After ten days at sea, the Lynx arrives safely in the harbors of the British Virgin Islands at Virgin Gorda. She is currently docked at the Bitter End Yacht Club where she will be conducting day charters. It is expected that she will spend three months there before leaving for the west coast.

The Lynx cast off the Broadway pier at Fell’s Point in Baltimore on November 14th at 12:55 PM. She arrived safely in the British Virgin Islands 10 days later at 11:00 am on November 24th. There were 12 crew aboard for the delivery. All of which had an unforgettable journey.

Lynx departed Baltimore in the afternoon of November 14 for an overnight run to Norfolk Virginia, where Lynx topped up the fuel tanks the following morning. By ten o’clock November 15 we were abeam of Cape Henry and proceeded across the gulf stream for the next 48 hours. The foresail was hoisted to dampen the roll. The engine was kept running as the wind was a little to light and easterly to lay our course for the Virgin Islands.

The winds and the seas increased during the day and by the morning of November 16th it was blowing around 25 knots with seas running at 15 feet. The wind had now shifted to the north so we set the storm tricel and the fore staysail and were making a speed of 6 and half knots under sail.

We discovered as we were raising sail that the bolts holding down the gammon iron had sheared off and that there were cracks in the fore boom and the jaws of the fore gaff. We effected temporary repairs.

The following night we observed a splendid meteor shower. The winds had increased to thirty knots, sometime gusting to 40 in rain squalls and Lynx occasionally reached 10 knots under her reduced canvas. By the 19th the wind had died down sufficiently enough for us to set the mainsail and the following day shifted aft so that we were able to take down all our fore and aft sails and set the topsail and twin courses.

On Nov. 22 a fine turkey dinner was enjoyed by all hands on the quarterdeck as Lynx proceeded under engine in very light winds. Early on the morning on November 24th land was sighted and at 0703 the anchor was dropped in Spanish town roads in order to clear customs. Once clearance was granted we proceeded to the Bitter End Resort, Virgin Gorda, which is to be Lynx’s home for the next three months.

Those who crewed for the trip down to the islands were:

Woodson K. Woods, Martyn Clark, Margaret Clark, Jim La Licata, Jeff Woods, Jeremy Spradlin, Alex Fee, Lee Parent, Carrie Linskey, Kip Brundage, Art McKay, and Jane DeLashmutt

With only a few bumps and bruises to speak of, the Lynx is currently being refreshed and maintained before the charters begin. She will be educating and entertaining the folks of Virgin Gorda and their visitors for the next three months. For more information on how to charter the boat, please e-mail us at info@privateerlynx.com or call the Bitter End Yacht Club 284-494-2745

We would also like the folks from Fell’s Point Preservation Society, who so graciously hosted our stay in Baltimore, to know how much we appreciated their hospitality. Thank you!

The crew of Lynx was the focal point of ceremonies held on Thursday, November 8 to kickoff “In Defense of Freedom” weekend at Fort McHenry and Baltimore. The event honors America’s veterans and will culminate in festivities Veterans Day November 11 at Fort McHenry, where the Lynx crew will be among the hundreds of re-enactors who will be participating in honoring America’s veterans from the War of 1812 to World War II.

Among the dignitaries at the opening ceremonies at Fort McHenry were U. S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, National Parks Director Fran Mainella and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley. The Secretary and the Director met with the Lynx crew who presented both officials with Lynx caps which both wore with great pride. They each thanked Lynx for being a part of the event and for representing the American Spirit and reinforcing the mission of this National Park Service weekend for Unity, Hope and Healing.

While the Secretary of the Interior was unable to visit Lynx when she was at Fort McHenry, she was ably represented by the Director of the National Park Service Mainella who received a personal tour of the vessel. After her visit, she said that the day’s events were the first to be scheduled nationwide and would be part of series of such ceremonies to be held across America. She discussed the possible opportunity of Lynx to participate in these on-going events and welcomed her involvement as part of this national effort.

Lynx stands ready to answer the nation’s call.