By Ellyn Santiago
"A ship from the past with a message for America's future."
She was christened by Sarah 'Sally' Bullard, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Waln Morgan, with a bottle of sea water from oceans the Morgan had sailed.
After nearly 5 years of love and labor as part of her full restoration, the National Historic Landmark Charles W. Morgan is finally back home … her real home: the water.
The 172-year-old Morgan, the last of an American whaling fleet that once numbered more than 2,700 vessels, is America’s oldest commercial ship still afloat — only the USS Constitution is older.
After an 80-year career and 37 voyages (many of which lasted three or more years), a movie career, life as a showpiece for a wealthy New Englander and after surviving the Hurricane of 1938, the Morgan found her way to Mystic Seaport (then the Maritime Historical Association) on the eve of Pearl Harbor in November 1941.
She’s been in Mystic ever since.
Sunday’s launch was witnessed by hundreds both on shore and on the Mystic River and featured remarks from documentarian Ric Burns — who called the event "remarkable and moving" — and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who said the launch is just another milestone in Connecticut history.
"A story (the Morgan) can tell like no other," Malloy said.
The shipyard workers, some of whom Patch featured last month, were perhaps most proud, including Seaport shipyard director Quentin Snediker who told Patch last month the restoration and move of the Morgan was anything but routine. (He also called her "a lucky ship.")
Or Dean Seder, a Seaport shipyard worker for 40 years, who called the launch at once personal and exciting.
In late May 2014, the Morgan will depart her berth at Mystic Seaport and embark on an unprecedented voyage to historic ports on the New England coast.
"There's nothing more magical than a ship," Burns said.
"A ship from the past with a message for America's future."
She was christened by Sarah 'Sally' Bullard, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Waln Morgan, with a bottle of sea water from oceans the Morgan had sailed.
After nearly 5 years of love and labor as part of her full restoration, the National Historic Landmark Charles W. Morgan is finally back home … her real home: the water.
The 172-year-old Morgan, the last of an American whaling fleet that once numbered more than 2,700 vessels, is America’s oldest commercial ship still afloat — only the USS Constitution is older.
After an 80-year career and 37 voyages (many of which lasted three or more years), a movie career, life as a showpiece for a wealthy New Englander and after surviving the Hurricane of 1938, the Morgan found her way to Mystic Seaport (then the Maritime Historical Association) on the eve of Pearl Harbor in November 1941.
She’s been in Mystic ever since.
Sunday’s launch was witnessed by hundreds both on shore and on the Mystic River and featured remarks from documentarian Ric Burns — who called the event "remarkable and moving" — and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who said the launch is just another milestone in Connecticut history.
"A story (the Morgan) can tell like no other," Malloy said.
The shipyard workers, some of whom Patch featured last month, were perhaps most proud, including Seaport shipyard director Quentin Snediker who told Patch last month the restoration and move of the Morgan was anything but routine. (He also called her "a lucky ship.")
Or Dean Seder, a Seaport shipyard worker for 40 years, who called the launch at once personal and exciting.
In late May 2014, the Morgan will depart her berth at Mystic Seaport and embark on an unprecedented voyage to historic ports on the New England coast.
"There's nothing more magical than a ship," Burns said.
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