When I was asked to document the Ernestina-Morrissey project the old Sample yard was under new ownership. Skip Rideout had Florida on his mind, his barge with crane, stationed at the shipyard, doing some work for a Washburn & Doughty railway rebuild, a dedicated crew in tow. Larry Colcord was managing editor and not yet a real estate tycoon, still doing some lawn maintenance work on the side. The Ernestina-Morrissey was in early stages of evaluation with some assessment of work to be done. Nobody was exactly certain about the extent of repairs. I had no clue. The yard needed work. Updates and general repairs evident. A work staff was being assembled and preparations, behind the scenes, for possible sale of the yard bubbling up. Many things were uncertain. The project was a bit complicated. It was an interesting arrangement with Massachusetts which held some challenges – a Massachusetts ship being worked on at a Maine yard. The ship was on the big railway which pretty much constituted a commitment.

As time went on and work proceeded, it became evident that the repairs on Ernestina were substantial. As portions of the ship were investigated, concerns regarding the ship’s integrity became evident. Not unlike an old house in need of repair, each layer removed revealed additional problems. The ship needed to be disassembled, but there needed to be a plan. David Short, a longtime and very experienced shipwright, was in charge of the investigation which ultimately led to the ship being taken apart, section by section and reconstructed.

Not long after I signed on to record the progress of the project, the yard was purchased by Andy Tyska of Bristol Marine and things at the yard and on the project took a turn. At the same time work was underway on the Ernestina-Morrissey, repairs got underway to restore the property that once was Sample’s Shipyard. Piers needed to be rebuilt, buildings gutted and updated, railways renewed and staffing revitalized. It seemed to me quite a massive undertaking, and I believe it was. The crew pitched in and progress was made.

Over the years I have made thousands of photographs documenting the resurrection of a great ship, not to mention the substantial upgrades to the yard. It has been a monumental task and an inspirational experience to observe. The yard is very busy and now with the Ernestina- Morrissey launched, new work is arriving. The storage buildings await old customers while multiple projects have already started.

The Ernestina-Morrissey was successfully launched last week and set beautifully in the water alongside the shipyard. Although precautions were taken for possible “leaks” while the great mass of wood swelled, not much water showed up in the bilge. The ballast appears to have been properly placed and the vessel now resides at the old Wotton Wharf, now a Hodgdon facility in Mill Cove across from the old St. Andrews Hospital property. It is a joy to view in the late day sun with only the slightest glimpse of its past Bristol Marine home around the point. The work remaining will take place at that pier with sea trials planned for the fall.

On another note, Kirsten Neuschafer, with whom I photographed here in Maine, has set off from France on the Golden Globe Race, a 30,000-nautical mile solo sail around the world. Her progress can be checked on LIVE Tracker: https://goldengloberace.com/live-tracker/