WEST PALM BEACH – PEANUT ISLAND

PUBLIC DOCKSIDE TOURS
Once you step on board the LYNX, you’ll be taking a giant step back in time. You will learn first hand, the important role that Privateers played during the War of 1812. As you walk these decks of history, the crew of the LYNX will explain the Privateer concept and what the day-to-day life of a Privateer was like. Relax, stay as long as you like and investigate every part of this unique living history museum. This is truly an educational experience that is fun for children as well as adults. Once you’ve taken the dockside tour, you will surely want to sign on for a Adventure sail.

PUBLIC ADVENTURE SAIL
Enjoy a rollicking day on the waters aboard a square-topsail schooner of days long past. Join the crew, hoist the sails, steer the ship, and fire the main battery of six-pounder carronades and experience first-hand, the life of an early 19th-century sailor. While underway, the ship’s crew will host several informal “learning stations” that will give a brief outline on early American history, and the important role Baltimore Clippers such as LYNX played during the War of 1812.

Schedule & Tickets available online: www.privateerlynx.org

WPTV Channel 5 West Palm Beach February 9, 2010 Video
http://www.wptv.com/content/news/centralpbc/rivierabeach/story/Lynx-privateer-trost-ship-peanut-island-glazer-woo/aAPG1iedF0K4yhG1AqHvgQ.cspx

Sail back into American history
Reported by: Glenn Glazer
Email: gglazer@wptv.com
Last Update: 6:22 pm

PEANUT ISLAND, FL– On the shores of Peanut Island, near the ships’ store and refreshments, across from the fancy houses, and the power plant, a piece of history lies in wait.

“Hands to take up on the weather fore rails,” yells the captain of the Privateer Lynx.

“Hands to take up on the weather fore rails,” yells the crew of the Lynx.

“The Lynx, she’s a Privateer, she’s from the War of 1812. She’s an interpretation of a national vessel that fought in the war,” said Jeffrey Woods, Director of Operations of the Lynx Educational Foundation.

And when you step onboard her, you step back into another century.

“You get to see the crew wearing of the previous era, you’ll get to see all the guns, you’ll get to see all the neat things that you see in all the movies about going to sea,” said Jamie Trost, Captain of the Privateer Lynx.

But her primary purpose is to educate people all over the country.

“She’s a traveling vessel, so after West Palm Beach she’s going to be heading north to various ports. But we’re here to let people know that Lynx is a national treasure, and to not forget where our freedom came from,” said Woods.

Being on the boat while it’s at the dock is fantastic, it’s basically like a floating museum, but imagine being on this boat while it’s out sailing. Well, guess what, you can do that too!

“This is where it’s interactive, the public, the kids, they all get to help hoist the sails. We actually give you demonstrations of the guns that are on board, we fire the guns,” said Woods.

“It’s all the romance and all the excitement of going to sea, complete with the period costumes of the crew, and all the high performance characteristics of this vessel, and we still get you back to shore the same day,” said Trost.

So take the water taxi out to Peanut Island, and back about two hundred years.

“You remember, you remember back again stepping back in time and seeing where it all came from. I mean, this is it, this is history!” said Woods.

Buy tickets now from our website that you are visiting or call our office 8 am to 4 pm PST 866-446-5969

Tickets are available for February and March 2010 Adventure Sails and Dockside Tours

Reserve the ship for school programs, private charters, scout troops, etc.

Lynx, America’s Privateer arrived in West Palm Beach at 3 pm.  She was escorted into the harbor by many vessels in the Grand Arrival flotilla and the numerous bystanders lining the breakwater, Peanut Island and Palm Beach Maritime Museum.  Thank you to all of you for your support.  Also, many thanks to the media in Palm Beach for your your tremendous suport for this event.

Last days run – 8th of Jan noon = 186.8 miles
Jan 8 noon to 1500 was 25.1 miles
for a TOTAl of 4910.9 miles from San Diego to Miami
39 days and 1 hour sailing time (not including port stops) for an average of 5.25 knots!!!

Now we’re in Miami docked directly in front of the Inter Contenintal Hotel at Bay Front Park on the South Dock. Miami is experiencing an extreme (for them) cold, with temperatures in the 40’s and rain… brrrr, we’re all bundled up and warming our hands on the stove! What a difference from two weeks ago!

Captain’s Report
The wind has fallen light. We’re motoring along in the Straits of Florida getting a very nice push from the current, 1.5-2 knots in our direction. Seas have come down, clouds clearing, we’re actually getting a little sun today. This morning we were within sight of Cuba so we took the opportunity to send the pigeons back where they came from. It took a couple tries. We’d pick them up, show them the land and launch them. They’d circle the boat once or twice and come back. We’d launch them again. Finally Duffy took to chasing them with a deck brush. It took almost an hour but they finally got the message and flew off to the land of Fidel. And there was great rejoicing aboard Lynx. Today’s numbers…
Noon position (1700 UTC): 23d 36.1m N, 082d 38.3m W. Steering 045C, making 7.1 knots. wind ENE F 2-3, seas NE 2-3′, 1019 mb, 7/8 cloud cover and clearing, 76 degrees F, 55% RH.
Day’s run: 142.7 nm. About 240 to Port Everglades.
The latest GRIB file shows 30 knot northerly in 48 hours so we’re not waiting around for that. Cheers, Jake.

Crew Report
Greetings all. Dennis here on this fine Thursday afternoon. We are seeing the back of Cuba, and the beginnings of gulf traffic.. Florida is so close I think I can smell Miami from here. We said goodbye to the pigeons this morning, set them free and on their way, they will be missed. We then had our 11/13\/Homeward bound party today complete with pizza, magic, and songs. For those keeping up, this will probably be my last blog, seeing as how we are very close. So thanks for following the trip, we’ll see you in West Palm Beach. Love and miss you all. Good night, good luck, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Hi folks, Ben here. I’m happy to report that all is well as we get close to finishing up the final large leg of our voyage. Florida is getting closer and Cuba is slowly receding, and everyone is pretty excited to be almost back. Traffic has picked up, and we have started seeing some dolphins and flying fish. The pigeons are thankfully gone, and it’s almost time to get back to the old routine. Although Florida is close, our grand arrival is still not going to take place for a little bit. We’re going to have our hands full in the next couple of days cleaning up the boat, mounting the guns, and catching up on other projects that could not be accomplished underway. Thanks for keeping up with all of our adventures, and best of luck to you all in your own adventures in the near and distant future. All my best, Ben

Gabe here. I only came on deck because I thought we were gonna tack. Jake made me blog. There is nothing I could write here that I won’t be able to say in person in a few days or when I get back “home.” No use forcing it, I need to finish my nap. Old age and all… See you all soon.

Captain’s Report
We are now NOT in the Yucatan Channel but in the Straits of Florida. The northerlies have eased and we’re motor sailing off the north coast of Cuba. The seas are much more regular than in the channel and we’re able to keep way on. The prediction is for the wind to fade all together in the next 24 hours then re-build in to 20-25 knot northerly again by the 10th. I would prefer to be tied to a dock by then. Yesterday we earned every inch.
Noon position (1700 UTC): 22d 40.3m N, 085d 03.3 W. Steering 070C, full and by, making5.4 knots. Wind N by E F 4, seas mixed, mostly NNE 3-4′ with occasional 6-8′ to keep it interesting. 1018 mb, 4/8 cloud cover, 75 degrees F, 58% RH
Day’s run: 102.1 nm. I’m surprised we made it that far in those conditions and made 40 miles to the north.
Still sitting on lots of fuel, we’ve only put on something like 20 engine hours in the last 10 days. So, Port Everglades here we come. Not waiting around here for more north wind, thank you. Cheers, Jake.

Crew Report

Just moments ago, Jimmy Alex and I(Ashlee) saw what I believe to be Spinner dolphins. A group of about 30 maybe more were swimming along side, jumping in the air and spinning above the surface. A lot of them looked like they were dwarf size. The weather has been changing back to a climate that I’m used to, cold, most of the crew has grabbed out their foul weather gear from the bottom of their bags and bunks. We still have our two passengers (birds) that decided to join us a couple of days ago, they are pretty happy with the sprout seeds that we have been feeding them. A watch has been practicing for the half way party, jimmy has been practicing his magic tricks while Alex and I are his assistants. Ashlee Mitchell

An older, yet wiser, Gabriel says hello from north of Cuba. My last prediction of no more shorts has come true, at first it was shorts and foulies but a few nights back I had to break down and put on…. pants! Gosh, whats next? Shoes? It’s been a great way to spend the winter so I can’t complain. I just hope we all don’t lose our tans over the next few weeks. I’ve been asleep the last few blogs, but there wasn’t much to report on. We are three or four days out of Florida if the weather cooperates, a journey of nearly five thousand miles is almost complete. Karen made me a cake today and the crew sang me my birthday song, it wasn’t very long. I’ve had a sailing trip like this on my list for a long time, and now that it feels checked off, I’m feeling the need to check that list and see what else is there, and get a few more checked off before I have too many more birthdays and can’t lift a finger to check items off that ol’ list. Shouts out to my fellow Capricorns, if there is a Capricorn-fest this year someone raise a glass for me. I’ll talk to you all hopefully by the weekend when we get to port. Cheers!

Karen here. I bet few people talk about Cuba as much as we have for the last few days. When will we get there? How will we get around it? Why is the weather SO bad here? And as we skirt across the North end of the island i can’t help but wonder why we can’t stop? A feud from my Grandfather’s time – yet I, as a tourist can (and have) visit North Korea?!?!Some things make such little sense. What has become clear, though, is that we are only a short way from home (a raft ride, really) and only a few days out. The crew will start to notice larger portions of food as I quit rationing. I’m dreaming of leafy salads, and raw vegetables that don’t have to be washed and soaked for an hour like our Mexican and Central American counterparts. I’m dreaming of a bed that doesn’t try to boot me out of it, and of course, spending a few hours watching the NFL. Let’s be realistic – it’s the playoffs! Go Chargers! And Happy Birthday to Gabe!

Captain’s Report
We are in the Gulf of Mexico. Can’t say we’re having a great time of it but we’re here. It’s northerlies again, 20-25 knots. We’re hard on the wind again, holding on to what we’ve gained, waiting for the wind to fade in a few hours. Looking forward to a better day tomorrow. Today’s numbers…
Noon position (1700 UTC): 21d 59.8m N, 085d 23.8m W, 290C, 3.5 knots, wind NNE F 5, seas mixed 5-8′, 1020 mb, 3/8 cloud cover, 76 degrees F, 69% RH.
Day’s run: 128.6 nm
We overheard the tall ship Sea Cloud on the radio and can see them on the horizon. It looks like they’re headed west.
More later, Cheers, Jake

Captain’s Report

Last night and this morning the wind was up and we were flying along, slamming north, getting ourselves in position for the Yucatan Channel tomorrow morning.  Sailing to weather tends to work things loose and we’ve been making regular rounds re-lashing things as they try to get away.  It’s now early afternoon and conditions have eased to the point that work party today was doing laundry on deck (galley towels).  We should be heading through the channel in the morning although there still might be some left over northerlies.  We’re used to it now so we’re going for it.
Noon position (1700 UTC):  20d 51.7m N, 083d 31.6m W, 340C, 4-5 knots.  Wind ENE F 5, seas NE 3-6′, 1014 mb, 6/8 cloud cover, NEWS FLASH!  It’s below 80 degrees.  78 to be precise.  65% RH
Day’s run:  138.3 nm.  100 nm to Cabo San Antonio, the west end of Cuba.
Also in the news, we have two new passengers on board.  Pigeons (Rock Doves).  Both banded and very comfortable around people.  We were about 40 miles off Isla de Pinos when they landed.  I’ve held both of them and the band numbers are:
FCC 2009  222529  and  FCC 2008  028534  They both will drink water and eat sunflower seeds and seem happy to hang out on the quarter deck.  They will squabble from time to time and I have to break them up.  Go figure.  Cheers,  Jake.

Crew Report
Greetings all. Dennis here on another hap-hap-happy day at sea. The weather has calmed down considerably and tom. we will be in the Yucatan Channel. Today we picked up some political refugees. Two pigeons which we are affectionately calling Peabody and Sherman have made a brief home on the quarterdeck of the Lynx. We have set up a deluxe suite out of a cardboard box, and even given them a dinosaur bowl bathhouse. More on this as it develops in the portion of this leg we will call “Pigeon Watch.” Love and miss you all. Dennis out.

Hi folks, Ben here. What Dennis says about calmer seas is absolutely true. For the last couple of days we have been dealing with seas that were somewhat less fun than the stuff we are seeing now. Even better, the squally weather seems to have given way to a nice 15-20 knot breeze that is currently blowing us right to our destination–Yucatan Channel. The sailing has been wonderful and except for a bit of motoring to clear some sketchy banks, we’ve been under wind power alone for the vast majority of this leg. Grand plans are underway for our “halfway” party to take place at some undetermined point in the future when we are not dodging traffic in Yucatan Channel. Stay tuned! Miss you all. -Ben