When Maryland residents gather Monday to remember four Pride of Baltimore crew members lost at sea 20 years ago, they will see the greatest memorial in the form of Pride of Baltimore II docked at Inner Harbor.
The service will commemorate the loss of the first ship May 14, 1986, in a white squall.
Pride II is back in Baltimore until June 8, after repairs in France from being dismasted Sept. 5 in a squall and 25-foot seas in the Bay of Biscay. There were no injuries and the crew saved the ship. Originally built in 1988 at Inner Harbor using traditional plans, materials and techniques, Pride II has a deck length of almost 97 feet, has a 107-foot mainmast, displaces more than 185 tons and can set 9,708 feet of sail.
She was here for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, Parade of Sail to Annapolis, the Maritime Heritage Festival, Port of Baltimore 300th Anniversary Gala and Pride Person off the Year Gala before departing for New York City and Tall Ships events as far away as the Great Lakes.
Pride II is a type of 18th- and early19th-century ship design known around the world as a Baltimore Clipper because it was developed here.
The innovative design produced fast vessels that revolutionized commercial shipping and naval warfare.
About two dozen passengers were aboard for her return from Annapolis as Capt. John Beebe-Center and a crew of 11 raised sail on a raw, windy Monday morning.
Pride II, owned by the people of Maryland, offers day and extended cruises, as well as dockside receptions, to help defray costs. For example, a guest crew berth, in which passengers can be as involved in sailing the ship as they want, on the four-night New York City leg departing June 8 is $525 per person, which includes meals.
The ship is operated by Pride Inc., a nonprofit organization.
For more information, call 410-539-1151 or visit www.marylandspride.org.
Memorial Service
» 12:30 p.m. Monday
Rash Field, Inner Harbor
Crew members lost
» Armin Elsaesser, 42, captain
» Vincent Lazarro, 27, engineer
» Barry Duckworth, 29, carpenter
» Nina Schack, 23, seaman
