Day 45-47: August 8th-12th

I have spent the entire time in the museum up on the second floor in the library/office. I finished reading and typing up all the information that would aid me in creating the exhibits from “The Fleet Histories Series” book. I have now been able to plan how to organize the iron ore boat exhibit. I want to separate the boats into three different categories: people, places, and companies. 

Day 42-44: August 3rd - 5th

Due to two staff members being on vacation, including my boss, the museum was short of staff. Only two people were scheduled for each day. During the time I was not giving lighthouse tours, I continued to research iron ore boats. I got half way through the book that Fred Stonehouse loaned to me. 

Day 39 - 41: July 25th- 28th

On Monday morning I watched the Tall Ships leave the lower harbor to head to their next port. 

 The museum received a wonderful thank you gift from the Pride of Baltimore II. It is a signed poster of the ship. Many of the crew listed their positions on the ship. 

After the ships left, Allison and I headed to the museum for work. 

Later in the week, the President of Board of Directors for the museum, Fred Stonehouse dropped off a book to help me complete my research for the exhibits. 

"The Fleet Histories Series, Volume Six, The Cleveland-Cliffs Detroit and Cleveland Navigation, Hawgood and Traverse City Fleets" By John O. Greenwood

When I started to flip through the book, I realized it is completely filled with the exact information that I have been looking for. I am planning on spending the next week finishing reading and typing up the information that will help create the exhibits. 

Tall Ships Sail - Marquette, MI

Days 33-38: July 18th - 24th

Tall Ships Week: Preparation, Arrival, Tours, Sails.

The week leading up to the Tall Ships arrival was filled with poster making, advertising the ships, selling tour and sail tickets, and organizing all of the items that would have to be brought down to Mattson's Lower Harbor Park.

I made all of the signs that were hung up by the ticket sale tent.

I also created the staff and volunteer tags that were worn by the workers at the Lower Harbor Park.

I was asked to arrive earlier at the museum on Friday the 22nd to help the other staff answer the phones. The Maritime Museum was receiving so many phone calls, it was difficult for to answer the phones while helping with customers and giving tours. Around 4 p.m. I headed down to the park to help set up the tables, tents and merchandise before the arrival of the ships.

The ships did a Parade of Sails at 6 p.m. before entering the harbor. The two tall ships, Marquettes resident tall ship: the Coaster II, and many other sail boats was an exciting sight to see entering the harbor. 

The lower harbor was packed with spectators. Everyone cheered and clapped their hands when the ships set off their cannons. 

I spent the rest of the weekend with the ships. I sold tour and sail tickets, merchandise, punched tickets, and ran errands. I enjoyed getting to know different crew members from their ships and the captains. It was interesting to learn how the crew members began working on the ships, and if they planned to crew tall ships for a career. Most of the members of the crew on the Pride of Baltimore II work on tall ships as a career. The crew on the Lynx America's Privateer were mostly summer employees. 

I was able to tour the ships when they were in the harbor. The tours of the deck of the ships were self-guided. The crew was available to talk to and answer questions. 

On Saturday night I was lucky enough to be able to sail on the Pride of Baltimore II. The crew invited the visitors to help with the raising and lowering of the sails. 

My parents were on the sail Saturday night. My dad pitched in to help raise the sails. 

Sunday was a relaxing day at the harbor. The ships were open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for tours. At the end of the day I went with my boss, Carrie, to pick up pasties for the crew of the ships as a thank you.

The weekend was filled with meeting new people, talking about maritime history and tall ships, sunburns and an amazing sailing experience.