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America 2.0 at the beginning of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, 2011. Photo by Joe Elder aboard the Schooner Spirit of Independence.      Olde Towne Portsmouth once again hosted the finale of the 23rd Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race  from Baltimore Mayland with 37 participating schooners. Here is a photographic study of these exceptional sailing vessels docked along Olde Towne's waterside. Enjoy! An 18th century cannon stands sentinal  in front of the schooner "Mystic Whaler" docked along side the High Street basin. Photo by Joe Elder. HISTORY Schooner "Adventurer" figurehead. Photo by Joe Elder. 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. Ov...

The Schooner Virginia docked at Norfolk's Nauticus. Photo by Claire Trego Goodwin. A recent article published by a Hampton Roads newspaper titled "Your hole in the water- Virginia taxpayers shouldn't be forced to support private causes, like a schooner"  is a blatant attack on the now docked "Schooner Virginia." This same newspaper that has published numerous positive articles about the famed schooner, has now decided to change its position. So I feel inclined to republish the article and the current rebuttal written by Captain Stefan Edick, Master of the "Schooner Virginia." The newspaper I understand will publish Captain Edick's response, but in a condensed version.  So here it is in its entirety. Please write us and leave your comments. We thank you for your support of the "Schooner Virginia." Let's get her under sail once again! Editorial: Your hole in the water Virginia taxpayers shouldn't be forced to support private cau...

Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation and Nauticus Foundation have partnered bringing schooner VIRGINIA to the downtown Norfolk waterfront for summer education programs, visitation and special events as fund raising efforts to get VIRGINIA sailing intensify. Schooner Virginia's new location at Nauticus. The Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation, owner and operator of schooner Virginia, and the Nauticus Foundation have partnered bringing schooner Virginia pier side at Nauticus, offering public visitation, education programs and special events during the busy summer season. The joint venture of the two foundations is a great fit that takes advantage of the synergy and missions of both organizations – specifically youth education. While the VMHF continues to seek the support that will sustain Virginia into the future, the move to Nauticus will place Virginia back in the public view and provide a platform for Nauticus to launch a new externally focused maritime program. For the communi...