Oyster Bay’s remarkable maritime past comes alive through the magic and splendor of the visiting tall ships. Docked at the newly renovated Western Waterfront, accessible from West End Avenue, the historic vessels evoke an earlier era that was both glamorous and gritty, a time when going out to sea required fortitude, solid navigational skills and a willingness to trust Providence.
Live Land, Sea and Air Rescue
The Air/Sea rescue will be seen two times each day at the festival. The Coast Guard is a big part of the 2010 Oyster Festival. Coast Guard officials from Eaton’s Point and auxiliary volunteers from the 22-05 Oyster Bay Flotilla will be on hand to demonstrate air and sea rescue procedures, give safe-boating tips, and discuss volunteer service opportunities. Pier – West End Ave. at the Waterfront.
Visit the Tall Ships and Vessels
Wonderful tall ships, yachts and utility vessels will be docked at the western waterfront and available for free tours. The SoundWaters will provide harbor sails for a fee.
The Gazela Returns to Oyster Bay
The Gazela is a three-masted 177 foot barkentine wooden ship that was built in 1901 in Portugal for the Atlantic fishing trade, sailing from Europe to Newfoundland and back with 350 tons of salted cod, flounder, halibut and haddock in her holds. As cod began to disappear off the Newfoundland coast, The Gazela and other Atlantic fishing vessels headed towards Greenland, plying the Davis Strait in search of fish. The strait’s high winds and icy conditions made wind navigation difficult and in 1938 her owner installed a Mannheim-Benz diesel engine. A rudder post accommodated the new propeller by extending the ship’s counter a dozen feet. The Gazela made her final fishing trip in 1969, capping a nearly 7-decade commercial run. Today she is docked in Philadelphia where she serves as that city’s maritime goodwill ambassador, spending the warm months cruising the Delaware River and the Atlantic Coast and the winter at in dry dock at Independence Seaport Museum.
The SoundWaters – Harbor Cruises Available
The schooner SoundWaters, an 80’ replica of a Chesapeake Bay sharpie schooner, sails with students of all ages. The schooner allows passengers the chance to haul sails and pull in a trawl net, observing the life of the Sound.
Sail aboard the schooner SoundWaters for an unforgettable adventure daily at: noon; 1:15 p.m.; 2 p.m.: 3:15 p.m.; 4 p.m.; and 5:15 p.m. The ticket price is $25 per person. All children must be at least five years old and there are no exceptions. More information at: http://www.soundwaters.org/oysterbay.shtml.
The Deborah Quinn Tug Built at Jakobson Shipyard
Now known as the Deborah Quinn, one of the last electric-diesel tugs built by Jakobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay (hull# 372) in 1957, as the W.R. Coe for Virginian Railroad, Co. After she was purchased by Boston Fuel Transportation she was re-named Karen Tibbetts. Boston Towing later renamed her as the Ethel Tibbetts. She has since been sold to a company called Breakwater Marine Construction of Oyster Bay, and renamed as the Deborah Quinn.
She was designed by Joseph Hack of Marine Design, the tug is 105 feet long and weighs 259 tons.
OakCliff Sailing Center Yachts
The Oyster Festival welcomes the vintage ships from OakCliff Sailing Center which will have an array of classic yachts with unique histories at the pier for viewing.
The Christeen Needs Help – Take a Restoration Tour
The Christeen has taken about 17,000 people out on the Bay since the Spring of 2002, when she was purchased by the Waterfront Center (WFC) from the Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corp. She has left the dock for about 1,200 sails during these eight years, putting in over 3,000 hours of service. The Christeen has been well maintained by the WFC’s able yard and dedicated group of volunteers, and she has held up very well under the pressure. However, during the winter of 2009, rot was found in her keel around the centerboard trunk. Shipwright Josh Herman drained, patched and strengthened the area, and declared that the Christeen will hold together well for a few years. Nevertheless, her keel, which is the original from 1883, needs to be replaced. The WFC Board has scheduled this major repair to take place in Building J on the Western Waterfront beginning October 2010. Take a tour today.
