BBI Scuttlebutt: What’s happening at Bytown Brigantine.

Wonderful Website Work

2011-01-21T06:13:00.003-05:00

A webmaster's work is never done, and it seems I've been a bit behind in some cleanup, so I'll be busy working on the Bytown Brigantine website over the next couple of weeks. I would appreciate if anyone notices anything wonky on the website to send and email to webmaster(at)tallshipsadventure(dot)org. Or if you've got suggestions for the website, send them along too. Thanks.

Let's see, what else is going on with the Winter Program? Nothing this weekend except the Board of Directors has a planning meeting this weekend on Sunday. Next weekend though we have the VHF Radio Operator's course. You need this certificate to talk on the radio, so if you want to be crew and need this qualification you should plan on attending.

Restricted Small Vessel Machinery Operator Course

2010-11-19T21:32:00.003-05:00

Bytown Brigantine will be offering a Restricted Small Vessel Machinery Operator (SVMO) Course In the New Year for interested participants.

Pass this along to anyone you think may be interested. Contact the office for registration.

This is a relatively new certificate offered by Transport Canada Marine Safety (TCMS) which is at the entry level of the engineering stream. If you are interested in learning about the fundamentals of ship board mechanical systems you may want to sign up for this course. If you are interested in helping out as a crew member on board either the Black Jack or Fair Jeanne this is a great way to get aboard as we require an SVMO aboard at all times.

The course will take place over five 2 hour sessions. Students will be encouraged to work at home independently and come to class with relevant questions. This course is intended for seafarers with a minimum of 14 days sea service performing engine room duties. This course will prepare students to challenge the TCMS Restricted Small Vessel Machinery Operator exam. Delivery will be a combination of lectures and hands-on practical skills, i.e. identifying pumps, piping, power transmission, underwater fittings, hydraulic systems and pneumatic systems on board the Black Jack and the Fair Jeanne.

Other Transport Canada requirements include: medical certificate, MED A2, Marine Basic First Aid, ten sea time, written examination on General Engineering Knowledge, and a vessel specific oral and practical exam.

You will be required to bring personal protective equipment including safety boots, overalls and gloves for the times when classes will be held on board ship.

The course is open to all
Course Length: 5 sessions at 2 hours each
Course dates: January 6^th, February 3^rd, March 1^st, April 7^th, May 5^th (the first Tuesday of every month)
Course Hours: 1800-1930
Course Fee: $100 (free to anyone how has donated over 100 hours of service to Bytown Brigantine)

Should you have any questions or would like to register please do not hesitate to contact the office at 613 596 6258 or email at info@tallshipsadventure.org.

Volunteer Opportunities with BBI

2010-11-06T23:14:00.004-04:00

Bytown Brigantine will be hosting a monthly volunteer recruitment event on
November 28th, 2010 at 1400hrs at the BBI office (2700 Queensview Dr.
Ottawa)

Would you like to help to prepare the Fair Jeanne or Black Jack's rigging for
the 2011 season? Do you think you would be a great addition to the
Newsletter Committee? Perhaps you would like to lend a hand with answering
phones or managing the boutique?

Bytown Brigantine could not operate without the support of its vital corps
of volunteers. Whether you are interested in marlinspike seamanship,
navigation, teaching, public relations, general maintenance or special
events management we can certainly use your help. Whether your strengths are
working with youth, adults, or working on an individual project, you will
find an opportunity with BBI. Come and join us for an introduction to the
program and a quick look at what opportunities are possible, it is sure to
change your life!

There is no contribution too small - the time commitment for being a BBI
volunteer varies, come join us to see what it is all about.

If you can't make it for this volunteer orientation, don't worry, we will be
hosting a volunteer recruitment and orientation on the last Sunday of every
month, excluding December.

If you would like to attend the volunteer session please call the office to
let us know send an email to mary@tallshipsadventure.org.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

Mary Acton-Bond
Executive Director
Phone: 613 596 6258
Fax: 613 596 4335
Email: mary@tallshipsadventure.org

Winter Program Nov. 5 -7

2010-11-02T12:48:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

This weekend the winter program kicks off at BBI! The program for the
weekend is as follows:

Drop-off is at 18:30 on Friday evening at the Bytown office, which is
located at 2700 Queensview Drive. There is a blue sign with our name on it
at the parking lot entrance, and a big sign at the office itself. Please
make sure you eat dinner BEFORE you come! We'll be getting right into the
navigation lesson and then sleeping over in the office.

Saturday is a work party, so we will be heading down to BYC to tarp Black
Jack before it snows (more) and strip the rigging off the masts. It will
be very cold, so make sure you dress warmly. After all that we will be
going bowling! We're going to take the bus to Merivale Bowling, so if you
have a bus pass please bring that, otherwise bring bus tickets.

On Sunday we'll be getting into groups to commence one of the greatest
winter program activities... the Sled Challenge 2011! Start brainstorming
now so your group can plan something epic on Sunday (the sleds themselves
will be built in December, and the competition is in January). Pick-up is
at 1200 noon at the office.

Make sure you have everything you need to sleepover including:

a change of clothes
clothes you don't mind getting dirty in
a warm waterproof jacket, hat, and gloves
a sleeping bag
a bus pass or bus tickets
your winter program form and $22, unless you have already paid :)

If you would like to come but haven't yet sent in your winter program registration you can fax it to (613) 596 - 4335. You can also bring it
with you this weekend, but in that case ***please send me an EMAIL saying
you are coming this weekend****. If you're wondering if winter program is
for you, come along this weekend and see for yourself!

Looking forward to seeing many of you soon!

Christine Chesterman
Winter Program Coordinator
Christine@tallshipsadventure.org

The registration form can be found at:
http://tallshipsadventure.org/pdf/registration_winter.pdf

End of the 2010 sailing season...

2010-10-20T16:40:00.005-04:00

There's been lots going in at BBI the last two weeks as we get ready to finish off the 2010 season!

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving weekend, Black Jack and 13 crew headed upriver to collect the barges and say goodbye to the Island until next spring. The weather was absolutely perfect and night watch wasn't as cold as expected - or maybe wearing all our winter clothing made it just feel that way? On Saturday the barges were warped forward from their mooring place behind the catwalk. Rolfe in Green whaler, Captain in the TT, and the formidable fall current helped carry them out into the bay, where Black Jack was waiting to pick up her charges. The barges were towed alongside, with the whalers attached to the floating dock behind the supply barge. We set the tops'l and t'gallant coming into Constance Bay to officially make it the biggest and best sail-powered tow operation on the Ottawa River! In the words of the Captain, it was like sailing a small city block.

That night we anchored the whole fleet in Constance Bay. Mrs Acton-Bond somehow produced an entire turkey with stuffing from Black Jack's oven-less galley and everyone dug in to an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. We played a few rounds of two truths and a lie afterwards while digesting all that food... it may sound like a simple game but some people still don't seem to get it!

On Sunday Black Jack made her way to Pinhey's Point to anchor the barges. She then picked up Simon and Lynne Fuller and their girls, and Jean Fuller, Bytown's patron ( for whom Fair Jeanne is named!) to go for Black Jack's last proper sail of the year. True to this intent, all sails were set! Things got exciting fast after that as the wind picked and Black Jack heeled hard to starboard. The t'gallant, course, and main were doused and the ship kept on smoothly under the tops'l.

After the Fullers disembarked and the trainees were dropped off at Pinhey's, Black Jack picked the barges back up (after hauling the anchors in by hand against the current! Never underestimate how great having a windlass is) and headed back to BYC. The barges were towed smoothly into the yacht club by whaler and TT, then Black Jack followed and is now moored beside them.

Fair Jeanne
The good ship Fair Jeanne has been moored at Hartwells Locks in Ottawa since her return from Prescott in September. On Thanksgiving Monday she ventured down the canal through the Rideau locks downtown. We had many trainees and parent volunteers who were new to going through the locks, but they were fantastic and Fair Jeanne locked through quickly and without a hitch! She docked in the Ottawa River just below Parliament, but only for a week. The canal was drained during the week so on Friday October 15^th, Fair Jeanne transferred back up to Lock 4, her winter home of several years, and was lowered into her drydock cradles.

Downrigging Black Jack

Last weekend Black Jack said farewell to her status as a sailing ship. A great team turned out to help de-rig the ship on Saturday – unbending the sails drying them out, and flaking them into sailbags; sewing new sialbags for the running rigging and whipping countless lines; and swinging down the yards. Next weekend the masts will be lifted out with a crane, and Black Jack herself will be hauled out of the water for winter.

On Sunday, Albert Rolfe held a small engine repair course that simultaneously gave everyone a chance to learn hands-on engine maintenance and retire the outboards for winter properly.

A big thank you to all our volunteers, trainees, and crew for making this fall season so successful and so fun! We're looking forward to seeing many of you this weekend and over the winter!

Coming up at BBI

2010-10-14T09:57:00.004-04:00

After a very cold but fun fall program, the sailing season is officially coming to a close this weekend - Fair Jeanne will be going into drydock on Friday and on Saturday Black Jack will be down-rigged for the winter. As always we would love your help in getting all this accomplished!

Friday October 15th - meet at Fair Jeanne at 0730, finish by 1600. Fair Jeanne is currently docked at the very bottom of the locks at Parliament -you can't miss her! The task for Friday is to bring the Jeanne up to Lock#4, at which point the Rideau locks will be drained, dry-docking Fair Jeanne in her cradles there for the winter. If you are available to help out with this, please let Mr. Drinnan (Fair Jeanne's Captain) know.

Saturday October 16th - meet at BYC from 0900 - 1600. We need as many hands as possible as there is a LOT to do this day! All the lines, sails, and spars will be taken off Black Jack, and the whalers also need to behauled out of the water. Down-rigging a tall ship is a really interesting process and you will learn a lot about how it all fits together by helping take it apart!

Sunday October 17th - meet at the Bytown Office (2700 Queensview Dr.) at12:30. Albert Rolfe will be teaching a small engine repair course at the office. For everyone who has ever been thwarted by an outboard motor, this is your chance to strike back! Learn how to troubleshoot and repair a small outboard at the office, everyone welcome. Please make sure you eat lunch before you arrive though.

If you would be able to provide lunch or drinks for any of the days, please email me! Sandwiches and drinks would be much appreciated.

For all events, do please email to let us know if you can come out that day. It really helps when planning the groups, food, and so on to know who is coming. Thank you and I hope to see many of you this weekend!

Christine Chesterman
Winter Program Coordinator

Girl Guides Weekend

2010-10-05T15:31:00.002-04:00

Last weekend on Black Jack we were lucky to have both beautiful fall weather and an amazing group of trainees. We had a small team of Rangers from the Camp Woolsey Girl Guides camp aboard, many of whom had been sailing aboard Black Jack and Fair Jeanne before. The ship got underway from BYC on Friday evening and steamed upriver to Pinhey's Point. We did in-house and the girls were split into two watches, alternating between helming and standing watch on the aft deck and going through Deckhand rating in the logbooks down below. We anchored at Pinhey's, fit everyone into bunks and hammocks down below, and hunkered down to night watches. It was an absolutely clear and beautiful night, but COLD! I think it's safe to say that we all wore everything we brought with us and the hot chocolate on night watch was a lifesaver.

Saturday morning the sun was blindingly bright as we sang O Canada. Breakfast was a seemingly endless supply of tasty egg-in-bagels and then the girls put their backs into weighing the anchor so Black Jack could head upriver for Alexandria Island. Red watch did their aloft in-house while Green watch stood watch and learned how to do log entries, safety checks, lookout duty, and some more helming. The trainees were then split into pairs for 'speed-lessons' – a 7-minute lesson from each crew member about basic collision regulations, chartwork, buoyage, and naming parts of the ship. At Constance Bay the watches split up into their whalers and learned to use the sweeps – huge long oars – to race each other to shore. Green watch must have had their strong arms on, because they left Red whaler far behind! Both watches returned to Black Jack for lunch, then Green watch took their turn aloft as Red watch guided Black Jack towards Quyon and the island. At the island, we discovered that the bunk barge had become unmoored due to the sudden rise of the river this past week. The barge was rescued and everyone went ashore for an after-dinner campfire and more roasted marshmellows than you could shake a gaff at.

Night watch was even colder that night, which made the river steam and fog roll over the ship during the night! It was like being on the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean, but more frozen. In the morning Black Jack tried to bring the barges to Quyon to avoid further trouble at the island, but the current was too strong and the operation had to be postponed until next weekend. The watches split into whalers again, this time to take advantage of the great wind around Mohr Island. Whaler sailing is a great way to see sail theory in action. All those whiteboard lessons about tacking and gybing made a lot more sense to the Rangers when they were hauling on the main sheets, dipping the lug, and flying along on a beam reach or trying to beating upwind. We met back up with Black Jack for lunch and steamed downriver towards BYC. In Britannia Bay it seemed like every boat in the yacht club was out enjoying the amazing weather, so Black Jack had lots of dodging to do. Back at BYC, the girls were given their logbooks, now with Deckhand rating signed off. Maybe Black Jack channels a ship's concert vibe, but the girls had written a song that would rival any 10-day session – very impressed!

Hopefully we'll see you again next year!

Upcoming Events

2010-10-01T08:53:00.001-04:00

Although Black Jack only has a few more weeks on the river, there is still a lot going on at Bytown. On October 23^rd Black Jack will be hauled out of the water. The very same evening is the Annual Awards Banquet, which is held at BYC. After that, it's winter program time! Bytown runs weekend programs at our Ottawa office about twice a month, and trainees, parents, friends, everyone is encouraged to get involved! For more information on the winter program, upcoming fall dates, and the Awards Banquet, please check the BBI website http://www.tallshipsadventure.org/ or contact the office with any questions.

Fall Schedule:

Monday October 11- We will be moving the Fair Jeanne from her berth at Heartwells locks and transiting through to the bottom of the flight locks we will start at 0900 and should be done around 1400hrs. If you could help out with food for this trip please let us know. Sandwiches would be fine with drinks.

Friday October 15^h- we will be dry docking the Fair Jeanne- we will start the day at 0830 and should be done around 1600hrs. Meet at the bottom of the flight locks by the Château Laurier. If you could help out with food for this trip please let us know. Sandwiches would be fine with drinks.

October 16^th and 17^th - Black down rigging – Meet at BYC from 0900-1600. f you can help with food for this weekend it would be greatly appreciated.

Saturday October 23- Black Jack haul out and mast stepping –Meet at BYC at 0900. If you can help with lunch for this please let us know.

October 23- Set up for the banquet- Meet at BYC club house at 1400hrs.

If you are able to help out for any of these events please let us know so that we can ensure we have the proper tools and supplies for everyone, not too mention enough food!

16^th Annual Awards Banquet - Saturday, October 23^th, 2010 at the Britannia Yacht Club

Held to acknowledge the efforts of our trainees, volunteers and crew, Bytown Brigantine’s Annual Awards & Reunion Banquet is something that everyone looks forward to each year.

The banquet will get underway with a pre-dinner reception at 1700 hours. At this time you will have the opportunity to bid on one of the many items donated for the Silent Auction, to find lost and found items, to catch up with friends and crew, and to meet all the people working for you behind the scenes! At 1815 hours dinner will be served followed by presentations, speeches, the Silent Auction. A cash bar will be available. All monies raised by this event help support the Captain Thomas G. Fuller Bursary Fund (http://www.tallshipsadventure.org/bfyouth.html)

Winter Program: http://www.tallshipsadventure.org/winter.html

Leadership Sail

2010-09-30T20:59:00.002-04:00

This weekend past we had the leadership sail aboard Black Jack. It's the first time we have run a program like this and it was a great success! The purpose of the weekend was to give trainees who showed a great deal of interest in the program and their logbooks during the summer a chance to improve their skills together and think about being a leader and staying involved in the program in the future.

On Friday evening Ms Acton-Bond challenged the group to play the tarp game without speaking to each other. Everyone quickly became aware of how important communication is, because even though they have all done this before, they couldn't flip the tarp without talking! Afterwards everyone was divided into watches to go over safety drills and a brief in-house. Tall Ships' Olympics got underway with Green Watch taking the lead right away, followed by a game of manhunt around the yacht club. As the weather was foul that night, Black Jack stayed alongside that night and the trainees slept in the club house nearby.

On Saturday morning we were treated to a pancake breakfast from our XO-turned-chef Ms Acton-Bond and then Black Jack got underway. Each watch took turns standing watch on the aft deck and practicing sail handling as Black Jack motored up the river. The watch 'on watch' is responsible for helming the ship, reading the chart, standing lookout, and keeping the ship's log. While sail handling, each trainee was given the task of 'calling' a sail, which means they gave the orders needed to set or douse a sail while their shipmates worked the lines. Calling a sail is a great way to learn more about how the sail actually works, as well as giving the trainees an idea of what sail handling is like from the crew's perspective! After lunch Black Jack turned around to square sail down the river. The wind was excellent and each watch was able to get some whaler sailing in as well. After that there were 'speed-lessons' to refresh or teach some logbook skills, such as knot-tying, collision regulations, chartwork, and what the ship's lights mean. Black Jack anchored at Pinhey's Point for the night and although it was a very short session, the watches managed to come up with skits for an entertaining ship's concert, followed by watching Pirates of the Caribbean down below to escape the cold and rain.

Sunday morning was chilly so we stayed put for breakfast and happy hour, then got underway for BYC. After some heavy fog, the weather cleared and Black Jack got to do some fantastic tacking in Britannia Bay with all squares set – this requires a lot of coordination, so well done to everyone!! I hope those of you watching on shore enjoyed the sail past and cannon salutes!

Thank you to everyone who participated for a great weekend!

Start of Camp 6

2010-08-25T16:08:00.001-04:00

I checked in with the Black Jack this afternoon and here is what they have been up to:

The last session of the season started this morning at the BYC. After some introductions the boat got underway to continue with their in-house orientation. As they made their way up the river, the boat anchored near Mohr Island so that the trainees could complete their swim test.

As I spoke to the crew they were on their way to Quyon to do the Lego Man Challenge, a communication game. The boat will stay alongside in Quyon tonight while the trainees go over to the island for some games and an overnight. They will sleep on the island in the barges tonight.

Until next time! Fair Winds from BBI!

Black Jack Camp 4

2010-08-10T10:02:00.001-04:00

The Black Jack’s fourth session has now been underway (no pun intended!) since last Wednesday. Things are going well and everyone seems to be having a great time despite some rain earlier this week. Yesterday morning when the trainees woke up the Black Jack was nowhere to be found! After this surprising discovery on the way back from the Bunk Barge everyone spent the day on a scavenger hunt where the Black Jack was finally found in the evening at Pinhey’s Point.

This morning after French toast cooked by chef Kean, the ship’s company participated in a Captain’s Happy Hour. The plan for the day is to sail back to Ottawa for fuel and a pump out then hopefully sail as much as possible back down the river to Quyon. They will stay on the island tonight.

If you have any photos from the start of the session, please feel free to upload them to our Facebook page for everyone to see!

Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Black Jack Camp 3

2010-07-28T15:01:00.001-04:00

I have been in touch with Captain McNaught on the Black Jack and have an update from the Island. Camp number 3 started Monday morning and following the in-house information, the afternoon was spent sailing Black Jack as well as the whalers.

Tuesday was a very full day. The Black Jack sailed to a reef off Mohr island to swim. In the evening They sailed again to Buckham’s Bay for the first overnight on the ship.

Today, after wake up and breakfast everyone participated in a Captain’s Happy Hour. After a sail to Quyon, the ship’s company enjoyed some shore leave. This evening the plan is to sail to the island where the trainees will start work on their survival shelters to spend the night.

Don’t forget that you can post photos to our Facebook page and share them with others!

Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Watermelon Football

2010-07-20T13:54:00.002-04:00

Long time no updates...right? Well here you are anxious parents and relatives. The Black Jack had its best sail that the Captain can remember in a few years! They sailed the entire way up the river on the weekend with fantastic results! The tall ship Olympics are now underway and the competition is heating up. The trainees are all also working on their PCOC cards.

Today when I spoke to Captain McNaught, everyone was just finishing up a swim before lunch. This morning there were whaler races. For lunch Chef Kean made grilled cheese and chicken soup. The plan for the afternoon was a sail to Mohr Island for a game of watermelon football. Tonight the ship’s company will camp out on an island in Pontiac Bay.

Don't forget to keep your eye on our Facebook page to see quick updates as they come in!
Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Program Update

2010-07-16T11:38:00.002-04:00

Update from the Fair Jeanne:

Yes, she still exists! The Fair Jeanne has been undergoing a huge refit this spring as part of a five-year work plan. The ship has been a frenzy of activity all spring. Now the finish line seems to be in sight! Last week the crew delivered her to Prescott where rigging began. This weekend there will be deck tours Saturday and Sunday from about 10-4 each day. If you are curious to see her and the new renovations stop by for a look. Fair Jeanne is currently moored at the Prescott Marina, just south of Water Street.

Update from Black Jack Camp 2

The plan has changed a little bit from what I blogged yesterday. There will still be a whaler expedition, but not for a few more days. When I spoke to Captain McNaught this morning the entire ship’s company was in the midst of making model boats. After then are finished making them everyone will race their boat.

This afternoon will start with a swim...if everyone isn’t already soaked by the rain. Following that the plan is to sail Black Jack back to Ottawa where they will have a pump out and re-fuel. Everyone will spend the night on board the ship.

Yesterday as I reported there was a lot of whaler sailing. Everyone sailed to Mohr Island for a LONG swim. After swimming they sailed back to the island where the tall ship Olympics were introduced. For dinner Kean cooked up a mean chilli soup with cinnamon buns for desert. Once it was dark everyone played a few big group games (burning bridges etc) then it was off to bed!

In case you haven’t already done so, check out our Facebook page. A parent has already uploaded some photos from the first day at camp. Who will be next?

Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Black Jack Camp 2

2010-07-15T10:29:00.003-04:00

Black Jack's second camp started with a beautiful morning yesterday. Parents, trainees and crew all met in Quyon at 0900 to get things started. This 10 day program is totally full. During the day an orientation and in-house with Captain McNaught were done. For dinner everyone enjoyed Kean's stir-fry. They spent the night docked in Quyon.

Today the entire ship's company is making preparations for a 2 day whaler expedition. They will practice sailing today and set off tomorrow. Since it has really started to heat up again, there has been lot's of swimming to keep cool. Tonight will be the first overnight on Black Jack.

If you took photos at the start of camp, please feel free to send them to the office or upload them directly to our facebook page.

Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Keep checking back daily for updates!

Black Jack Sailing Down the River

2010-07-06T10:34:00.007-04:00

Today is day three on Black Jack camp 1. After a day at the beach yesterday everyone had a camp fire on the Island and sang sea shanties--a must while at tall ship camp.

Today the heat wave continues. The ships company started the tall ship Olympics this morning. They have now left the island and are making their way up the river. The Captain's plan is to also sail the whalers as they make way. Tonight everyone will be sleeping on board the ship, on deck were it is coolest.

Bytown Brigantine Inc.

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Black Jack Camp is heating up!

2010-07-05T11:29:00.004-04:00

Our first Black Jack program of the season started yesterday just as it started to heat up! Trainees met in Quyon at 0900 to sign aboard the five day session. After the in house orientation done by the Captain and crew was completed, the entire ships company set off for their first sail. After an afternoon of sailing they anchored at Mohr Island for a well deserved and refreshing swim. Everyone played man hunt on the Black Jack Island (Alexandria Island) in the evening.

This morning trainees and crew woke up with the early morning heat. Breakfast was served (bacon and egg on english muffins) followed by a deck scrub and Captain's happy hour. For all you non-sailors happy hour means doing the chores that are required to be done everyday--for instance cleaning the heads, polishing the brass and helping clean up after a meal. The plan for the day is to go for a morning swim followed but what else...a sail then to the beach for the afternoon. Hopefully all the swimming will keep everyone cool.

Fair Winds from the office! Don't forget to check Facebook (Bytown Brigantine) for quick updates.

Update from the office

2010-05-25T13:08:00.017-04:00

The Black Jack island cleanup bonanza weekend was a huge success! We had about 25 volunteers out to help and we were very productive. In between the work, there was swimming and even pit cooking, where Mary cooked beans underground for 10 hours until they were delicious and ready to eat.

In other news, we have been working on an improved logbook for all Bytown programs. Among other things, it will be more durable than the last one so it should never have to be replaced after hours in the sun, on the island or even after rain. We will have it all ready to go for this upcoming season of programs.

Also, Manuel has finished the new topmast for Fair Jeanne and it is looking great! Once the boat is delivered to Cornwall, the masts will be put in and she will be rigged.

The last bit of news is that Bytown is now on Facebook with an official page. Click on the Like button below to become a fan and to see lot's more pictures of the weekend.

Keep checking back regularly as we will be updating the blog more and more frequently as our season gets underway.

New Topmast for Fair Jeanne

2010-05-03T17:03:00.002-04:00

Manuel and Manny have been working on the topmast for Fair Jeanne this week and last week with the hopes of completing in the next couple of days. We have been taking pictures of the progress and hoping to continue to post the progress here.

Fair Jeanne Launch Update

2010-04-28T15:37:00.002-04:00

To keep everyone up to date, Fair Jeanne's launch has been postponed until Friday May 7th and Sunday May 9th.

Black Jack will still launch on Saturday May 1st.

Program Update!

2010-04-28T09:34:00.006-04:00

Ahoy Everyone,

Spring refit and getting ready for our launch days are really underway now! Black Jack is going to launch from the Britannia Yacht Club on Saturday (May 1) and Fair Jeanne is going to move from her winter home in Lock 4 on Monday (May 3). As always we would love your help! For all the hungry volunteers there will be a potluck BBQ on Saturday at the BYC.

Our summer programs are filling up very quickly! Black Jack already has two camps that are totally full and Fair Jeanne just added an extra voyage (H) to accommodate the demand. Voyage H will be very special as it will give our younger trainees a chance to experience tall ship life on the Great Lakes. Thirteen and fourteen year old trainees can embark on a short Fair Jeanne voyage that will sail from Kingston.

Start keeping your eye on our Twitter account (www.twitter.com/bytownbrig) for short updates and information throughout the season.

Fair winds and good luck to all our crew and trainees for a great summer season ahead!

The New Top Mast is being started

2010-04-27T15:14:00.002-04:00

The day has finally arrived! The Fair Jeanne top mast has begun. Please follow us as we post the progress on the top mast as Manuel and his son Manny begin to shape this piece of square timber into a top mast that will be used for many years to come.

Coastal Navigation

2010-03-22T13:41:00.002-04:00

The participants had their last study session before the Canadian Yatching Association Coastal Navigation exam this Wed. I think everyone is prepared and ready to write! Thanks to Jason adn Kathryn for coming in on Sunday to help answer everyone's questions. Good luck to everyone on Wed!

Marine Advanced First Aid

2010-03-19T10:54:00.003-04:00

Bytown Briantine hosted the first part of our Marine Advanced First Aid Course on March 12-14 where we were ablet o brush up on our first aid skills and learn some new ones. Our instrructor March has been very helpful and patient. We will be putting our skills to the test on March 27th and 28th when we sit for our practical and written exams.

March Break Camp

2010-03-19T10:50:00.002-04:00

March Break Camp

2010-03-19T10:31:00.003-04:00

This week 17 of Bytown Brigantine’s finest gathered together to spend a fun filled week of adventures and excitement. The group project this week was sea chests. Each person worked under the expert supervision of Mr. John Grahame to build their chest. When the participants were not working on their sea chests they were doing ship yard work like taking the tarp of the Black Jack or sanding the whaler spars in preparation of the new coat of cetol to go on before the season starts. Each day the participants went on a field trip to places like Tag Zone or Marievel Bowling or to see Alice in Wonderland. All in all it was been a action packed fun filled week and a big thank you goes out to Kate, Justin and Evan for their excellent supervision!

Summer Program Online Registration Open

2010-02-08T15:50:00.002-05:00

I've finished the first few changes I have planned for the website. The Summer Program Online Registration has been changed so that you can sign up for more than one camp or voyage at a time. That said, if you notice strange behaviour on the website, or have comments or suggestions, please email them to webmaster (at) tallshipsadventure.org.

Don't forget that there is a 20% discount if you sign up for more than one camp or voyage or if you register more than one participant from the same family. Also, if you pay before the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) comes into effect in Ontario you'll save a bit there too, so sign up now.

Winter Program Activities

2010-02-03T19:12:00.005-05:00

January 30 & 31, 2010

This past Bytown weekend kicked off with an early morning of shop work for some and CYA Coastal Navigation for others, and by lunchtime there were two spars with a fresh coating of Cetol and several sailors who were ready to plot positions off of anything they could find. The afternoon was more shop work for everyone, and by the time dinner rolled around everyone was ready to kick back and relax...with a trip to the bowling alley. No final tally of points was taken, but without a doubt the youth sailors swept the game.

Sunday started out even earlier than the previous day, with the majority of the junior crew vying for first in the days level training game of Flagtionary. For the rest, the struggle to put the course yard back together was more than enough work to occupy the hours between breakfast and lunch.

After lunch Albert Rolf, one of our volunteers, came into the shop to give a small engine repair class. We started off with some troubleshooting possibilities that could happen on our outboard engines which we use every day at the island, from the whalers to the small dinghies. We also learned about both types of outboard engines which we use, for example a two-stroke versus a four-stroke. We then split up into smaller groups and had to get our hands dirty! We changed the oil, spark plugs, gaskets, and any other miscellaneous parts that needed to be fixed or changed. Michael Rolf and his group dissected an older engine nicknamed the (justeeter vanwolvin) to try to bring it back to life, one more time. After many laughs and a small quiz, we ended another great weekend at Bytown!! Can't wait for the next one :)

Justin Thibault and Sophie Wolvin

Alumni Updates Needed

2010-01-25T15:53:00.002-05:00

Hi there everyone,

Happy New Year to you all, I hope 2010 has been good to everyone and you are not working too hard. Over the past month or so I have run into a number of you and have enjoyed hearing where you are and what you have been up to. BBI alumni are everywhere! It’s so crazy! Our alumni are doing everything from owning their own restaurants, working on helicopters, sailing in the Navy or Coast Guard, as social workers or working for all levels of government. Whatever BBI crew are doing, they seem to be excelling in their field and look back at their days at BBI with fond memories (most of ‘em, anyway J ).

I am writing with two things in mind; first is a remainder that we are looking for a quick write up about yourself and what you are doing now…and how your time at BBI might have helped you along the way. We would like to have your submission by February 5, 2010.

The email list that I have is very limited as the contacts we have here in the office for some of you have long become obsolete. Could you please send this email to anyone who used to be a part of the program and spread the word that we are looking for any and all alumni to touch base and let us know what they have been up to and how BBI might have helped them along the way.

The second thing I was thinking is that we should organize a BBI alumni reunion. I am not sure how many of you would be interested in that, but please let me know what you think. We tried to have an alumni sail, but it seems like it might be better to simply start with some kind of dinner or lunch as everyone is busy these days and people have a difficult time committing a whole weekend. Please let me know what you think as I know we are all growing up, getting real life jobs, getting married, getting divorced, having kids etc…but I think it would be nice to spend an evening with our old shipmates and catch up.

I sincerely hope to hear from all of you soon!

Cheers,
Mary

Super times at BBI

2009-12-17T11:44:00.003-05:00

Today we took the dingy to an underground parking garage. We had some trouble with the wiring but it eventually worked out. Last weekend we took Black Jack's course yard down to bare wood and began to refinish it.

Fair Jeanne Main Engine

2009-12-08T12:08:00.003-05:00

After much prperation the Fair Jeanne main engine was removed yesterday with out too much trouble. It was certainly exciting to see the large engine fit through the tiny hatch that was the engine room sky light.

December 2009 issue of Sail Magazine- Fair Jeanne is on Page 39

2009-11-18T09:02:00.002-05:00

Chrs Patterson sent in a message today letting us know that there is a beautiful picture of Fair Jeanne on page 39 on teh December issue of Sail Magazine. If you get a chance to check it out we would love to see a copy.

Weekend Work Party

2009-11-17T11:49:00.002-05:00

Kate Van Welter and Justin Thibault ran a very successful work party over the weekend. They had a very eager group of volunteers helping them all weekend. Everyone's spriits remaind high even though mother nature was really throwing a couple of curve balls with the weather. Thanks to everyone who came out it is wonderful to see such a dedicated group of young people pull together to get the job done.

Well done and thanks again to everyone who helped out.

Fair Jeanne Summer 2009- by Christine Chesterman

2009-11-11T12:47:00.003-05:00

Port Highlights 2009

Summer 2009's voyage to Canada's east coast was quite a change from Fair Jeanne's usual haunt, Lake Ontario. From sea breeze and salt-water deck scrubs to 20-foot tides and 6m waves, the ocean was an exhilarating (and occasionally nauseating) experience for everyone. Along the way we visited ports of all sizes on the shores of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia, each one a different experience.

Portneuf, QC
A small town on the St. Lawrence which served as a shelter for us to wait out gale-force wind warnings near Quebec City, our original destination. Here is where many of the crew first experienced tides – after a half-hour of frantic line-easing, some of the more tide-experienced crew revealed that slacking the lines after the ship was secured would allow the lines to tend themselves. Good lesson. Our handy American taught the ship's company how to wrap old fire hoses to the mooring lines to protect them from chafing on the dock when the tide went out.

Rimouski, QC
Exposed docks are bad.
(Return trip: Extremely foggy)

Caraquet, NB
A quiet fishing town, our first truly salt-water port. We docked late ate night, greeted by a sheltered dock and the bizarre sight of two lit-up tallships in cradles up on the neighbouring breakwater. Caraquet also featured a beautiful cliff-lined beach, an armada of jellyfish, and a marina with amazing showers (give or take some drainage difficulties).

Port Hawkesbury, NS
Taking the Straight of Canso from the Gulf of St. Lawrence into the Atlantic Ocean leads mariners through this small shipping town. While the town itself is tiny, we learned from the friendly locals that Port Hawkesbury is actually the second biggest port in Canada based on tonnage!

Halifax, NS
The host of the main event, Tall Ships Festival 2009! Here, 42 tall and tall-ish ships gathered to celebrate the tradition of tall ship sailing, the end of an Atlantic Challenge race leg, and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard in Halifax. That's a lot for one festival! The celebrations ran for four days, during which time ships were open for deck tours. Crew and trainees were able to explore other tall ships, meet sailors from around the world, compare experiences and swap stories with the other crews. The city hosted a variety of crew events and dinners, as well as several nights of spectacular fireworks. On an eerily misty morning we bid farewell to our fantastic trainees who had voyaged all the way from southern Ontario with us, and welcomed new crew who would travel with us to the Nova Scotian outports. The festival came to a glorious conclusion with the Parade of Sail around Halifax harbour, with all ships lining up and flaunting full canvas for the excited crowds on shore.

Port Hawkesbury, NS: Take 2
Our second visit to this port was part of a series of smaller tall ship festivals taking place around Nova Scotia. We docked in company with the tall ships the Roseway, the Picton Castle, and the Pride of Baltimore II, who would be visiting most of the same north shore ports as us. With only four ships, it was a great opportunity to get to know the other crews better. We found that we had a lot in common with the Roseway, a schooner from the British Virgin Islands dedicated to youth education and sail training. One evening saw sailors from Pride and Picton Castle bring instruments aboard, sparking a sea shanty evening on the aft deck for the entire ship's company.

Sydney, NS
After a wet but scenic trip though the Bras D'Ors Lakes, we re-entered the ocean for the short stretch to Sydney. The calm, misty morning quickly became pitching seas worse than those we'd faced on the way to Halifax. Lunch was partially abandoned into a make-it-yourself-project in a sink for those still inclined to eat, while a line was strung across the wardroom to keep people from meeting intimately with the octagon table. Loose items and breakables were stowed away, but a crash from belowdecks indicated that the wardroom chandelier and the deckhead were not on good terms in this weather. The Sydney festival was a bigger affair, with the Amistad, Mist of Avalon, and Theodore II (the tugboat) joining as well. During deck tours we visited the Picton Castle, which stocks traditional seamanship supplies such as needles, wooden fids, and marlinspikes, and proceeded to empty our wallets and stock our diddy bags. Volunteers were available to drive us into town, so some of the crew were able to enjoy a movie at the cinema, while down at the dock a Cape Breton band held a free concert.

Pictou, NS
In Pictou we said farewell to the volunteers who sailed with us from Halifax and welcomed a small new group of trainees. The morning consisted of introductions and in-house routine, while the afternoon gave the new trainees a chance to see the other ships before our departure early the next morning. Pictou has a long, beautiful waterfront which which showcases its Scottish heritage. A few minutes from the tall ships' dock, a replica of the Hector, the famous ship that carried the first Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia, is docked as a piece of living history. Pictou is also home to a lobster farm, a great fish'n'chip place, and a lot of jellyfish, one of which spent the afternoon being thoroughly examined in a bucket on the aft deck.

Charlottetown, PEI
As a break from the Nova Scotian ports, Fair Jeanne took a quick pit stop to PEI and spent the night in Charlottetown at the most peculiar dock we've ever encountered. Little soundboxes in all the lampposts emitted predatory animal noises at frequent intervals, presumably to keep seagulls away from the dock. As a result, a chorus of eagle cries and barking sea otters kept people sleeping on the port side company through the night.

Pugwash, NS
The last port in the TSNS festival, Pugwash had a packed schedule planned for locals and ships. The beautiful red sand beaches were fantastic for a bonfire the first night there and dory racing the next day. A local man had organized teams of two to race, and even let us borrow a dory for some much-needed practice beforehand. Fair Jeanne stepped up and entered three teams, even winning women's first place against the Picton Castle! What can we say, Bytown girls do it better. On our final night, the Picton Castle hosted a party to celebrate the the end of the 2009 festival in style. We said our goodbyes to new friends among the other crews, as we would all be leaving for separate destinations in the morning.

Summerside, PEI
In Summerside we were greeted by costumed islanders who welcomed us quite officially and presented our cook with an enormous sack of PEI potatoes. Summerside had a fantastic waterfront to explore and a rec centre further into town where we had a great time swimming. The second night there, the city hosted a wonderful seafood dinner for everyone, complete with a ritual to make us all official “Spud Islanders.” Not as simple as it sounds! The ritual involves racing each other in a potato sack while holding a potato, drinking a glass of apple juice, and then kissing your potato before you can become an honorary islander. After the dinner and events, we were very lucky to receive a tour of the Marine Training Centre where everyone had the chance to helm virtual tugboats and tankers, the setup used to teach aspiring captains and mates for the real world.

Miramichi, NB
The dock here featured the masts and rig of a bark sunk into concrete, rather confusing to dock next to at night. Here we said goodbye to our trainees, restocked for the next voyage (made easier by the generosity of a local dealership, who lent us a car!), and had a dinner with the city mayor and other officials. The next day we greeted the new trainees who would be with us all the way to Montreal and set sail for Gaspe.

Gaspe, QC
We reached the city just after dawn and spotted masts at the dock... another fake boat? But no, it was instead the Pride of Baltimore II and the Arctic research ship Sedna IV. Once alongside, we held Tallships Olympics between watches to get the trainees to practice some of their new nautical skills. During the day the water became too rough for deck tours, so we took the chance to do some sanding and cetoling on Fair Jeanne's brightwork. When off-watch, we were able to explore the area, which was quite stunning, but a long walk from the town. That evening we hosted a delicious barbecue on board for the crew of Pride and learned that they would be sailing in the same direction as us the next day, but bound for Montreal while we would be stopping in Quebec City.

Quebec City, QC
In Quebec we docked in the Louise Basin, which was right next to the bustling old city, and also meant no worrying about tides or freighter wakes in the night. During the day, watches worked to make the boat look sharp for the upcoming festival in Montreal. Off-watch groups explored the old city, took in the busker's festival, talked their way into a personal tour of the Citadel, and made the trek out to the Fields of Abraham. In the evening we were all a little mystified when hordes of people crowded the city side of the basin, many with lawn chairs, apparently waiting for something. The obvious answer would have been fireworks, but instead, the huge warehouse on the other side of the basin was lit up by a bizarre yet spectacular video celebrating Quebec's 400th anniversary.

Sorel-Tracy, QC
We stopped here on our second-last night to have the end-of-voyage dinner and ship's concert. Everyone got creative with costumes, McLaren produced a meal of epic proportions (and correspondingly epic dishes), and everyone pitched in for, dare I say it, an epic galley clean-up. After dinner we held ship's concert on the aft deck, which included some hilarious skits, all sorts of music, a few unexpected buckets of water, and ended with the rigging song and dessert. Definitely a memorable evening.

Montreal, QC
In Montreal we were a part of the Antique Boat Festival, with a great dock downtown that we shared with a classic wooden powerboat. Here we were struck by the sad end-of-summer feeling as we said goodbye not only to our great trainees, but also to some of the crew and to our officers-in-training, many of whom had been with us since the beginning of July. The Boat Festival was a success, though a little quiet for Fair Jeanne as she wasn't docked with most of the other boats. After the weekend, we were joined by our new trainees for the last session of the summer season.

Morrisburg, ON
We took advantage of the park here to have a great night of Capture the Flag, Manhunt, and link-tag! In the morning we took a trip to nearby Upper Canada Village to see a (different) traditional way of life. Some of the girls even managed to borrow period costumes and take the fantastic picture which won the official Bytown UCV photo competition with flying colours.

Brockville, ON
It felt strange to see a familiar waterfront as Fair Jeanne docked in her spot on Blockhouse Island. We'd been to the east coast and back again, and were now officially home. Stepping onto the dock we'd left two months before, it felt like we'd been gone forever and yet no time at all. We greeted parents onshore, finished happy hour and last-minute levels, then said goodbye to our energetic trainees, all of whom had stepped up to the challenge of sailing the 'big kids' boat.

And that, believe it or not, is just a small part of Fair Jeanne's summer. What's missing is all the adventure on the water in between ports, but you'll just have to come along sometime to experience that part!

Pancake Breakfast

2009-11-10T09:19:00.001-05:00

COME ONE, COME ALL!

To BBI’s Annual Pancake Breakfast!

On December 20th, BBI is hosting their yummiest annual event. This is a time to bring everyone who likes pancakes- your family, friends, neighbour or even Santa if you know him. The eating gets underway @ 10:00am and we’ll be flipping hot cakes for a solid two hours until noon.

All funds raised will go to help offset the cost of the winter program.

Cost for the Pancake Breakfast is $7.00- it’s all you can eat.

So Fair Winds and Following Seas sailors- hopefully you’ll set a course for the BBI Office on Dec. 20th. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Reserve your spot by calling or emailing the office (payment is at the door)

Mary Acton-Bond
Ph 613 596 6258
Fax 613 596 4335
mary@tallshipsadventure.org

Getting on with Winter...Brrrr...

2009-11-03T18:07:00.002-05:00

The people at BBI will soon be flying off to Cleveland to attend the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) conference. Right now the Black Jack has been winterized and she is awaiting her cover before the snow fall (hopefully). The Fair Jeanne is resting at her dry dock berth in the Rideau locks in downtown Ottawa and will also be covered soon. Putting both these ships to bed each winter is a lot of work and I hope that sometime soon the Fair Jeanne will be able to set sail south once again- to warmth, sandy beaches and palm trees. The Black Jack won't be finding palm trees on her stretch of the Ottawa River anytime soon, but she's a lot easier to put to bed for the winter. Fair Jeanne, on the other hand, was broken into no less than 4 times last winter, despite the fact that we have a security system onboard. It became a regular routine last year to get a call in the middle of the night, hurry as fast as we could down the highway and meet the police...but unfortunately, we were usually there before the police arrived...in our very intimidating pajamas and small jelly-bean shaped car- a force to be reckoned with!

We are hiring our crew for the 2010 sailing season this month. I expect a lot of crew to return and I am glad- because they are great at what they do. It's a rare combination to be good sailors and good teachers, but they have what it takes.

Great Lake Swimmers Music Video

2009-10-29T20:20:00.004-04:00

Fair Jeanne is in the newest Great Lake Swimmers music video Palmistry that was shot earlier this fall. Check it out here:

Bytown Update

2009-10-07T11:08:00.002-04:00

It has been quite a while since we have updated the blog but that is not because we haven't been busy! The Annual Golf Tournament was hosted on Monday September 28th and despite the rain and cold weather all our players were enthusiastic and great sports! A trip for 2 to any WestJet destination was raffled off to one lucky winner!

Black Jack and Fair Jeanne have been hosting a number of weekend programs for different groups. Thad Koza was able to board our ships and take a number of beautiful photos that will be in the tall ship calendars. I will attach few of those photos at the end of this entry.

In other BBI news, Fair Jeanne will be coming up to Ottawa this weekend at she ends her summer season anyone who would like to help please contact the office.

As a final reminder, the Annual Awards Banquet is rapidly approaching and will be held on October 23 at the BYC. For tickets please e-mail the office.

Fair Winds!

Sea Cadets on Black Jack

2009-09-08T16:20:00.002-04:00

The Black Jack hosted a very successful weekend with the Carleton Place Sea Cadets along the Ottawa River. The weather was great and the kids were even better!

We look forward to another fabulous weekend next week with the same group.

Tonight Fair Jeanne is hosting an evening sail with the Boys and Girls Club of Brockville.

Fair Winds!

Great Lake Swimmers

2009-09-04T09:40:00.004-04:00

The Great Lake Swimmers shot a music video aboard the Fair Jeanne on Monday so we thought we would share a couple photos of the day!

Sail on!

Fair Jeanne August 26

2009-08-26T13:33:00.003-04:00

Fair Jeanne spent the night alongside at the Crysler Park Marina in Morrisburg last night. A large game of Capture the flag was played before quiche was served for dinner. Following that everyone participated in the Tall Ship Olympics.

This morning after breakfast and happy hour the trainees and crew made their way to Upper Canada Village where they toured the village and bought an enormous amount of bread that they will enjoy for tonight's supper. The plan right now is to have the ship's concert while anchored somewhere near Prescott and if the weather holds out perhaps even a night sail.

This program has gone by very quickly! It will end tomorrow afternoon in Brockville at the Blockhouse Island Dock.

Fair Winds!

Fair Jeanne August 25

2009-08-25T13:47:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne is underway and making her way towards Morrisburg. She should be alongside around 1700hrs. Yesterday she went through several different lock systems while the trainees practiced setting and dousing some of the sails.

The plan for tomorrow is a trip to Upper Canada Village before getting underway for a night sail.

Sail on!

Fair Jeanne has new trainees sign aboard!

2009-08-24T08:49:00.002-04:00

The Fair Jeanne said a fond farewell to the trainees upon arrival in Montreal after a 15 day voyage from Miramichi. The boat was participating in the Montreal Classic Boat Festival so she with the help of some a of crew and a few volunteers spent the weekend doing deck tours. It sounds like the event was a great success!

Yesterday afternoon a new group of youth trainees joined the ship for a voyage that will take the ship back to Brockville where it all began this summer. The crew took the new trainees through a very informative in house lesson and then everyone settled down to watch a acrobatic routine by voile spectacle around twenty thirty.

Fair Jeanne got underway around 0600 this morning.

Fair Winds, and don't forget to check twitter to see what the boats are up to! www.twitter.com/bytownbrig

Black Jack Update

2009-08-20T12:11:00.004-04:00

Black Jack anchored overnight last night in Buckam's Bay. This morning they woke to cloudy skies and a new head delivered for the Captain's Cabin. After breakfast and happy hour a game of pins and cleats was started but interrupted by rain.

The Ship got underway to Quyon where Petty Officer Schilt docked the boat for the first time! Congratulations Schilt!! The Game of pins and cleats continued while Tremblay cooked up some Mac and Cheese for lunch. This afternoon everyone will go ashore for some shore leave.

Sail on!

Update from the Island

2009-08-19T10:27:00.002-04:00

Ahoy from Black Jack,

Yesterday's camp started out bright and early in Quyon as it always does. We have a full ship a excited trainees. The afternoon consisted of mostly in-house lessons followed by a game of man hunt. Supper was then served. After dinner once it was dark, there was a haunted walk of the island where apparently not many trainees were spooked. The night came to a close with a camp fire.

Today after happy hour there will be a swim test in Buckam's Bay followed by an afternoon of sailing on Black Jack around the River.

Don't forget to check twitter for updates throughout the day at www.twitter.com/bytownbrig

Fair Winds!

Fair Jeanne August 17

2009-08-17T09:39:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne left Quebec City yesterday around 0930 and spent most of the day sailing and doing sailing drills--even the OT's got to call setting and dousing.

They made Portneuf around 1830. Today the plan is to get underway and make it to Trois Rivieres and anchor for ship's concert.

Sail on!

Fair Jeanne in Quebec City

2009-08-15T17:51:00.002-04:00

The Fair Jeanne arrived in Quebec City yesterday morning, the crew and trainees were very quick to finish happy hour so that everyone who was not on watch could go ashore to see the sights. The day on the boat was spent doing cetol and some seizings in the rigging.

The evening was really fantastic, the city put on a sound and light show that was projected onto the elevators next to where the ship is docked, so everyone climbed aloft and got front row seats!

Today, everyone else got to tour the sights. The people at Port Marina have been realy fantastic. Everyone has had a chance to shower, do what ever laundry was needed and even have swim in the pool.

It truely has been a terrific day. As I write this in the chart house I can smell the delicious nachos supreem being cooked in the galley.

Tomorrow we are hoping to head out with the tide and do some sailing.

Update from Fair Jeanne

2009-08-13T11:17:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne was a few days late getting into Rimouski, Québec, so they just left yesterday.

Fair Jeanne called last night after getting underway from Rimouski around noon. The plan had been to leave around 0700hrs but there was terrible fog and it kept them them in port until the afternoon. Instead the trainees participated in a course setting competition and put their new skills to the test! Everyone on board has had a chance to work on their logbooks and are getting many items signed off.

The ship should be to Quebec City by noon today.
Stay tuned for more information. They cell phone reception has been poor but is getting clearer so blog updates will become more frequent!

Sail On!

Photos from Black Jack

2009-08-11T12:51:00.003-04:00

Here are some photos from Black Jack Camp 4 up to this point. Enjoy!

Program Updates

2009-08-10T18:24:00.005-04:00

Fair Jeanne:

A very quick note came from Fair Jeanne this morning. They have poor cell phone and internet connection, but the plan was to arrive in Ramouski today between 20:30 and 2100. All is well on the boat and everyone seems in good spirits.

Black Jack:

Black Jack trainees have been enjoying this great weather! Today there were some whaler sailing activities near Buckams Bay and tonight there is a Haunted Island Walk planned!

Check back tomorrow for a longer update as the Captain as largely out of cell phone range today.

Sail on!

Fair Jeanne Voyage E

2009-08-08T14:50:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne got underway from Miramichi Friday afternoon. They were hoping to make it to Gaspe by early Saturday morning but due to strong wind and poor weather the voyage has been very slow. They took cover until the weather started to become more predictable. They will be to Gaspe this afternoon. The Marina in Gaspe has planned a bbq for the ships company for this evening and they will probably stay alongside there until Sunday or depending on the weather Monday. Once they get back on the river, the schedule will be more predictable and we will have a better update for you.

Fair Winds!

Black Jack Camp 4

2009-08-07T09:41:00.002-04:00

Update from the Island:

The Black Jack Captain is now Twittering (or 'Tweeting') from the is Island. You can follow him directly at www.twitter.com/stvblackjack

Last night on the Island the camp fire lasted only 5 minutes before it was interrupted by a lightning storm. As a concession the trainees and crew all enjoyed hot chocolate in the bunk barge before bed.

This morning fruit salad and cereal were served for breakfast before happy hour. The Captain is hoping the weather warms up so everyone can go for a swim today before heading out to Pontiac Bay for an overnight expedition. The plan is to erect sleeping tipis and make a camp fire to roast hot dogs for dinner.

Keep checking twitter to see what the trainees are up to.

Fair Winds!

Black Jack Camp 3 Pictures and Videos

2009-08-04T13:31:00.005-04:00

Last week was a great week aboard Black Jack. Here are just some of the many photos that were taken throughout the week. As well, we have just started our own YouTube channel and have uploaded some videos from the week of lessons and activities. To see more videos go to http://www.youtube.com/user/TallShipsBBI Enjoy!

Quyon Anchor Delivery

2009-08-04T12:30:00.005-04:00

This weekend was a great one for Black Jack! Friday after the camp ended she headed to Britannia Bay where she was greeted by the Mayor to pick up the original anchor from the G.B. Greene.

Saturday the crew was greeted with sunshine as the Black Jack made her way back down the river to Quyon where the Governor General and her Foot Guards were waiting with a crowd of about 500 people for the ceremonial return on the anchor. The following festivities were wonderful and the whole ship's company were greeted very graciously by everyone.

The whole weekend was a wonderful success and we are very grateful to have participated in this event. We have attached some photos to this entry to check out the fun!

Update from Fair Jeanne

2009-08-04T09:18:00.004-04:00

After a great visit to Pugwash, NS, where she spent the weekend, the Fair Jeanne made her way to Summerside yesterday. When the boat came alongside, the cook was presented was a giant bag of P.E.I. potatoes as a welcome to the province. There has been a long awaited break from the rain and last night the trainees were given a chance to explore the town which included a swim at the rec centre.

Our crew had to say a very sad goodbye to the friends they have made on the Roseway as they parted ways but we wish them fair winds on the rest of their journey and hope they stay in touch and we are able to sail together again next season on the Great Lakes.

A reception was hosted for the entire ship's company at the Marine Training Centre before setting off for a 35 hour trip to Miramichi. The crew seems in good spirits and are hoping to get some good sailing in during this time. This is the first time the trainees will experience being underway overnight.

Just a reminder to parents that the trainees are to be picked up in Miramichi tomorrow (August 5) at 1200hrs at Ritchie Wharf in Miramichi.

Sail On!

Black Jack Crews and participants in Halifax

2009-08-02T20:49:00.002-04:00

I managed to package up some photos sent in by Debbie Boucher of the Black Jack crews and participants that were in Halifax July 16-20 for the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Navy Dockyard. Here's a little blurb Debbie sent with the photos.

The first 7 pictures show the re-enactment at Bishop's Landing on Saturday Jul 18th. The weather changed from thick fog to pouring rain, as you can see in the pictures. But the crews did a fabulous job and seemed to have fun regardless. The crowd was very good and remained throughout the display - some of us were there for over 4 hours to be sure to get the best viewing position!

Then the longboats braved the heavy fog again the next morning, crossing the harbour from Halifax to Alderney Landing, Dartmouth on Sunday Jul 19th. It was quite the sight to see the boats coming out of the fog! But by noon, the sun appeared and all was blue skies for the rest of the trip.

Photos from Ian

2009-07-31T13:08:00.003-04:00

Ian Coristine who sailed with us from Brockville to Halifax just e-mailed us a few of his best photos from the trip. There are still more to come but this is all he could manage at the moment since he is away on holiday. Keep checking back for more of his fabulous shots from the trip.

Fair Jeanne and Black Jack Update

2009-07-30T09:24:00.003-04:00

Fair Jeanne:

Fair Jeanne's voyage to Miramichi started yesterday in Pictou, NS. Trainees arrived while the Pictou Tall Ships Festival was still in full swing and were able to see the sights and hear the sounds of the other boats in port. She finally got underway this morning around 0600hrs on route to Charlottetown, PEI. When they arrive in Charlottetown tonight, a number of sail drills will be done before they anchor for the night.

Black Jack:

This morning everyone on the Island, minus the cook it seems, slept in. Pancakes and fried ham were served for breakfast followed by happy hour and a swim. Since it is still early in the day, the plan is next to sail across the river to Fitzroy Park where a game of watermelon football will be played in the water. Following that more sailing until dinner where pasta will be served.

Tonight is ship's concert and a camp fire where things will wind down before bed.

Just a reminder to all parents that pickup is tomorrow at noon in Quyon. Once the crew returns from the Island pictures will be posted from the week on the Blog so keep checking back.

Fair Winds!

Fair Jeanne Outports Photos

2009-07-29T15:44:00.004-04:00

As the volunteer crew from the Fair Jeanne outports trip slowly make their way back home pictures are beginning to make their way to the office. Here are a few to get started.

Just a reminder that you can follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/bytownbrig) for quick updates from both ships.

Black Jack Camp 3

2009-07-29T09:50:00.003-04:00

We got an update from the Black Jack this morning so I thought I would share it all with you. Yesterday afternoon after some whaler sailing everyone got tangled up in the adventure field for an obstacle course before dinner. After the trainees had worked their way back to the bunk barge, chicken fajitas were served for dinner.

Once it was dark enough a big game of man hunt with flash lights was played followed by a quick one of burning bridges before lights out.

This morning after colours on the island the kids had breakfast and then were in the middle of happy hour when I called. The plan for the afternoon was a swim while the weather was still nice followed by some sailing and then shore leave to the general store in Quyon.

Keep checking back for updates!

Sail on!

Update: July 28, 2009

2009-07-28T10:32:00.005-04:00

Fair Jeanne:

Fair Jeanne is now alongside in Pictou, NS. The out ports trip was a wonderful success despite poor weather. They were able to sail out of Sydney which excited the crew and even with poor visibility the reports are that the Bras D'Or Lakes were beautiful.

Pictures will follow. Check back for updates within the next few days.

Black Jack:

Black Jack Camp 3 started early Monday morning in the pouring rain. However, the weather cleared up by the evening and Captain McNaught was able to take the trainees on a haunted walk of the Island..BOO!

This morning everyone woke to sunny skies and enjoyed a hot breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs followed by happy hour. Happy hour for those non-sailors among us is a time of tidy and clean up aboard the ship and island where everyone helps out to make things move along as quickly as possible. After happy hour the trainees went for a morning swim.

As I update this blog at 11am the trainees and crew are having a snack as the Captain prepares a talk about sails work on a square rigged tall ship. Following that there is an afternoon of whaler sailing planned.

Sail On!

Whaler Expedition: More Photos!

2009-07-22T10:22:00.002-04:00

Ahoy!

The Whaler Expedition was a wonderful success. The crew are now home safe and sound looking forward to the rest of the summer. Here are some photos that were brought back. Can you spot the Fair Jeanne?

Cheers!

Whaler Expedition

2009-07-20T08:43:00.002-04:00

As I'm sure many of you are curious about, here are the pictures as promised from the Whaler Expedition thus far. Thanks to Bob and Wendy for sending them along!!

A Great Day of Deck Tours

2009-07-19T18:43:00.002-04:00

It was a great day of deck tours in Halifax for the Tall Ships Nova Scotia 2009 festival. The weather did not start out very nice: The day dawned cool, drizzly, and foggy. (Sound familiar?) I brought my kit down to the ship getting here about 9:30 a.m. I didn't even have a chance to unpack. All I was able to do was grab my sunscreen, fill up my water bottle and head topside to man the brow as decktours started at 10 a.m. We must have had 600-700 people come aboard the ship today. (We gave out about 200 brochures so there must have been many more come aboard than that!) We even had Rae Kelly from C100FM radio pop on deck to give a live update. I couldn`t let her leave without explaining our sail training program for youth and giving her a quick VIP tour above decks and below. She was really wowed.

It was such a nice change from the weather of the past few days. The waterfront boardwalk was just packed. You could move, but only by following the people shuffling along in front of you. There was nowhere to go around them. Everybody was going somewhere to see the ships, or get something to eat, or just be on the waterfront. It is just before 7 in the evening as I'm writing this on the quarterdeck and I'm watching people still strolling by checking things out.

There was a captains meeting this afternoon to go over the details of the Parade of Sail that is going to take place tomorrow afternoon in Halifax Harbour. I expect the boardwalk is going to be really packed for that! So packed that people likely will not be able to move. Well, nor will they want to if they`ve got a good view. There are going to be in excess of 40 ships participating so it is going to be something to stay put for and watch. I bet the Dartmouth side of the harbour is going to be similarly jammed.

I hope someone out there can take some pictures of Fair Jeanne because I won`t be able to. I`m one of the people who joined the ship today and we will be busy with the braces and sheets during the Parade of Sail. Sure we`ll get some good pics from out on the water of the other ships, but none of our own ship. So if anyone is reading this and gets some good pictures of the best dressed brigantine in Halifax harbour tomorrow, please send them along to webmaster(at)tallshipsadventure.org.

Oh, by the way, when we ship out tomorrow we will lose the Wi-Fi connection that has been available in Halifax for the Nova Scotia Tall Ships Festival, so it might be awhile before we are able to post more updates. It`s been interesting doing these entries. I`ve had to be on the quarterdeck which was an adventure in iteself, especially as it was raining last night as I was doing it. At any rate, I hope we have access to Internet, and when and if we do you know I`ll try and post.

Longboats in Halifax Harbour

2009-07-19T18:22:00.003-04:00

It was not a day well suited to celebrating the establishment of such an important occasion. The re-enactment activities for the 25oth anniversary of the founding of the Royal Navy Dockyard in Halifax deserved much better weather than it got! It was cool, drizzly, foggy, and pretty much miserable, but the weather did nothing to dampen the spirit of the boats crews in the longboats. The participants played their part with stoic fortitude that would do the Royal Navy of 250 years ago proud. A great many "salutes" (i.e. cannons firing blanks making lots of noise and smoke) were given and returned.
The picture at right was about typical of the view in Halifax harbour at about 1:30 p.m. Yes, we could hardly see past the end of the bowsprit because the fog was so thick! I will have to go through my pictures with Jason to determine which ones might be of the Bytown Brigantine whalers. Maybe Chesterman got some good shots of the boats. She said she got a shot of a humungous smoke-ring from a gun the BOUNTY fired off. (Seriously, it was 20 feet in diameter by the time it got across the berth from where BOUNTY was about 75 metres away.) I'm hoping she got some good pictures of the boats.

Whaler Expedition Pictures

2009-07-19T09:32:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone:

The crew of the Whaler Expedition are having a wonderful time in Nova Scotia. Thursday and Friday were spent in Lunenburg. Friday the crew wore their reenactment costumes as they were given a tour of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Followed by that, they launched a Whaler into the Lunenburg Harbour and did quick water tour before heading off to Halifax where the reenactment events were just getting underway. Pictures are available and will be posted first thing tomorrow morning.

Fair Winds!

Hello from Halifax.

2009-07-17T14:42:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne found her berth not far from H.M.C.S. SACKVILLE, near the Maritime Museum, and got settled in for the decktours and other goings on. The Tall Ships Nova Scotia 2009 team has all sorts of activities organized not the least of which is tours of other ships and tours around town. They've also got a crews parade coming up as well as a soccer tournament. I don't think we'll be in that one... the team from Brazil and Uruguay will probably be full of ringers. That or maybe the ships from Europe will triumph. (They all splay soccer and we don't.)

Look at that! I managed to upload a picture of Fair Jeanne coming along side. Lots of activity with those fenders!

Well deck tours are in full swing. The crowds are steady and not overwhelming. Since it is overcast and a bit breezy it is a bit cool down here by the water, but it's great for walking around, seeing the other ships, meeting old friends and making new ones. Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a great place to be this weekend!

Fair Jeanne in Halifax- Pictures

2009-07-17T10:54:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne is now in Halifax!!

She is hosting deck tours and receptions for the next few days while the trainees and crew are involved in many activites that have been organized for them by Tall Ships Nova Scotia.

Here are some picture of the Fair Jeanne yesterday as she was coming in to dock near Bishop's Landing. You can click on them to enlarge.

Fair Jeanne in Halifax

2009-07-16T13:33:00.002-04:00

Fair Jeanne is now docked in Halifax at Bishop's Landing. After a night with some rough winds that made our crew and trainees pretty green they are happy to have docked safely and are ready to enjoy this great event!

Pictures to follow shortly!

The Whaler Expedition Crew made it safely to Lunenburg last night. Today they have been enjoying a tour of the Historic Waterfront and will be hosted by the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic before heading off to Halifax to join in the events.

Halifax Webcams

2009-07-15T15:42:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone:

I just wanted to post a link to a site that has various webcams in Halifax. Fair Jeanne along with all the other tall ships will be docked at Bishops Landing so this will be a great way to get a birds eye view of whats happening when the ships arrive and while they are in port.

http://www.halifaxwebcam.ca/live/index.php?CURRENT_CAM=cam9&SET_CAM=cam9

Special thanks to Stu who provided BBI with the link!

July 15, 2009

2009-07-15T14:42:00.005-04:00

Whaler Expedition:

Both Whalers are now on the road to Halifax. The Whaler Expedition Crew are flying there today and will arrive this evening. They have a couple days planned in Lunenburg before their Navy reenactment activities begin.

Fair Jeanne:

Fair Jeanne has now passed Canso. They are expecting to arrive in Halifax very early tomorrow morning. They are encountering a lot of tall ship traffic as they get nearer to they big event! For a full schedule of Tall Ships Nova Scotia please visit the following link: http://www.tallshipsnovascotia.com/schedule-of-events.aspx

Fair Winds!

Black Jack Camp 2 Pictures

2009-07-14T15:01:00.002-04:00

Last week's Black Jack Camp was a great success!! Here are a few photos that were taken throughout the week. Enjoy!

Fair Jeanne Voyage Update

2009-07-14T09:21:00.003-04:00

This one will be quick:

We heard from the ship this morning. They are in good spirits and doing well. They are hoping to be to Halifax either late the 15Th or very early the 16Th. They are currently on-route to the Canso Causeway.

Our Whaler Expedition crew are doing last minute touch ups and preparations before they fly to Halifax tomorrow to participate in the Navy reenactment events.

Fair Winds!

Track Fair Jeanne

2009-07-10T09:36:00.002-04:00

You may now track the Fair Jeanne as she makes her way to Halifax and back this summer.

the url is sailwx.info and you can either track all the tall ships making their way to Halifax or just Fair Jeanne by searching her call sign: VA5303.

This tracking system should be updated at least once a day. It has to be done manually so do not become alarmed if it is not updated for a day or two.

Also, we will still continue to update this blog on a regular basis.

Fair Winds!

Update: July 10, 2009

2009-07-10T09:29:00.004-04:00

Update from the Fair Jeanne:

Fair Jeanne left Ramouski early this morning and they are now underway going towards Gaspé, QC. The weather is much more enjoyable now and this run will be about 23 hours. If the weather continues to hold-up they will continue through Gaspé onto another leg of their trip toward Halifax.

Also, Bytown Brigantine would like to congratulate the Great Lake Swimmers who played an open air concert aboard the Fair Jeanne last month for making the short list for the Polaris Music Prize to be awarded in September.

Update from Black Jack:

Last night the crew and trainees had their ship’s concert which was a great success. Today is the last day of camp and despite the weather everyone had a great time and will certainly miss each other.

Another final reminder that pick up will be at noon in Quyon. Check Back to the blog next week to see some pictures from the camp!

July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T11:39:00.002-04:00

Update from the Island:

Black Jack program trainees have been having a terrific time learning to navigate the Ottawa River aboard our two Navy Whalers. Today the kids are doing a treasure hunt that will take them around the Island and over to Fitzroy Park for dinner and their ships concert. No word yet if treasure has been found.

Update from Fair Jeanne:

The poor weather is lifting and the Fair Jeanne is now along side in Ramouski, QC. The crew is restocking on groceries and supplies while the trainees will enjoy some shore leave.

The blog will be updated again this afternoon with a link to a website where the Fair Jeanne's location can be tracked each day.

Fair Winds,

BBI Office

Fair Jeanne Voyage C

2009-07-06T15:54:00.003-04:00

Ahoy,

Fair Jeanne finally got underway Saturday morning at 0600hrs. Good progress was made as they were able to go about 80 nautical miles until high winds forced the boat to dock at Coco Landing, near Montreal. Sunday was another early morning as the boat was underway again by 0500hrs. The weather still was poor was the crew was able to put 94 nautical miles behind them before spending the night near Trois Riviers.

Today the crew has been battling high winds and was not able to make their goal of Quebec City but have docked instead about twenty miles short of there at Port Ness. They will wait for the storm to pass.

Despite the poor weather the crew and trainees all seem to be in good spirits as they get to know each other and the vessel they are now calling home.

Fair winds for now,

BBI Office.

Black Jack Commodore's Sail Past

2009-06-08T11:16:00.003-04:00

The Captain and Crew of the Black Jack were very busy this past Sunday as it was the Commodore's sail past at BYC. We had a group of 16 people out to help get the ship in great shape and handle sail once the ship was underway.

Captain McNaught wanted to extend a big thanks to everyone for a terrific day and to mother nature for holding the rain off until the end of the day!

Mr. Drinnan

2009-06-08T11:01:00.003-04:00

Sam Drinnan is an old salt around the Bytown Brigantine program. He started in the program in 2001 and has spent every summer with us since. Sam will hold the position of first mate aboard the Fair Jeanne this summer. We are very lucky to have him aboard for another season as the ship heads to Halifax.

Great Lake Swimmers Visit Fair Jeanne

2009-06-08T10:42:00.002-04:00

Saturday was a fun filled event as the Great Lake Swimmers took the stage on top of the main cabin top on board the Fair Jeanne. There was a crowd of several hundred who enjoyed the terrific concert on Brockville's waterfront.

The crew of the Fair Jeanne worked very hard to get the ship in tip top shape. The ship was dressed, the crew looked great in their uniform. Thanks to everyone for making the day such a great success!

Fair Jeanne Prescott Update

2009-06-04T15:32:00.004-04:00

Fair Jeanne has been in Prescott for a week now and the masts have gone up. Things are really getting into shape now!

For those of you who don't know, the Fair Jeanne will be hosting an open air concert with the Great Lake Swimmers this Saturday (June 6) in Brockville The show starts at 2:30 and everyone is welcome! Bring your friends, family and colleagues along to see this great show. For info about the band, the Great Lake Swimmer, see their website at www.greatlakeswimmers.com

See you all there!

Fair Jeanne Voyage 1, 2009

2009-05-26T16:23:00.001-04:00

Fair Jeanne left Ottawa and headed under the bridge around 1330 yesterday afternoon.

The trip from Ottawa to Carillon was good but cold with wind from the north.

They arrived at Carillon at 20:40 hours.

The crew is well.

The engine works nicely.

The Carillon lock master should be in at 09:00.

We hope to be able to dock in Valleyfield tonight.

Fair Jeanne Voyage 1, 2009

2009-05-25T09:10:00.002-04:00

It is the morning of MAy 25th, 2009, the day many people have been working towards for a long couple of months. Thank you to all the people who worked and volunteered to get the Fair Jeanne ready for the 2009 sailing season. It is sure to be a great one.

Fair Jeanne is leaving her home port of Ottawa heading to Prescott ON and then on to Brockville to be ready for the Great Lake Swimmers on June 6th. Pictures to follow later today.

2009-05-15T10:52:00.000-04:00

Fair Jeanne Launch

2009-05-14T16:56:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Michel Cunha, who took these pictures on the day the Fair Jeanne went in the locks on May 4, 2009. Thanks to everyone for your help. Heres to another great season!

Fast and Furious on the Tall Ship Fair Jeanne

2009-04-21T19:38:00.004-04:00

Today I spent the day between the Fair Jeanne and the Office. A team from Fuller construction is working like crazy grinding areas of glass on the hull in need of repair. We also have three people working on the inside painting the entire crew's quarters with fire retardant paint. The ship right now is pretty clean considering the amount of work that's going on and below the rubbing strake on the outside of the hull is a huge tarp tent covering the entire ship. The guys grinding the fiberglass look like a bunch of teletubbies from outer space, with white coveralls and masks that cover their entire face. They don't have an easy job but most of them have done it before, and they are good at it.

In the next few days I will be concentrating very hard on getting a Crew Orientation put together. Our crew is excellent and I am excited for them to begin working on both Black Jack and the Fair Jeanne. They have more than a few long days coming their way but I know they are up for it. Our crew orientation will go over the objectives for the season and it will be a good time for them to get to know the new Captain. Bytown Brigantine crew are held to a very high standard and they all have to work very hard as volunteers year-round to be considered for a position. We hire them because they're good people, good teachers and excellent communicators, not just sailors. Are they the best? You bet.

Gnomes and Engines at BBI

2009-04-20T18:41:00.006-04:00

After hosting two of my closest friends from Nova Scotia for the week, I was dead tired. That being said, I began the evening at the BBI Office on Friday face down in the storage room sawing logs. Mary was supposed to wake me after 20 minutes, but an hour passed before I heard the voices of some board members coming through the front door... and if they opened the storage room door to see me drooling on the floor things could have gotten a little awkward.

I always have fun during the weekends at BBI, and Friday began with my presentation of Collision Regulations (Rules of the Road) to the crew. Sounds like fun, eh? I wonder a lot about the people who actually write that stuff. Trying to make sense of government publications is like trying to lick an ice cream cone through your ear. It's not going to happen. If anyone is a fan of Harry Potter and has read (or seen) the little goblins that work in the bank...Gringott's, I think...well, I imagine that they are goblins....writing col regs locked away in a cave somewhere, or a tower....who knows...but they don't get the chance to communicate much, because if they did, they would quickly find out that they aren't...well...normal.

Anyway- I got a little sidetracked. The Cold Regs presentation was saved by Angus (aka Mittonious) who put on a very strange accent (something between Indian and Irish) and became my game show host. We had fabulous prizes... a couple of pens and mouse pads that we got for free from somewhere...which were unfortunately so fabulous that they all got left behind at the end of the weekend.

Sunday was the real entertainment with Albert Rolfe teaching us about outboard engine maintenance and repair. We had 9 outboards on stands and all of us learned how to service them...our biggest challenge was actually an old Evinrude 2hp that looked as if it had been made with clubs and sharpened rocks right after the first wheel. Unbelievably, Kate, Teeter and Sophie got it running before it died...then died again...and again.........and again....but for a few wonderful minutes, that little 2hp purred like a kitten, a very sick little kitten with a smoking problem.

Winter Program Small Engine Repair

2009-04-19T13:54:00.003-04:00

Thank you very much to Albert Rolfe for teaching us about small engine repair. We got a great deal of practical hands on experience. Hopefully we will be much better at trouble shooting while the boats are underway this season.

Stability Lesson from Bob MacLaren

2009-04-08T15:04:00.002-04:00

On March 27, 2009 the BBI winter program crew were much enlightened. One of our directors, Bob MacLaren gave us a lesson in ships intact stability. It was a lot to learn, but we certainly have a better understanding of the GZ curve. We might have a few more questions though!

Join us for an adult voyage!

2009-04-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

Bytown Brigantine’s adult voyages on the STV Fair Jeanne are designed for people who are looking for a hands-on adventure in a demanding yet rewarding environment. Our adult sail training programs aren’t for everybody. Quarters are tight, days can be long, and unlike a cruise, you might find yourself cleaning a toilet. We’re looking for people who can handle challenge; those who are willing to come together as a crew in order to sail a type of ship that demands teamwork in order to achieve success. The type of people that enjoy Bytown Brigantine sail training programs are the ones that are willing to learn, though experience, all aspects of seamanship and navigation from tying knots, chart work and setting sails to taking the helm of an ocean-going tall ship in full canvas.

Travel and Vacation Show

2009-04-01T11:04:00.001-04:00

BBI will have a booth at the Ottawa Travel and Vacation Show this weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Hope you can drop by.

2009-04-01T10:15:00.001-04:00

A couple of more pictures from March Break Camp.

Winter Program Weekend March 27, 28, 29

2009-03-26T10:30:00.002-04:00

Hello Winter Programmers-

On Friday we have a ship stability presentation by our Naval Architect Bob MacLaren beginning at 6:30 and ending at 8:30.

If you do not have your Radio Operators Certificate this is a reminder that we are offering a course beginning on Saturday and ending on Sunday. The course starts at 9:00am and runs to 5:00pm both days.

If you have your ROC, I will be working on the whalers and would appreciate any assistance. We will also be working from 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday.

Everyone is welcome to overnight at the office on Friday and Saturday night.

Hope to see you this weekend!

March Break Camp 2009

2009-03-26T08:59:00.004-04:00

BBI March Break Camp 2009 was warmer and a lot less snowy compared to last year.

Bowling at Merivale Lanes was terrific, and Captain McNaught was on the verge of becoming pro before Thibault changed his score in the middle of the game to tame his ego :)

During the day we were joined Margaret Long, the Captain's mother, who flew up from Lunenburg, NS to help out with the costumes and hammocks the crew were making for the Halifax Expedition. Margaret sailed on the Picton Castle with Mary during the tall ships races in 2000, and quickly settled into the BBI program, helping us along with our projects. Thanks once again! Terra Mitton (Angus' Mom) and her friend Robbi also came in with an array of extremely high tech sewing...er...contraptions....and helped us out with the costumes too. Thanks to them as well!!!

On Tuesday, the BBI crew went by bus to Scotia Bank Place to see the Sens in action. After the first few minutes the Sens were losing- and everyone decided en masse to cheer for the Sabres...this unfortunately turned into a big mistake, because the Sens came back to win the game that night, depsite Rolfe's attempts to get the entire stadium involved in a 'Let's Go Buffalo' chant. The highlight of the game wasn't even on the ice, however, because two dancing Leprechauns wearing enormous hats blocked most of the ice out after the first period was over. The crew got more pics and video of them than the players.

One of the other highlights of the March Break camp was our trip to Tag Zone. Tag Zone is like indoor paintball - but instead of paintballs they use soft rubber balls (that, despite being soft, left us with a few welts). The crew were pretty pumped about going, and once we started the adrenaline only rose higher...it turned out that being short was one of the best advantages to Tag Zone, and Angus Mitton pelted us with rubber balls for 2 hours, winning the prestigious 'every man for himself' round.

Thanks to everyone for making the Camp such a great success and an extra thank you to the volunteers who donated their time and expertise to make the week possible. We'll see you again next year!!!

Thanks to John, Margaret, Julie, Tara, Robbi. Thanks also to the people who work at the Fuller Head office for sharing your space for the week.

2009-03-25T16:39:00.001-04:00

Mary is on the blog once again

Winter Program Changes

2009-03-13T08:44:00.002-04:00

Jason has fine-tuned the remaining Winter Program activities that are coming up. There is going to be a lot happening in the next few months!

There are tons of activities planned for the March Break Camp running from March 16-20.
Shipyard Work Parties are starting up again on March 28 & 29.
If you need your VHF Restricted Operator's Card, there is a course coming up for that.
There are a few Friday night training sessions thrown in for good measure.
And there are a bunch more work parties planned to get the ships ready for the summer.

Check out the Winter Program Page and the Volunteer Work Party page for details and contact the office at 613-596-6258 if you want more information or to tell them you plan to be there.

Going to Halifax!

2009-01-18T11:03:00.003-05:00

We've posted new dates and destinations for the Fair Jeanne voyages to Halifax this summer. The thinking was that the 21-day trips were a bit long and a pricey, so we broke the voyages up into smaller more affordable legs. The new dates and destinations can be found on the Dates and Fees page.

Essentially the schedule of voyages on Fair Jeanne in 2009 look like this:

Two 7 day shakedown voyages from Brockville, Ontario to Picton, Ontario, and then from Picton to Québec City, Québec.
A 15 day voyage from Québec to Halifax, Nova Scotia to participate in the Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival 2009 from 16-20 July.
A few stops to visit some of the ports around Nova Scotia before heading back east, again in smaller voyage legs.
An 8 day trip from Pictou, Nova Scotia to Miramichi, New Brunswick.
A 15 day trip from Miramichi to Brockville.
And then wrapping up the summer with a 5 day jaunt from Brockville to Kingston.

Mary and Jason are trying to fill the last two Fair Jeanne voyages with younger trainees, i.e. those 13 & 14 year olds, who are looking for a bigger, more challenging adventure than available on Black Jack. If you are at all interested, please call that office at 613-596-6258 and talk to Mary about it.

Was anybody still hungry?

2008-12-15T17:39:00.002-05:00

Well, wasn't that a fantastic pancake breakfast?! I don't know about anybody else, but I wasn't hungry until suppertime. There must have been 75 people there in the office and lunchroom. What a great opportunity to meet friends, wish them the best of the season and have some pancakes, sausages or bacon and some coffee. As a board member I even got some networking done (a volunteer's work is never done) proof that this event was a huge success at bringing a whole bunch of Bytown Brigantine people together for some fun and fundraising. I haven't got the figures from Mary, but there must have been a few dollars left over to go towards the Halifax Dockyard Celebration Whaler Expedition fund. Thanks to everyone to came out to the pancake breakfast to support the summer program.

Pancake breakfast and winter weather

2008-12-07T11:44:00.002-05:00

How many of you out there remember the pancake breakfast last winter? You had to be reeeeally brave (or have a 4x4, or live close, or both) to get down to the office to take it in. Remember when we had the spaghetti dinner and movie night. More snow then too. I'm guessing we're going to have some interesting weather next Sunday, December 14. That's when the next pancake breakfast is going to happen. 10:00 a.m. at the BBI Office, 2700 Queensview Drive. Be brave (for the weather ... the food is always good) and be there.

Adult Sail Training Adventure Fair Jeanne, September 14-20, 2008

2008-10-08T16:38:00.002-04:00

The adventure began Sunday evening with a ‘meet & greet’ wine & cheese social held in the wardroom. Each trainee was assigned to a watch (red or green) and a berth. A welcome package was also provided that included a Fair Jeanne shirt, shackle knife, note pad, knot rope and several other souvenir items. For two of our trainees, the voyage aboard a tall ship was a special birthday gift from their family.

Our first evening was so warm and muggy that the Chief Cook and Assistant elected to sleep on deck under the afterdeck awning. That was a great idea - until a weather front blew through around 0200 hrs. The high winds and rain sent the cooks scurrying below and the crew scrambling to the deck to secure the awning and any other loose items on the weather deck.

Monday morning brought a change in weather. Stiff westerly winds and cloudy conditions greeted us for our first full day aboard the Fair Jeanne. We slipped our lines in Brockville and crossed the Saint Lawrence to the first port of call, Alexandria Bay, New York. Throughout the day, under the watchful eye of the First Mate, the PO’s set to work training their new shipmates in the tasks of setting sails, responding to shipboard commands and hauling lines together as a team. Around dusk we made port and after clearing U.S. customs in ‘Alex Bay’, the new crew settled down to a fine supper and a well-deserved rest.

Tuesday was an early start as the Fair Jeanne had an appointment to keep in Clayton, N.Y. Arrangements had been made to tour the Antique Boat Museum at 10:00 hrs. A sleepy but eager crew managed to get us away on time to make the next leg of the voyage. As we docked, our tour guides were there to great us. The next couple of hours were spent learning a great deal about the history of boating on the Saint Lawrence Seaway and of the many influential people who saw the thousand islands as a unique fishing and boating paradise.

We had the opportunity to freshen up a bit before slipping our lines on Wednesday morning to sail back across the river to Gananoque. Today’s leg of the voyage took us past many beautiful islands and spectacular homes that were built by the rich and famous over the years. The day showed great improvement in the ability of the trainees to set sails and steer a straight course. The trainees were also learning how to make log entries, tie basic knots and discovering that ‘Happy Hour’ meant housekeeping chores. For those who wished to climb aloft or to work out on the headgear, the PO’s took them through the safety and climbing procedures. This was the type of activity several trainees had longed for. Under expert guidance, they climbed to new great heights. Our pier at Gananoque was situated within a short walking distance of many of its historic features. We also enjoyed a Movie night aboard the Fair Jeanne – The Bucket List.

Thursday was a full days sailing as we left Gananoque for the historic port of Kingston. The fall colours along the shoreline and islands were just beginning to show as we made our way up river past a variety of busy tour boats, ferries, lakers and many pleasure boaters. Our dock was next to the Holiday Inn at the foot of Princess Street.

Friday morning gave us brisk winds and it was time to start making our way Eastward back to our homeport. The Captain set our course down river towards a small anchorage for the night. Tonight is the ships’ concert and, during the week, the two watches were preparing for the Captains dinner and an evening of skits, stories and games. Everyone turned out in his or her best for the Captains dinner. The evening took on a splendid, semi-formal atmosphere. The cooks put together a special menu that made for an unforgettable evening. The trainees took turns standing anchor watch that night thereby fulfilling just about all the duties a seaman would be expected to undertake onboard ship.

The week aboard the Fair Jeanne came to an end as we made our landing in Brockville around 11:00hrs. Saturday morning. The trainees were now proud members of a crew, quite capable of handling lines and responding quickly to sailing orders from their watch officers. A week ago, they came aboard as trainees with individual life experiences and left this morning as seamen, with a common connection to a very special tall ship, the Fair Jeanne.

Captain: Scott Shank
First Mate: Sam Drinnan
Petty Officer: Evan Hall
Petty Officer: Bradley Grant
Chief Cook: Colette Sabourin
Assistant: Sue Drolet
Coordinator: Peter Dalton

Trainees :
Alex Moroz*
Dene Hansez
Don Ferguson
Mel Moyer*
Mike McCormick
Liz Weeks
Dan DeMille

* indicates returnees

--Report by Peter Dalton.

BBI Scuttlebutt: What’s happening at Bytown Brigantine.

Wonderful Website Work

Restricted Small Vessel Machinery Operator Course

Bytown Brigantine will be offering a Restricted Small Vessel Machinery Operator (SVMO) Course In the New Year for interested participants.

Volunteer Opportunities with BBI

Bytown Brigantine will be hosting a monthly volunteer recruitment event onNovember 28th, 2010 at 1400hrs at the BBI office (2700 Queensview Dr.Ottawa)

Winter Program Nov. 5 -7

End of the 2010 sailing season...

Coming up at BBI

Girl Guides Weekend

Upcoming Events

Leadership Sail

Start of Camp 6

Black Jack Camp 4

Black Jack Camp 3

Watermelon Football

Program Update

Black Jack Camp 2

Black Jack Sailing Down the River

Black Jack Camp is heating up!

Update from the office

New Topmast for Fair Jeanne

Fair Jeanne Launch Update

Program Update!

The New Top Mast is being started

Coastal Navigation

Marine Advanced First Aid

March Break Camp

March Break Camp

Summer Program Online Registration Open

Winter Program Activities

Alumni Updates Needed

Super times at BBI

Fair Jeanne Main Engine

December 2009 issue of Sail Magazine- Fair Jeanne is on Page 39

Weekend Work Party

Fair Jeanne Summer 2009- by Christine Chesterman

Pancake Breakfast

Getting on with Winter...Brrrr...

Great Lake Swimmers Music Video

Bytown Update

Sea Cadets on Black Jack

Great Lake Swimmers

Fair Jeanne August 26

Fair Jeanne August 25

Fair Jeanne has new trainees sign aboard!

Black Jack Update

Update from the Island

Fair Jeanne August 17

Fair Jeanne in Quebec City

Update from Fair Jeanne

Photos from Black Jack

Program Updates

Fair Jeanne Voyage E

Black Jack Camp 4

Black Jack Camp 3 Pictures and Videos

Quyon Anchor Delivery

Update from Fair Jeanne

Black Jack Crews and participants in Halifax

Photos from Ian

Fair Jeanne and Black Jack Update

Fair Jeanne Outports Photos

Black Jack Camp 3

Update: July 28, 2009

Whaler Expedition: More Photos!

Whaler Expedition

A Great Day of Deck Tours

Longboats in Halifax Harbour

Whaler Expedition Pictures

Hello from Halifax.

Fair Jeanne in Halifax- Pictures

Fair Jeanne in Halifax

Halifax Webcams

July 15, 2009

Black Jack Camp 2 Pictures

Fair Jeanne Voyage Update

Track Fair Jeanne

Update: July 10, 2009

July 9, 2009

Fair Jeanne Voyage C

Bytown Brigantine will be hosting a monthly volunteer recruitment event on
November 28th, 2010 at 1400hrs at the BBI office (2700 Queensview Dr.
Ottawa)