It’s one of the coolest sights on the Bay each year: a sailing race from Baltimore to Norfolk comprised exclusively of schooners and traditional vessels of all sizes. It kicks off with a Parade of Sail in the Baltimore Harbor on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and ends with awards in Norfolk three days later. The sight of more than two dozen graceful craft under sail is a treat for spectators all the way down the Bay.
In the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race (GCBSR), a fleet of AA- and A-Class vessels race 118 nautical miles from Baltimore to Thimble Shoals. The official race for the smaller B-, C-, and N-Class (non-schooner, but still traditional, designs like sloops, ketches, yawls, or workboats) ends at Windmill Shoals (the 83-mile mark). Those boats can continue on to Thimble Shoals for bragging rights, though.
While seeing them is an annual treat for us, the GCBSR isn’t just about showcasing the beauty of these boats. It isn’t just about friendly competition, either. The event is a fundraiser that supports maritime education programs throughout the year and brings students aboard for the race itself.
In particular, the Living Classrooms reproduction 104′ pungy schooner Lady Maryland (the only pungy in existence today!) has carried a crew of professionals and Baltimore City Schools students for many years of the race. This year, 10 students and two teachers from Baltimore City College High School will sail on the overnight adventure. Living Classrooms Director of Maritime Programming Nick Iannacone says it’s a chance for youth to “safely challenge and learn about themselves, travel to new places, interact with their peers, and experience the maritime environment, while having fun and creating life-long memories.”
Lady Maryland has 20 bunks, 12 of which are offered to education program guests and eight are saved for crew. The students will help in all ship’s operations, from polishing brass to raising sails and taking the helm. It’s a great way for the students to hone their leadership and teamwork skills, Iannacone tells us.
The Denis Sullivan, the only remaining reproduction of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner, will have students aboard from the Alexandria Seaport Foundation’s apprentice program. In the program, young people ages 18-23 learn woodworking and traditional boatbuilding in preparation for successful adulthood.
Denis Sullivan was built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is now based in Boston with the World Ocean School, who wanted to engage young people in the race this year. The GCBSR team connected the organization with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation. “Their students will serve as full members of the crew, setting sails, steering, standing watch—everything required to make the vessel run,” says World Ocean School Executive Director Capt. Jill Hughes. “Sailing the length of the Bay alongside a fleet of schooners has the potential to be a truly transformative experience for students.”
The race is part of Denis Sullivan‘s trip south, as the schooner makes her way to winter in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hughes says the Chesapeake Bay is one of the crew’s favorite stops on their way down East Coast. “It’s such a welcoming community, with a deep appreciation for maritime heritage and sail training.”
The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race is an opportunity for local kids to gain exposure to schooners from all over the region. The day before the race is known as Education Day, in which local elementary schoolchildren go on a free 3-hour field trip aboard a schooner, an opportunity made possible through the funds raised in each year’s race.
Last month, a fundraising “virtual race” was held to further support the cause. The Norfolk Rebel was first in fundraising, gaining $12,477.73 for the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race organization, Lady Maryland came in second raising $8,476.71 for Living Classrooms, and in third place the Magothy River-based Jolly Dolphin raised $7,837.96 for the Magothy River Association.
You can spot other beloved ambassador ships well-known on the Bay in the race: the Pride of Baltimore II, the Chestertown-based Sultana, the Woodwind, and the schooner Virginia, to name a few. Many of the privately owned vessels have fascinating stories of their own. One of them, participating in the GCBSR for the first time, is Dauntless. Designed and built as a project boat by an esteemed Baltimore art professor, the steel-hulled 76-footer was wasting away at a boatyard before current owner Alex Cooney gave her a second chance. With unique artistic details and a transom that rises high into the air, Dauntless will certainly stand out in the fleet.
If you’re looking for a chance to get a closer look at the race competitors, many will be docked at Anchorage Marina in Southeast Baltimore on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 12-7 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Parade of Sail will be visible from the Canton, Fells Point, Harbor East and Inner Harbor shorelines. Spectator vessels are asked to please allow ample room for the vessels to maneuver safely.
On Thursday, Oct. 16, the race begins just south of the Bay Bridge off of Annapolis. The historic buyboat, Nellie Crockett, will serve as the starting line. When the schooners arrive in Virginia, people can come get a look at them dockside on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Freemason Harbor (near the Battleship Wisconsin) in Norfolk. Some may be open for tours. Follow the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race Facebook page for updates.
As for the crews of these tradition-stepped vessels, they will celebrate in Norfolk with a Pig and Oyster Roast, Schooner Social, and a Sailors’ Evening with a Sea Chantey Singalong hosted by the Norfolk Boat Club.
Chesapeake Bay Magazine will be at the start line, capturing all the sights and sounds. You can also track the race live down the Bay using the tracking link here.
