Half of Gazela's cover is off and we are preparing for the summer!
The crew of Gazela and Jupiter mourn the loss of the HMS Bounty and pray for the safe recovery of all her crew.
Bobby was our office manager, a shipmate, and a friend to everyone. She joined the guild 18 years ago, at age 61, realizing a lifelong dream to someday become a sailor. Her niece, Mia, remembered Bobby as her "cool aunt who lived in Center City and took us to museums." Most everyone in the guild remembers Bobby as someone who welcomed them warmly, and remembered their name, even after an absence of months or years. She will be sorely missed. Fair Winds, Bobby. More information can be found Here.
Philadelphia RowHome Magazine will be saluting the volunteers of PSPG in their Fall issue, due out in mid-October. You can view the article at here. New members are welcome, from all ages and walks of life. No experience required. Please contact volunteer@gazela.org for more info.
Gazela has returned to her home berth at Penn's Landing.
Gazela at Pictou.
Gazela at Port Hawkesbury.
Gazela in Halifax.
Gazela and Theodore Too in Halifax.
HMS Bounty, Picton Castle, and Gazela departing from Newport. Photograph by Eric Lorgus.
Gazela in the Newport Parade of Sail. Photograph by Ed King, www.02809photo.com.
Gazela hosted a reception for Sail Baltimore on the opening night of Baltimore OpSail's Sailabration.
Gazela Participates in The Norfolk OpSail 2012 Sea and Air Parade. One of over 500 ships of all sizes, including 22 tall ships many different countries. Gazela will join 10 other ships for a parade of sail to Baltimore on Tuesday morning.
Gazela was one of the 22 Tall Ships that participated in the NYC OpSail Parade of Sails / Fleet Week parade down the Huston River on Wednesday, May 23rd. Gazela was behind the Juan Sebastian De Elcano, a 371 ft training ship from Spain and ahead of the Dewaruci, a 191 ft training ship from Indonesia.
Gazela now has an AIS installed! This is a transmitter that identifies Gazela to other nearby ships, and allows Gazela to identify other ships with AIS transmitters. There is also a network of shore-based receivers that allow vessels to be tracked live by the internet. One popular website for live vessel tracking is MarineTraffic.com. Click here to see Gazela’s present location. Gazela’s AIS was funded by a grant from the Life Saving Benevolent Association, and was installed by Captain Robert Rustchak.
OpSail-2012 / Tall Ships Challenge® Schedule
Summer 2012 schedule has been announced! To view the Schedule click here.
Uprigging!
The cover is off, Coast Guard inspection complete. Next up: Up rigging! One of the first big projects of preparing Gazela for the summer. We will be raising heavy ‘Yards’ from the deck to their proper resting place in the rig. This requires a wide range of skills, from climbers to engineers and anyone else.
Cover is off!
It is warm enough to take the cover off of Gazela! A complex task of unscrewing, organizing and storing.
Work on the Gazela as the winter comes to a close.
The last two yards get varnished on a warm spring day.
Gazela Prepares for the summer
As the winter comes to a close the crew members are preparing for the summer.
2012
2011
Gazela passes the US1 bridge as she leaves Portsmouth
Photo by Eric Lorgus
Gazela left Portsmouth on May 31st after attending a very successful "Sail Portsmouth 2011" maritime festival. Kudos to all the wonderful people of Portsmouth who organized and attended this event.
Visitors try out Gazela's original hand-operated bilge pumps.
Photo by Eric Lorgus
Gazela's crew is constantly finding new ways to interact with and engage visitors, to help them get a sense of what it is like to sail on an old tall ship. Children take turns either hoisting one of the headsails, or helping to pump the bilge!
Gazela says goodbye to New York on her way to Portsmouth
Photo by Eric Lorgus
Gazela departs Staten Island on May 22nd. Visible to the right of Gazela’s foremast are the Robbins Reef Lighthouse, the Statue of Liberty, and the Manhattan skyline.
Rigged Tug of War
Photo by Eric Lorgus
In Staten Island, the crew of Gazela demonstrate mechanical advantage to visiting school children by rigging a one-against-four tug of war using a small block and tackle.
More stories...
The book of stories from Gazela's crew, The Heart of a Ship, has just been published and is now on sale. Click here for ordering information.
A heartfelt thank you to Mary Smith for underwriting the development costs of the book.
