The 25th Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

October 13-19, 2014
 From Baltimore, Maryland, to Portsmouth, Virginia

Schooners underway at the beginning of the
Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race.

There are schooners here, there and just about everywhere participating in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race (GCBSR). The 25th annual race begins Thursday, October 16th on the south side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis, Maryland. The schooners race throughout the afternoon and night into the next day to their designated finish line. For classes A and AA, the finish is an east-west line at Thimble Shoal Light and classes B and C finish at Windmill Point. Then they proceed on to docking in Portsmouth, Virginia along the quaint historic seaport's basins and seawall.

Schooners rafted together at the High Street Landing at the end
of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. Photo by Joe Elder.

With 34 entries in this year's race represented from all around the Chesapeake Bay and as far away as Key West, Florida, they'll be schooners of all types and sizes for you to view. The schooners will be on view in Portsmouth's North and High Street Landings as well as along the Olde Towne riverfront. Some may be available at times for boarding and tours. Make sure to bring your camera along for this is surely a  great photographic opportunity.

A. J. Meerwald under sail during the
Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. Photo by Allen Graves.

Plan to spend the day and take in all that Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia has to offer. This is a great time to stroll along our historic High Street corridor and visit our exceptional antique shops, art galleries and unique specialty stores found in Olde Towne. Have a great lunch or dinner in one of our chef and family owned restaurants, sports bars and pubs...there's plenty to choose from and you'll definitely find one to your liking.

Figurehead of the Schooner "Lady Maryland." Photo by Joe Elder.

HISTORY
Schooner racing on the Chesapeake Bay is rooted in the trade rivalry between Baltimore, Maryland, at the northern end of the Bay, and Portsmouth/Norfolk, Virginia, at the southern end. The fastest sailing vessels delivered goods and people to their destinations and often garnered the best price for their cargo by beating slower schooners into port. Over the years, commercial schooner designs evolved for the bay's routes — taking into consideration shallow waters, local crops and regional needs, with speed being a primary concern to beat competitively loaded vessels into port. These schooners also played a critical role in our nation's early wars. While there are no cargo-hauling schooners now working the Bay, there are a considerable number of schooners still in use as cruising vessels and privately owned boats.

Schooners and rigging dominate the view at the High Street Landing,
 Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo by Joe Elder.

In 1988, when the City of Baltimore launched her flagship modeled on those earlier vessels, Captain Lane Briggs of the Tugantine Norfolk Rebel — the world's only sail-powered schooner-rigged tugboat — challenged the Pride of Baltimore II to a race from Baltimore to Norfolk, reviving an historic rivalry between schooners, captains and cities on the Bay. With the challenge accepted, the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race (GCBSR) was born.

In 1990, a weekend in October was set aside for what had become an annual event, and yacht clubs at the northern and southern ends of the race volunteered to support the schooners and crews in their efforts.

"Mystic Whaler" sails into Baltimore before the race begins. Photo by Joe Elder.

Over the 25 years of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, there have been some incredible races with schooners going to the wire to win. Harsh weather conditions in some of the races have tested the mettle of the vessels, crews and captains. As many as 56 schooners have signed up for a single race, and more than 150 — with vessels from as far away as California - have enjoyed the fall race on the Bay. The 2007 race was the fastest race in this long series. With strong following winds, several schooners set new records for both elapsed and corrected time. The schooner Virginia set a new time to beat of 11 hours, 18 minutes and 53 seconds, beating the previous record of 12 hours, 57 minutes and 51 seconds set by Imagine...! in the 2005 GCBSR.

Fort McHenry- A 200 Year Star Spangled Banner Celebration- Baltimore, Maryland- Peter Rindlisbacher

By Peter Rindlisbacher

Often, my art efforts have a direct link to my historical re-enacting.  A recent case in point was in Baltimore, participating in the Star Spangled Banner celebrations.  I towed my 27-foot longboat up from Texas, met with a Canadian crew, and some Maryland-based Royal Marines, and joined in the 1814 festivities.

Driving to Baltimore, Md. from Texas with longboat in tow.

The Maryland Yacht Club hosted us for the week, and we obliged by performing a wartime British boat landing at the Club.  We exchanged cannon shots, then I had fun with the crowd attending as an arrogant British naval officer, “… in time, you impulsive colonials will learn humility and your proper place in the world…”, and afterwards enjoyed a buffet dinner and chat with all combatants under a temporary truce.  The MYC gave me a gift club burgee pennant, and I surrendered my masthead Union Jack as a trophy of the affair.

Re-enacting the landing of a British longboat in Baltimore,Md. during
the Star Spangled banner celebration.

On Saturday, we went aboard a visiting Canadian Navy frigate in Baltimore Harbor for a cocktail reception – appropriate because the British campaign of harassment on the Chesapeake was largely to take the pressure off British troops on the Canadian border.  The company and food were excellent. We later witnessed the tremendous fireworks show, then returned again on the Sunday morning to see the large 1814 flag raised over Fort McHenry– which we answered with our own Star Spangled flag and gun salutes.

“Artist in his 1814 British Navy uniform, addressing the reception
attendees aboard H.M.C.S. ATHABASCAN.”

The tie-in with my art is that I had learned in my research that longboats like mine had been sent in close to the Fort on that fateful night, to launch a diversionary cannon and rocket attack on the American batteries.  I painted a six-foot oil on canvas of that scene, from the point of view of the British boats milling about in the dark, as the Fort was pounded by the British ships.  It was a tense moment in American history because Washington had fallen, and the defenders under heavy bombardment also expected a land attack at any moment.

"Perilous Night." A painting by marine artist Peter Rindlisbacher.

Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery was able to supply me with framed giclee prints of the painting to give as gifts to the yacht club and Canadian warship. All in all, it was a truly satisfying trip, and suitable wrap up to the 200^th Anniversary commemorations.

ABOUT THE PAINTING

Perilous Night; Naval Attack on Fort McHenry- Original Painting by Peter Rindlisbacher. 

Oil on canvas measuring 48 X 72 inches, unframed

The painting portrays the scene in the Ferry Branch of the Patapsco River off Fort McHenry about 1:;30 AM, September 14th, 1814. Nine armed barges full of picked men from the Royal Navy were discovered in the midst of their diversion attack, while Fort McHenry was being shelled with bombs and rockets from a line of British warships. The crossfire from the three U.S. forts and land batteries, and lack of progress in the British land attack, made the boats to withdraw out of range after a few hours of exchanging fire. Fort McHenry survived the night, of course, and a view of the flag still there by morning inspired the National Anthem. 

Previous portrayals of the 1814 bombardment of Baltimore have shown a view from the far distant line of British ships firing at Fort McHenry, or from the defenders` ramparts taking the punishment, or via a bird`s eye view of the Fort and distant enemy. 

Instead, the artist opted for what one historian has called "the first from this view", a little known element of the Battle, that a flotilla of armed British boats had been sent in close to the Fort as a diversion for the main land attack. Rindlisbacher's depiction is in among those boats, which likely had the best view of the Fort and battle that night. 

The boat assault coincided with one of the most dramatic and dangerous times in the Nation`s history. The Treasury was virtually bankrupt, weeks before Washington had been captured easily, the Whitehouse had been burnt, the First Family barely escaping, and Baltimore was expected to fall next. 

Portraying the high drama of that night was the artist’s objective in this painting, and its terror and violence cannot be overstated. Bombs, rockets and cannon balls relentlessly rained down on the Fort from the attacking ships and boats, while the Town waited in fear -- hours all in the midst of intermittent rain, thunder and lightning. 

A pivotal night in America`s history, before dawn broke, the British left and "the Flag was still there".

War of 1812- Perilous Night; Naval Attack on Fort McHenry- September 14, 1814

Perilous Night; Naval Attack on Fort McHenry- Original Painting by Peter Rindlisbacher

Oil on canvas measuring 48 X 72 inches, unframed.

This just completed painting by marine artist Peter Rindlisbacher portrays the scene in the Ferry Branch of the Patapsco River off Fort McHenry about 1:;30 AM, September 14th, 1814. Nine armed barges full of picked men from the Royal Navy were discovered in the midst of their diversion attack, while Fort McHenry was being shelled with bombs and rockets from a line of British warships. The crossfire from the three U.S. forts and land batteries, and lack of progress in the British land attack, made the boats to withdraw out of range after a few hours of exchanging fire. Fort McHenry survived the night, of course, and a view of the flag still there by morning inspired the National Anthem.

Previous portrayals of the 1814 bombardment of Baltimore have shown a view from the far distant line of British ships firing at Fort McHenry, or from the defenders` ramparts taking the punishment, or via a bird`s eye view of the Fort and distant enemy.

Instead, the artist opted for what one historian has called "the first from this view", a little known element of the Battle, that a flotilla of armed British boats had been sent in close to the Fort as a diversion for the main land attack. Rindlisbacher's depiction is in among those boats, which likely had the best view of the Fort and battle that night.

The boat assault coincided with one of the most dramatic and dangerous times in the Nation`s history. The Treasury was virtually bankrupt, weeks before Washington had been captured easily, the Whitehouse had been burnt, the First Family barely escaping, and Baltimore was expected to fall next.

Portraying the high drama of that night was the artist’s objective in this painting, and its terror and violence cannot be overstated. Bombs, rockets and cannon balls relentlessly rained down on the Fort from the attacking ships and boats, while the Town waited in fear -- hours all in the midst of intermittent rain, thunder and lightning.

A pivotal night in America`s history, before dawn broke, the British left and "the Flag was still there.”

The painting is now available for purchase and be seen at Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery, One High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia.

Giclee prints on stretched canvas are now available in two sizes: 24 inches X 36 inches and 40 inches X 60 inches. Here's the link to the artist's page at Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery.

Also available- War of 1812: The Marine Art of Peter Rindlisbacher (Hardcover)

By Peter Rindlisbacher (Author) Victor Suthren (Introduction)

War of 1812: The Marine Art of Peter Rindlisbacher 

Released May 2013. War of 1812 : The Marine Art of Peter Rindlisbacher showcases 120 paintings in color by Peter Rindlisbacher, CSMA, of the maritime events during this epic time. His artwork documents many of the ships which were involved in the Great Lakes arena along with sailors and militia. This 190 page book is a record of his superb work with an introduction by Donald E. Graves and forward by Victor Suthren. Published by Quarry Press, Kingston; ISBN 978-155082-364-6.

*Museums and historic sites in the U.S. and Canada have purchased many of his paintings and his artwork is represented in part here at Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery.