BEST OF 2013: VIDEO: Tall Ships Arrival for The 2013 Camden Windjammer Festival

 Camden Windjammer Festival: A Maine Tradition
The tall ships of the Maine Windjammer Fleet arrive in Camden for the 2013 Camden Windjammer Festival.

"Not so long ago, every day in Camden was a windjammer festival of sorts. Beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century, builders like Deacon Joseph-Stetson and John Dailey launched everything from great clipper ships to smaller coastal schooners from shipyards in the inner harbor, while the turn of the century saw Holly Bean’s crew on the east side of the harbor creating the greatest oceangoing ships of the Great Age of Sail, including the six-masted George W. Wells. For nearly a century Camden Harbor was crowded year-round with moored schooners, Friendship sloops, and scows awaiting their next cargo to be brought to Boston, Philadelphia, or the West Indies, as these sailing ships served as the eighteen-wheelers of their time.

The advent of the steamship might have seen windjammers disappear from Camden if not for the arrival in the 1930s of Frank Swift, an artist and able-bodied seaman who believed the decaying coasting schooners increasingly littering the Maine coast could be refurbished to take passengers on week-long sailing expeditions. His business, Maine Windjammer Cruises, was based at what is now the Camden Public Landing, and after a few difficult years during the Depression it had grown to several coastal schooners, including Mattie, still sailing from Camden today under her original name, Grace Bailey.

Swift’s concept of a windjammer industry continued to grow even after he sold his business, with the Stephen Taber, Mary Day, Angelique, Lewis R. French, and even the great Gloucester fishing schooners Adventure and Roseway making Camden into the center of windjamming worldwide. Along with tourists, the Camden windjammer fleet attracted a unique cast of characters who sailed the historic ships, charismatic men and women who brought the old ways of sailing alive through their songs, dress, and antics.

To bring the world of the windjammer to a larger audience that includes both landlubbers and old salts, the Camden Windjammer Festival was created. This Labor Day weekend event in Camden Harbor sees the awe-inspiring vessels of the Maine windjammer fleet rafted alongside each other and hosting free "open-boat" tours, demonstrations of nautical skills and traditions, and a schooner crew talent show that is truly unlike any other show in the world." http://www.camdenwindjammerfestival.org

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BEST OF 2013: Gone Sailing!

Doug Mills
Maritime Editor
RCN America Network

This week the staff of RCN America Network Have gone sailing.  We sail on Sunday, June 29 aboard the historic tall ship Victory Chimes, built in 1900.  This will be my 3rd year sailing on this magnificent ship.  There are 13 of these historic ships that sail these waters off the coast of Maine which carry passengers on a vacation that few will ever forget.  To anchor in a quiet harbor near a small island village that time has forgotten, with the gentle sounds of the waves on the hull, the music drifting across the water from several of the other tall ships that have anchored near by and the smell of dinner cooking on a wood stove.  The cell phone doesn't work and there is no WiFi, so there is time to make a new friend or actually read a book, or maybe just marvel at the beauty of Maine.
The end of the week the whole fleet nearly two dozen ships will gather off Islesboro for The Great Schooner Race, the largest annual gathering of tall ships in North America.  The race will run from Islesboro to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse in Rockland Maine.  After the race the boats will all anchor in the head of the harbor at Sharp's Point for an evening of celebration and schooner fun.
By Saturday it is time to head home and start planning for next years cruise.  Yes, you heard right.  One week is never enough and once you sail once you will have to come back again and again.
You may have missed out on The Great Schooner Race this year, but there is a whole summer and fall filled with exciting events you can experience.  If you can get away at all this year...Do IT.

2013 Sailing Events

with

The Maine Windjammer Association

July 5        Great Schooner Race

Be a part of North America’s largest annual gathering of tall ships as more than two dozen schooners race from Islesboro to Rockland. Special Awards Ceremony includes live music and festivities.

July 6 & 7   Open Schooner Tours

Stop by and tour Maine’s legendary windjammers at their docks each afternoon from 2:00-4:00 pm. The participating windjammers can be found at North End Shipyard and Windjammer Wharf (off Tillson Ave) in Rockland; the Public Landing in Rockport; and at the head of the inner harbor in Camden. Hope you can join us!

July 12      Maine Windjammer Parade

The entire fleet participates in an afternoon Parade of Sail past the mile-long Rockland Breakwater, providing spectators with stunning, close-up views of Maine’s fleet of tall ships.

August 5   Sweet Chariot Music Festival

More than a dozen groups perform traditional music of the sea on Swans Island, with live shipboard performances as well.

Aug 30-Sept 1     Camden Windjammer Festival

Festivities include a parade of sail, maritime heritage fair, contra dance, fireworks, lobster crate race, chowder challenge, free concerts, schooner crew talent show, family scavenger hunt, outdoor movies and more.

September 10    WoodenBoat Sail-in

The fall gathering of the fleet takes place in Brooklin, Maine, headquarters of WoodenBoat Magazine and WoodenBoat School. Live music, local refreshments, boatschool tours.

Don't wait book your getaway today!

Contact Us Today! 1-800-807-WIND

BEST OF 2013: The Great Schooner Race of 2013

Angelique and Mary Day fly past the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Doug Mills

Maritime Editor

RCN America Network

Penobscot Bay Maine-Last night seems like a dream. Standing on deck watching as the historic tall ships of the Maine windjammer fleet sail into the small harbor on Islesboro Island Maine.

Today is The Great Schooner Race. The Maine Windjammer Association has sponsored this race every year since 1977. I am very excited and head up on deck very early. The site that I find is nearly impossible for me to convey with words. The morning sun is just climbing over the horizon. The water is like a blue mirror. The air is still and cool. All around our anchorage are historic ships ranging in age from about 30 years to 143 years old with the new morning sun and perfect reflections in the cool blue water.

By 8AM the captains have started to arrive for the prerace meeting. The days race course is laid out and and the start times for the various classed of ship have been established. After a group shot of all the captains it is time for them to return to their individual ships and make ready for the start of the race.

The captains of the historic Maine windjammer fleet.

The Great Schooner Race is the largest annual gatherings of tall ships in north America and one of the only tall ship events in the world where passengers are onboard and encouraged to take part in the setting of the sails and the working of the ship. Some of these vessels in the past were used to haul stone, lumber and freight, others in the fishing trades. They were built to create income for their owners with an expected lifespan of 5-15 years. Today these proud ships are still working generating income for their owners, only now the cargo loads and unloads itself.

The race start.

At 10:20 the 10 minute warning canon fires amidst a flurry of clanging anchor chains and ships making ready to get underway. 10:25 the 5 minute warning sounds as all the boats move toward the start line. With the roar of the start canon the first boats move across the start line and The Great Schooner Race is underway! Before long Penobscot Bay is filled with the sails of schooners making their way upwind to Rockland. Today this is an amazing sight, but, 100 years ago this was just business as usual. So commonplace that the history books barely make mention of the schooner. It was nothing more than the tractor trailer of it's time delivering everything from lumber and granite to your great grandfathers new Sunday suit.

By mid afternoon we round the ledge and make for Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse with a stiff wind. The old Victory Chimes healed over in the wind and flying across the bay, the rest of the fleet in close pursuit. We reach the lighthouse along with most of the fleet to the cheers of the crowd of spectators who have gatherer to watch the end of the race. One after the other the ships fly into the harbor to make their turn around the marker in the middle of the harbor and head out again to the last mark and return like a flock of screaming eagles to the finish line at the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.

The final results are as follows:

Cutty Sark Award for overall winner:

Mary Day

Flying Jib Class:

Lazy Jack II (1st); Olad (2nd); Prudence (3rd)

Coasters Class:

Stephen Taber (1st); Grace Bailey (2nd); Lewis R. French (3rd)

Leeward Class:

Nathaniel Bowditch (1st); Angelique (2nd); Heritage (3rd)

Windward Class:

Mary Day (1st), American Eagle (2nd)

3-Masters Class:

Victory Chimes (1st!)

Frank Swift Award:

Isaac H. Evans

Boyd Guild Award:

J&E Riggin

The Great Schooner Race is over for this year and if you missed it you missed one of the most exciting events of the year. Not to worry, you can still experience the thrill of being on one of these ships next year and there is still room on many trips this summer.

For more information or to book your trip on one of these historic ships you can go to: http://sailmainecoast.com/ the Web site of the Maine Windjammer Association.

Maty Day overall winner!

Angelique

Switched at Birth Season 3 Premieres This Month January 13th

Switched at Birth fans will be able to see the premiere of their newest season on January 13th at 8pm eastern and 7 central. The season 3 premiere episode is entitled "Drowning Girl".

Senior year means big changes for Bay and Daphne, as the Carlton School for the Deaf receives an influx of hearing students who are not happy to be there. Daphne begins working at a free clinic as part of her probation from the Senator Coto blackmail scandal, and bonds with a pre-med student (guest star RJ Mitte, “Breaking Bad”) with a spinal injury. Bay is inspired by her art teacher (guest star Sandra Bernhard, “Roseanne”) and surprised by her jock classmate (guest star Max Adler, “Glee”), when she takes an art class at a local college. Toby tries to unite a divided Carlton by coaching girls' field hockey, and Kathryn dips her toes into new territory when she makes friends with a gregarious tap dancer (guest star Alec Mapa, “Ugly Betty”).

“Drowning Girl” was written by Lizzy Weiss and directed by Jim Hayman.

“Switched at Birth” is executive-produced by Lizzy Weiss (“Blue Crush”), Paul Stupin (“Make It or Break It”) and  John Ziffren (“Melissa & Joey,” “Make It or Break It”). The series stars Katie Leclerc as Daphne Vasquez, Vanessa Marano (“Gilmore Girls”) as Bay Kennish, Constance Marie (“George Lopez”) as Regina Vasquez, D.W. Moffett (“Friday Night Lights”) as John Kennish, Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future,” “Caroline in the City”) as Kathryn Kennish, Lucas Grabeel (“High School Musical”) as Toby Kennish, Sean Berdy as Emmett Bledsoe, with guest star Marlee Matlin (“The West Wing”).

Photos Credit: ABC Family

BEST OF 2013: Video Update: Tall Ship Timberwind Relaunch

After two weeks out of the water mid-season to repair a warn out rudder shaft the pilot schooner Timberwind was relaunched yesterday afternoon at the North End Shipyard in Rockland Maine.
For more information on this historic vessel or to book a week aboard the Timberwind you should visit: http://schoonertimberwind.com

Jessie "Krumping and Crushing" Premieres January 10th

Fan of the Disney channel series Jessie will be able to enjoy an all new episode on January 10th, 2014 at 8pm eastern and 7 central.

Jessie enrolls Luke in a dance class and to Jessie's dismay, he decides to replace doing homework with dance practice.

Season Three of the hit comedy series "Jessie" continues to follows Jessie, a Texas girl from a military family who embarked on the adventure of a lifetime when she decided to venture east to New York City. Having spent the last two years as a nanny to Emma, Ravi, Luke and Zuri, Jessie is truly thrilled to be on her own. Her career aspirations have ventured outside the comforts of the Ross house as Jessie is pursuing acting. With a whole new world of opportunities within her reach, Jessie navigates conflict, chaos, her job as a nanny to the Ross kids, her budding acting career and personal life as she attempts to fulfill her dreams and achieve her ambitions. Along for the ride is Bertram, the family’s butler.

Now, as Jessie embarks on her third year in the big city, she takes on an acting agent, becomes an understudy to a famous actress, and continues to manage the chaos of being a nanny to four growing kids. Emma, a 15-year-old high school sophomore and the only biological child, continues to blog about fashion. Ravi, a 12-year-old from India and the most recent adoptee, is the family’s voice of reason. Luke, a 14-year-old mischief maker adopted at age five from Detroit, maintains his unwavering crush on Jessie. While Zuri, the nine-year-old baby of the family adopted at birth from Africa, continues to outsmart her family and Jessie. The entire family must band together to overcome trials and tribulations, all the while relying on one another for support and love.

Starring are Debby Ryan as Jessie ("Radio Rebel," "The Suite Life on Deck," "16 Wishes"); Tony Award-nominated Kevin Chamberlin (Broadway's "The Addams Family, Teen Beach Movie") as Bertram; Peyton List ("27 Dresses," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days") as Emma; Karan Brar ("Diary of a Wimpy Kid," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days") as Ravi; Cameron Boyce ("Grown Ups 2," "Grown Ups") as Luke and Skai Jackson ("The Watsons Go to Washington") as Zuri.

The live-action comedy series was created by Pamela Eells O'Connell ("Family Matters," "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," "The Suite Life on Deck"), who serves as executive producer. The series is from It's a Laugh Productions, Inc. It carries a TV-G parental guideline.

Photos Credit: Disney Channel

Cloud 9 Staring Dove Cameron Premieres This Month January 17th

Fans of Dove Cameron will be able to watch on January 17th in the new Disney channel movie "Cloud 9" which also stars Luke Benward. "Cloud 9 premieres January 17th at 8pm eastern and 7pm central on Disney channel.

The Disney Channel Original Movie, "Cloud 9," follows two unlikely friends, Kayla Morgan, a prima donna snowboarder who was just dropped from her competition team, and Will Cloud, a former snowboarding champion who is struggling after a career-ending wipeout. The two meet when Kayla is forced to work at the local dog grooming shop owned by Will's mother. In exchange for help fixing up the dog grooming shop, Will begrudgingly accepts Kayla's plea to train her, and introduces her to a regimen that tests her true commitment to the sport. As the two grow closer, Kayla's efforts convince Will that he, too, can regain his championship status.

Low-key and introspective, Will still refuses to get back on the slopes ever since his epic wipeout. In contrast, Kayla has always enjoyed the spotlight and the perks that accompany being part of a top competitive snowboarding team. However, after a fateful decision leaves her without a team, and her boyfriend and teammate Nick Swift breaks up with her, Kayla is abruptly faced with the reality that her snowboarding skills are actually not on par with the other competitors. Determined to become a better boarder, Kayla finds an unexpected mentor in Will, who she realizes can help take her to the next level.

However, just as Kayla gains confidence and her skill set improves, she is faced with a new challenge in champion snowboarder Skye Sailor, a fierce competitor who has joined Kayla's former team. Not one to give up easily, Kayla rallies Will and his old teammates to compete in the National Fire and Ice Snowboarding Competition.

In an effort to prove something to herself and help lead her new team to victory, Kayla decides to master The Cloud 9, the impossible trick that stalled Will's career. Together, Will and Kayla help each other overcome their fears and gain a newfound respect for their sport and each other, and learn that nothing's impossible.

The movie stars Luke Benward ("Good Luck Charlie," "Ravenswood") as Will Cloud, Dove Cameron ("Liv and Maddie") as Kayla Morgan, Mike C. Manning ("Hawaii Five-O," "Crash & Bernstein") as Nick Swift, Kiersey Clemons ("Austin & Ally," "Good Luck Charlie") as Skye Sailor and Jeffrey Nordling ("Body of Proof," "24") as Sebastian Swift.

"Cloud 9" is directed and executive produced by three-time DGA Award winner Paul Hoen ("Let It Shine," "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam"). In addition to Hoen, the movie is executive-produced by Jessica Rhoades ("Under Construction," "Beauty & the Briefcase"), Ashley Tisdale ("Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure") and Kirkland Tibbels. It is written by Justin Ware. "Cloud 9" is a production of Salty Pictures, Inc. and Blondie Girl Productions.

The blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, which sets the gold standard for diversity and relevant, inspiring storytelling, has produced TV's #1 movie in Tweens 9-14 for the past 12 years (2002-2013). [Source: NTI, U.S. ratings, Live + 7, 2002-2013.]

Photos Credit: Disney Channel

2014