Holiday Ball

Someone had the wonderful idea to hold the Holiday Ball in Wiley Hall instead of Delano.  The venue change was great- here is a blurry but cool photo from the quarterdeck balcony.

Growler Shipyard

Growler was hauled out yesterday at Muller Boatworks in Brooklyn yesterday for some much needed M&R.

60,000

Just had our 60,000th visitor to the Waterfront Blog this morning!

Catching Up With Grads, Part 2

Erik Schmidt '95 with a new Ram for the farm

I always use two examples when talking to Midshipmen about how their careers may take them in a different direction from what the see in their futures.... first myself (I never pictured myself as Sailing Master!) and my classmate Erik Schmidt '95.  I spent this morning with Erik and his family at their farm in Ulster county New York.  After serving active duty in the Coast Guard, and then spending several years in the corporate world, Erik and Cecile started the Escot Valley Farm, and are now producing an amazing sheeps milk cheese in addition to free range poultry and other products.  I can vouch for the cheese, which is spectacular, and I brought a ton of it home to share.  

Catching Up With Grads Part 1

So I spent Thanksgiving Day with the family in Detroit, MI, and I knew that Brian Giorgio '08 was sailing on the Great Lakes- turns out his ship would be unloading coal on the St. Clair River, so I decided to stop by.  Working on the Lakes was what brought me to KP, so it was great to get aboard the James R. Barker, a 1000' long self unloader.  Great to see recent grads at work, and enjoying the Lakes.

Picture Credits

Thanks to M/N Mikkel Tophoj, 4/c for his great pics of Summerwind, including the new banner picture above!

Kings Pointers on Top at U.S. Match Racing Championship

Bill Hardesty KP'98 won this years U.S. Match Racing Chamipionship held this weekend in St. Petersburg, FL.  In fifth place was Ralf Steitz (USMMA Sailing Foundation) and Rick Dominique (USMMA Waterfront Staff.)  Congrats!

A Walk Aboard Summerwind

Before we wrap her up for winter I thought I'd take a walk aboard with the video camera......

Summerwind at Kings Point

Summerwind at her new home on Flag Landing

At the Helm on Summerwind

Ed Stacy '10 Underway on Summerwind

Learning the Ropes on Summerwind

Waiting out a Nor'Easter in Newport and learning about the new ship.  Look for Summerwind in Hague Basin Sunday evening.

Coast Guard has the Eagle........Welcome Summerwind to Kings Point

I've quoted Captain Prosser's words below before- but today we can begin to put action to some of his ideas. We just received word that the Sailing Foundation has been donated the 100' 1929 John Alden designed schooner Summerwind. Summerwind's owner had her completely rebuilt in a $8 million refit that finished in February. She is an absolutely beautiful vessel who will travel the East Coast as the Academy's flagship and ambassador. We thank Mr. and Mrs. J. Don Williamson for their gracious donation, and look forward to welcoming to her new home at Kings Point.

MORE PICTURES HERE

Then there are the special educational influences of being at sea under sail. Probably the most important additional quality induced is self-reliance. Life under sail is nearly always a perpetual struggle with the blind forces of nature which are no respecters of persons nor can one contract out of the struggle. It has to be waged by each individual on board with all his powers. Because sailing ships are often smaller than power vessels and always more dependent upon and susceptible to weather, special discipline must prevail. The man in charge must obey instantly under all conditions, very often conditions of extreme fatigue and discomfort. The discipline which the safety of the ship and the crew require must be accepted with willingness and alacrity. The occasional condition of danger or potential danger, while giving opportunities for the display of courage, quickly produces prudence and the habit of thinking ahead in a way that few other activities rival. And finally, if as is often the case, the crew is small there is constant scope and encouragement for unselfishness, that most truly respected of all qualities.

Kings Pointers Welcome USS New York to NY Harbor

On 9/11/01 the Kings Point Waterfront rushed into action, with Midshipmen, Faculty, and Staff devoting two weeks to support activities at Ground Zero.  Last week some of those involved joined us aboard the T/V Liberator to welcome the USS New York to New York Harbor for her commisioning.  The USS New York was built with steel from the WTC, and stopped to honor the victims and responders of 9/11.

Liberator in Nantucket

A clear, cool, fall day in Nantucket during the fall break trip.