day, a different angle. Gun tub and long-silenced gun silhouettes

Last one from that day.  :)

Taken on 9/14/14 during Sailabration.  It was the morning after fireworks and fun activities.  Why oh why, was I awake this early?!?!?

This was shot on a somewhat cold morning for October.  It was 10/5/14, the day after our October cruise.  It was early and cool and the photographer and one other crazy crew member were climbing all over the ship trying to catch the sunburst at just the right spot.  

While in the shipyard in November, there were some pretty good foggy days. This is from 11/21/14 and it shows the eastern park of Colonna's shipyard. 

On November 22, 2014, we  didn't have a cloud around, but there was some pretty color hanging over Norfolk and Portsmouth.  

Having had rain the night before (and we mean HEAVY rain), you couldn't keep the photographer from getting up for this sunrise.  In the world of sunrise/sunsets, clouds are magical.   This shot is from 11/23/14 shows some amazing color. 

The colors reflected on the still damp hatch cover is pretty cool. 

Taken on 12/6/14, on the morning that we are leaving the shipyard to return to Baltimore.   It was a very cloudy sky and it was debatable if we would see the sun, but goodbyes to the Norfolk/Portsmouth skies and the shipyard needed to be made by the photographer and the BROWN on our last day at Colonna's Shipyard. 

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.

The Romance of the Sea- In their own words...

After a long stay in the shipyard in Toledo, the BROWN was finally able to take a more leisurely cruise back home.  The first leg of the homeward bound voyage included several port visits on Lake Erie and a transit of the Welland Canal.  For me the “Great Lakes 2000” began on Lake Ontario in August.  The stop-over in Toronto offered a wide spectrum of activities and hard work for the crew. In addition to conducting a Living History Cruise we opened the ship to visitors, but the highlight of our stay became our participation in filming the made-for-TV  production “Haven”, starring Natasha Richardson.

“Haven” was the story of Ruth Gruber’s effort’s to bring nearly 1000 Jewish refugees to the United States to save them from Nazi death camps.  The BROWN was used to represent life aboard the Army Troop Ship HENRY GIBBINS during the refugees terror filled crossing of the Atlantic. The JOHN W. BROWN spent the better part of a week cruising the waters of Lake Ontario while filming took place. 

While all this activity required a lot of hard work, it also left time for a little romance. 

The crew was lucky to have 10 year old Billy Whitney sailing with us as a deck cadet. His assignment was to act as a messenger and aide for the captain.  This assignment allowed Billy some time to become attached to Mrs. Richardson.  He followed her around everywhere she went. From day one, Billy continually begged Natasha to accompany him to dinner.  Although she initially agreed, Mrs. Richardson’s hectic schedule aboard prevented her from keeping her date with Master Whitney. 

On the last night of filming Mrs. Richardson had to tell Billy that she would not be able to keep their date.  That night we would be setting sail for Montreal, so young Mr. Whitney’s last chance to see Natasha was at hand.  With this news, Billy became depressed and asked the crew for advice.  I suggested the following ploy: 

I instructed Billy to approach Natasha one last time and say.  “Mrs. Richardson, I am about to set sail on a dangerous voyage, and if tragedy should meet me, my last wish would be to remember the feel of your lips on mine!”  Billy ran to meet Natasha and convey this message.  Upon hearing Billy’s plea, Mrs. Richardson took young Mr. Whitney in her arms and planted a kiss on his lips. This experience caused a grin to form on Billy’s face that would last throughout the long voyage home.

 Above: Author, instigator and giver of crazy advice, Ray L, with Natasha Richardson.

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.