North Atlantic Ocean
Approximate Position: 34′ 41′N, 075′ 17′W

The crew of Lynx would like to pause on our voyage North to honor and
remember the two crew members, Claudene Christian and Captain Robin Walbridge,
of the H.M.S. Bounty that were lost last October when she sunk during Hurricane
Sandy.

Captain Walbridge devoted much of his life at sea with the tall ship Bounty.
No one can doubt his dedication to this great ship. Robin is now one with the
sea where he spent most of his life. Claudene lost her life doing something she
loved. She had a passion for the Bounty and life, it ended all too early.

As crew of the Lynx we may not have individually known these dedicated
sailors but we know them. We know what makes them love this life and accept the
dangers of a life at sea. We know deep down what it takes to take on a life at
sea on a Tall Ship. We all know them.

We cast this message of remembrance into the vastness of the sea. This
message will drift in the waters where Bounty’s memories lie everlasting.

Claudene and Robin, may you rest in peace.

Captain Bob Nelson and the crew of the Lynx.

08 May, 2013
Day Ten: West Palm Beach (Peanut Island), FL to Mystic, CT
1200 Pos. 35′ 50.588′ N, 074′ 48.136′ W
180 NM Run since 1200 yesterday.
Barometer at 1015Mb steady
Breeze at Force 2, NE
Seas: 2-3′ swell out of the NE.
Motor Sailing between 6-8 knots on a Starboard tack under Fore, Main, Staysail,
Jib and Foretop.

It’s been motor sailing, motor sailing and more motor sailing since 1200
yesterday. Motoring with light winds around the compass rose none of it enough
to sail with. Light rain on and off throughout the day. We hove to at the 0800
watch change and paid our respects to fallen Bounty crew members Claudene
Christian and Robin Walbridge off of Cape Hatteras. We sent a message in a
bottle as a remembrance.

Lynx is currently looking for fair winds to carry us North.

Cheers,

Captain Bob Nelson and the crew of Lynx.

07 May, 2013
Day Nine: West Palm Beach (Peanut Island), FL to Mystic, CT
1200 Pos. 33� 40.102′ N, 076� 48.735′ W
148 NM Run since 1200 yesterday.
Barometer at 1014Mb steady
Breeze at Force 3, N
Seas: 3-5′ swell out of the SW.
Motor Sailing between 5-6 knots on a Port tack under Fore, Main, Staysail, Jib
and Foretop.

It’s been a mix of motor sailing, sailing and motor sailing since 1200
yesterday. Motoring with light winds almost dead aft, then early in the morning
the wind clocked West and built so we could sail until the sun came up and the
wind clocked to the North and died so back on with the motor. The Schooner
Virginia left Charleston about two hours after we did and we saw her AIS until
early morning when we lost contact with her. Lots of other sailing vessels left
when we did, all headed North, we see them from time to time.

Lynx is currently looking for fair winds to carry us North.

Cheers,

Captain Bob Nelson and the crew of Lynx.

Greetings from Lynx,

April 1, 2013 – Departed Ft Myers Beach after a great Winter stay. We want to thank all our friends from Ft Myers Beach that made our stay so enjoyable. Great folks at Nervous Nellies especially Rob and Steve and the great welcome we received from the City and Chamber of Commerce. We are looking forward to our return next year.

The trip started out with an April fools joke from the weatherman. We’ve been here 3 Months and never had a day of fog until this morning. We slowly worked our way out of Mantanzas Pass, set sail and started the trip North. Didn’t take too long for the fog to lift and we had a nice sail with light winds and flat seas for the day. The wind shut down early the next morning so we motor sailed into Tampa Bay and anchored off Rattlesnake Key (27deg 33.577′N, 082deg 38.943′W) for the night. Swim Call!! Also we had a stow-a-way, or is it our new gunner? (see photos)

The next morning we weighed anchor and set sail for our Grand Arrival in St Petersburg. The wind filled in and we were able to sail from the Skyway Bridge to Harborage Marina in St Petersburg. We are currently on F Dock at Harborage Marina. (27deg 45.61′N, 082deg 38.082′W)

The crew is in great spirits and looking forward to our stay in St Petersburg.

Cheers,

Captain Bob Nelson

LYNX left our Winter home in Fort Myers Beach on Thursday morning for a week in St. Petersburg. It was a long wet overnight upwind slog with the wind on the nose for the entire trip. The trip was made worth while by the great welcoming we received when we arrived at Harborage Marina in St Petersburg.

Thanks to Captain Z and the M/V Full Moon, Sheriffs Boat, the Fireboat and USCG for the arrival parade.

We are currently at the Harborage Marina at position 27 45.608N , 082 38.080W.

The LYNX crew is well and enjoying the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Cheers,
–
LYNX Captain
Bob Nelson

Fort Myers Beach, FL (January 10, 2012)– The Lynx Educational Foundation, operators of Privateer Lynx, announced today that Fort Myers Beach, Florida has been selected as the ship’s new winter home port of call.

“It is with great pleasure to bring Lynx to the Fort Myers Beach community,” Jeffrey Woods, Executive Director, Lynx Educational Foundation said. “The reception our organization has received during our brief stay has only solidified our desire to make Fort Myers Beach our home for the winter.”

The ship is currently in Fort Myers Beach through January 23. Lynx will then travel to St. Petersburg before returning to Fort Myers Beach for the duration of the ship’s winter months (February-March). Lynx did not have a designated winter port on the East Coast prior to today’s announcement.

Lynx is currently on a five-year mission, which began in 2010, along the East Coast of the United States and Canada to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner.

“The presence of the ship in Fort Myers Beach has definitely turned heads and we are excited to see the continuous flow of intrigued people coming down to the dock to explore what Lynx is all about,” explained Don Peacock, Board President, Lynx Educational Foundation.

The ship serves as an interpretation of an actual privateer, named Lynx, built by Thomas Kemp in 1812 in Fell’s Point, Maryland. She was among the first ships to defend American freedom by evading the British naval fleet then blockading American ports and serving in the important privateering efforts.

Although captured early in the war, the original Lynx design was recognized as superior. With her rakish profile and superior sailing abilities, she served as an inspiration to those ships that would follow. Naval Architects continue to study her power and grace. She is fitted with period ordnance and flies pennants and flags from the 1812 era.

With a noble mission, Lynx now acts as a dynamic educational platform and provides a unique opportunity for students to interact with their American history lessons and renders a hands-on experience. Students and adults recognize the War of 1812 as a significant element of American heritage and as a turning point in the development of our national identity.
In addition to educational programming, charters and tours, Privateer Lynx has been hired in the past to train the cast and crew of the hit movie series Pirates of the Caribbean.

A schedule of future ship tours and sailaways in Fort Myers Beach will be announced in the coming days. The ship will return to Fort Myers Beach, following its visit to St. Petersburg, on February 1 at 12 p.m.

Hey its Krystal, Gator Johns daughter. Thank you so much for everything you did
for me I really enjoyed being on the lynx it was an incredible experience. It
really broadened my horizon in a career. I’m considering studying sailing and
when I get older I definitely want to apply to be part of the crew on the lynx.
I never knew sailing would open me up as a new person. It gives me a new feeling
like freedom. Again thank you so much you have no idea what kind of door you
have opened for me. Tell the crew I said hey and hope to see them soon.

Greetings all from Ft Myers Beach, Florida!

Lynx has been warmly welcomed by this beautiful port and we are snug and secure at Nervous Nellies Dock, enjoying lots of attention from folks coming to visit and wonderful weather for our daysails. Special thanks to Rob and Anna Degenerro and Manager Steve DeAngelis of Nervous Nellies for inviting us in and for the royal treatment which they have afforded Lynx and her crew!

We will be open to the public and doing day sails daily so if you are anywhere near come on down and visit.

Until next time-Cheers! Captain John

Greetings all!
Today finds us at L/L 26-08.4N by 081-55.2W or about 6 miles off of Naples, Florida. We departed Key West yesterday after lunch and a fairly serious wrestling match with our port anchor which had picked up a section of old chain that was about 2″ thick and may have been part of the reason we didn’t move during the windy weather in Man of War Harbor. Once the anchor was aboard we fired salutes to the town and other schooners nearby and made our way out of the NW Ship Channel on our way to Ft Myers Beach. As we cleared the reef we began to pile on the sail until we had set all 4 lowers, the Fore Topsail, Jib Top and Jack Yard Topsail set and away we went on a lovely and stately sail to the North. We carried on in this fashion, really enjoying the peace and quiet until the wind completely departed in the wee hours of the morning. Now, with everything still set, we are clutch ahead on the main engine maintaining steerage way on our voyage North. Arrival time at Nervous Nellies 1200 noon tomorrow.
Until next time-Cheers! Captain John

Greetings all from Man of War Harbor off of Key West, Florida!

The Captain and crew aboard the Lynx had a wonderful stay in Ft Lauderdale and enjoyed Christmas alongside the Los Olas Marina. We departed on Thursday morning in light air and slowly made our way through the day until the wind filled in giving us a first rate sail down the reef wall and finely to Key West towards last light yesterday. We boomed up the Ship Channel and were off Mallory Square just in time for the sailings of the resident schooner fleet-out bound for their sunset champagne cruises. In true Lynx style we saluted old schooner friends and the town of Key West with cannon fire and horn blasts as we made our way up to the anchorage north of town.

Key West is a little infamous for tough anchoring and not especially good holding grounds. Therefore, I was not overly surprised that it took 6 casts of the anchor in three different locations to get her dug in well. To make matters even more interesting, the group of boats here are anchored about evenly between chain, rope and moorings – which means that everyone is swinging to their hooks a little differently. We’ll see how things go tonight when a front is scheduled to wander through our area.

Here’s hoping everyone has a Happy New Year.
Until next time, cheers!
Captain John