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Soon enough, the Boston skyline will be filled with towering masts as more than 60 tall ships from around the world sail into the harbor for Sail Boston 250. Among them is a vessel with deep Massachusetts roots: the Ernestina-Morrissey, the official state ship of Massachusetts.
The historic schooner will take a prominent place in the July 11 Parade of Sail, one of the marquee events of the five-day festival celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re third in line behind Constitution and Eagle, and we can’t wait to be there,” said Captain William Sabatini.
A tall ship festival with a global reach
Organizers say Sail Boston 250 will bring together vessels from more than 20 nations, offering visitors a rare chance to step aboard ships and meet sailors from around the world.
“People have the opportunity to learn about these other cultures and countries by talking to the crew,” said David Choate, director of operations for Sail Boston.
Choate describes the ships as “floating embassies” that help build goodwill among nations.
If weather cooperates, organizers expect millions of visitors throughout the event. Previous tall ship festivals in Boston have drawn crowds of up to 7.5 million people.
The Ernestina-Morrissey’s Massachusetts story
While ships from around the world will sail into Boston Harbor, the Ernestina-Morrissey’s story began just up the coast.
Built in 1894 in Essex, Massachusetts, the 156-foot schooner is one of only a handful of surviving ships built in the town’s famed shipyards.
The vessel spent its early years fishing out of Gloucester before embarking on voyages that would take it around the world. For Sabatini, bringing the ship to Boston is personal.
“I’m from here and I’ve been gone for the past 21 years, so to bring this ship specifically, a ship that I’ve been wanting to sail since I was 16 years old… to actually bring this ship into that city is a real homecoming,” he said.
From fishing boat to sail training ship
What started as a Gloucester fishing vessel now helps train the next generation of mariners.
The Ernestina-Morrissey is based at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in New Bedford, where cadets learn traditional sailing skills not often taught aboard modern commercial vessels.
Deckhand Sam Jordan says working aboard the schooner provides hands-on experience with historic seamanship techniques. The best part about training aboard the ship?
“Going up there, climbing aloft,” Jordan said. “The first time I got to climb up the shrouds, I was like, that’s the most incredible thing.”
More than 130 years of maritime history
Few ships can match the Ernestina-Morrissey’s remarkable history.
After more than two decades in the fishing industry, the vessel became an Arctic exploration ship in the 1920s. According to Sabatini, it traveled farther north than many vessels of its kind and helped conduct research in the Arctic.
“At one point the ship actually brought a polar bear back and then brought it to a zoo,” Sabatini said.
Later, the schooner became part of the historic trade route between New England and Cape Verde, carrying both immigrants and goods across the Atlantic.
That chapter of the ship’s history remains especially meaningful in New Bedford, according to Sabatini, who said about 10% of the population has Cape Verdean roots.
“We are the only ship left anywhere in the world that was part of that packet trade,” Sabatini said.
The Ernestina-Morrissey is also the only surviving vessel that represents the longstanding connection between Cape Verde and the United States.
What to expect at Sail Boston 250
The highlight of Sail Boston 250 will be the Parade of Sail on July 11, when dozens of tall ships enter Boston Harbor together in a dramatic procession.
Visitors will be able to watch from locations around Boston Harbor, East Boston, Fan Pier, the Seaport and other waterfront areas.
Once the parade concludes, many of the vessels—including the Ernestina-Morrissey—will dock throughout the Seaport District, where the public can get an up-close look.
Organizers say one of the biggest draws is that many ships will be open to visitors.
“You can go visit the Colombian ship or the Argentinian ship or the Italian ship,” said Sail Boston Executive Director Dusty Rhodes.
And the best part?
Many of those ship tours will be free.
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