What A Great Launch Day

Dan Tobyne arrived early on launch day. This is the only day that the staging is gone...and a great opptornity for a photographer.

Great panoramic view of this quintessential Essex scene. Photo by Dan Tobyne.

Such a graceful launch! Photo by Dan Tobyne

The launch happened around 6:30 p.m. on July 9 at high tide. What a great evening we had!

There is a lot of chaos and some tense moments at a launch. But, for this one, Harold was very calm.

The launch of the schooner Ardelle was definitely the talk of the town - and YouTube - as anyone who googles Launch of the Schooner Ardelle - will find all kinds of postings. One can see the launch from all different angles. People have been stopping by all week showing us their slideshows, and You Tube favorites. We have been featured in the Gloucester Times - with a great front page shot of Steve Willard with the American flag and the Ardelle, and Zach waving from the bow of the Ardelle after the launch. We have been on the front page of the Cape Ann Beacon and North Shore Sunday...with the schooner launching and a picture of Jackson and Justin watching it slide down the ways. We have seen Perry, Harold and Chuck on the front page of the North Shore Sunday. The minister of the Lutheran Church in Gloucester wrote an editorial about the launch. The school children of Essex were all here, screaming with excitement as they watched the boat launch. Once it launched, all the boys in town jumped into the water from the short bridge in the river basin. A friend said to me, "this is the most New England thing I have ever seen!" It was a bit of Norman Rockwell day...there was something very American, very New England about this day. We all wish we could hold onto it and keep it forever...but already the day is becoming something that happened last week, and soon it will be last year. We just would all like to see more schooners come down the ways here...just as they had done for nearly 400 years! wow. Just have to say, You Go, Harold!

Elaine, Vivian Low and Deb Burnham carry the daisy chain towards the Ardelle. Ardelle was Deb's grandmother and Daisy's were her favorite flower. She was an avid gardner and the boatyard was once full of flowers!

Just another day for Geoff Richon's old dog.

Ben Lauer was a huge help during the days before and during the launch. Thanks, Ben!

Zach's hair was cut off by Perry and Erica after the launch. They used giant sailmaking scissors! oopss!

Great view of her going down the ways

The crowd swelled to 2000 around the basin.

Perry Ardelle Burnham brings it home with a great smash, then splash!
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