0730 hours

Starting Position: Docked at Atlantic Basin, Brooklyn, NY.
Latitude: 40˚ 40.9' N
Longitude: 074˚ 00.7' W

Day Five of the first leg of our 2009 Fall Voyage of Discovery.

Today is Harbor Day, the grand finale of New York City's NY400 Week, and our schedule is packed. After rising sharp at 0630 hours, the crew is in position and ready to depart an hour later.

0745 hours

We've hauled in our docklines and are underway. Henk Morel coils Dock Line Two and carries it down to the orlop for storage.

Within a few minutes, we maneuver free of the Atlantic Basin wharf and re-enter New York Harbor.

0800 hours

Mr. McLaughlan serves breakfast underway. Today we kick off with sausages and hash browns.

0830 hours

As mentioned yesterday, the Harbor Day events begin with the Half Moon firing a salute to the Hr.Ms. Tromp. Our guns are run out and ready to be loaded.

0900 hours

As part of the celebration, we have a bevy of special guests joining us today. They arrive on the Launch 5, which also escorted the heritage flotilla during the River Day voyage this past June.

Our guests for the morning are Dr. Andrew Hendricks, who personally spearheaded the creation of the Replica Ship Half Moon, his family, and his medical staff, all brought up from South Carolina just for this momentous occasion. Captain Reynolds greets our new guests and quickly briefs them on our standard safety protocols.

0930 hours

With all hands now on board, we need to prepare for the morning's events.

The wind is a bit irregular today, so we need to frequently adjust our sails. Emily and Pwint take the sheets in hand in order to set the main top sail.

That done, we also set the fore course. Our goal today for the sails is not only to have them simply propel the ship, but also provide a winning visual image. In this flukey wind, setting too many sails could actually prove counterproductive.

Nearby, the Hr.Ms. Tromp is also moving into position and receiving its own special guests for the morning.

With the main top set, José returns to the deck to mingle with our new guests.

Last but not least, let's not forget to run up our flags!

Mouse over for the reflexive view.

1000 hours

The Launch 5 will continue to escort the Half Moon from a discreet distance for the rest of the morning parade, primarily to assist with traffic control.

With our guests on board, the sails set, and the flags flying, the Half Moon is ready to take the stage.

We've also dispatched a fair number of our crew to the mast tops in order to add a little color.

The color orange, to be specific!

1030 hours

The rest of the Historical Fleet is now gathering in the harbor.

Alongside the Half Moon, the Onrust, the Dutch flat-bottom fleet, and the Flying Dutchman racers, the flotilla has been joined by many of New York City's local heritage vessels, many of which also joined us for (storm-tossed) launching of River Day.

1045 hours

In the final moments before the parade begins, it looks like all hands are comfortably settled into place on deck...

...and above it.

With everyone in position, the Half Moon turns toward the waiting Tromp. You may spot the sternchasers (rear-firing falconet cannons), already run out and now loaded with blackpowder charges.

1100 hours

The Hr.Ms. Tromp has stationed itself just off Liberty Island, home of the Statue of Liberty, where the dignitaries gathered on board will receive the passing flotilla as they kick off the parade.

With Mr. Van Aken tending the VOC tricolor flying from our jackstaff, the Half Moon makes its final approach.

As the flotilla leader, the Half Moon sails past the Tromp.

Mouse over to give fire!

Captain Reynolds gives the command to "Give fire!" Seven blackpowder cannons reply, saluting the part of Dutch dignitaries on board the Tromp -- which includes His and Her Royal Highness.

The Replica Onrust follows close behind, firing their own cannon salute as well.

1130 hours

With the rest of the flotilla now proceding past the Tromp, the Half Moon moves on, turning toward Manhattan.

Captain Reynolds issues commands to his crew as we lead the rest of the flotilla toward the city.

1145 hours

A massive crowd has gathered at the Battery to witness the incoming parade.

The throng of spectators lines the waterside as far as the eye can see in either direction.

1200 hours

The Half Moon takes several circuits past the Battery, leading new groups of traditional vessels in its wake each time.

Mouse over for a closer look.

1230 hours

After the entire flotilla has paraded past the crowds at Battery Park, the event concludes and the Half Moon breaks off to continue up the East River. Dr. Hendricks celebrates by passing out commemorative quadricentennial coins to everyone on board.

As the ship crosses under the Brookyln Bridge, it turns to and heads back toward the harbor.

This is the cue for the Launch 5 to pull alongside us once again. Dr. Hendricks and his guests depart. Ship's gunner Frank Rodriques gathers his gear and disembarks with them, his duties now discharged, if you'll pardon the pun.

1245 hours

A second parade of sail is due to proceed up the Hudson River later this afternoon. In the meantime, we sweep up the decks.

1400 hours

Is the break over already? Mr. McLaughlan serves quesadillas for lunch as the afternoon flotilla begins its parade up the Hudson River.

1415 hours

In the helm hutch, Ellis and Raynika help each other manage the whipstaff in the tidal currents.

1500 hours

The Historical and Naval Fleets stretch out far behind the Half Moon as the flotilla passes one huge gathering on shore after another.

1530 hours

Life is already getting back to normal on board, however, as Ben focuses intently on entering data into the Deck Log. Best not to disturb him!

Mouse over to redeploy the Zodiac.

With Manhattan behind us and the George Washington Bridge looming ahead, we've reached the end of the parade. While the rest of the flotilla lingers behind us -- most will return to berths at Brooklyn or lower Manhattan tonight -- the Half Moon continues upriver without pause.

Now that we no longer expect to have thousands of cameras trained on us, we uncover the tender boat and heave it back over the side.

With the Zodiac back in its usual cradle, we quickly reinstall the safety rails around the main hatch.

That all done, the Half Moon's participation in Harbor Day and NY400 Week is officially complete.

For her part, Ms. Laufer is ready for a nap.

1600 hours

No sooner is the Zodiac back in place than we deploy it to pick up one last guest for the day. Photojournalist Peter Guttman joins us for our remaining day's journey to the Palisades.

Mouse over to sponge
the swivel gun.

1615 hours

We do have a few chores left to complete before we can consider the day's events truly finished, however. Is Mr. Prime cleaning a swivel gun or churning butter? You make the call.

1630 hours

The waning hours of the afternoon find the crew of the Half Moon relaxed and focusing on ship's activities as we travel past Yonkers.

1700 hours

Deck Log work continues apace, of course, with Joram lending Eric-Jan a hand for the hour.

1715 hours

We need to return Mr. Guttman to shore before the day is out, so we elect to set sail one more time for his camera's benefit. Eli and Ben are more than happy to act as the main mast's rig team, but their true purpose for being up there is to relax and enjoy the lofty scenery.

Down on deck, the senior crew is also primarily interested in kicking back and relaxing after a long day. A long five days, in fact!

1745 hours

Ending Position: Anchored off the Palisades, near Yonkers, NY.
Latitude: 40 ˚ 57.9' N
Longitude: 073˚ 54.4' W

Once the Zodiac team has escorted Mr. Guttman back to shore, we douse our sails and set anchor off the Palisades, not far from where the VOC Halve Maen likely spent this night 400 years ago.

1830 hours

As the sun sets, Captain Reynolds has finally cleared enough off his schedule emerge from his cabin, only to discover a line of students seeking to be reviewed for higher crew ratings. Dennise is up for her first evaluation, and is in the midst of naming each deck on the ship.

Meanwhile, dinner is served on the weather deck. You may note that Eric-Jan is more interested in holding his Rating Log than a dinner plate; he's been patiently waiting for the captain all day, and he isn't going to let a little thing like hunger distract him now!

1915 hours

The hazy sun is settling behind the Palisades as Vincent serves out his appointed hour overseeing the Deck Log.

1945 hours

With nightfall, the crew convenes for our daily anchor watch briefing. Following the meeting, Ms. Laufer gets out the Task Matrix, and everyone eagerly takes their turn entering in the duties and challenges they have already successfully completed.

2000 hours

The teachers and students once again wind down their evening with a session of journal writing and guided discussion. For tonight's topic, they discuss issues of language barriers. Have they posed a challenge? What can we do to make communication easier for everyone?

Next Time: Gaining Leverage.

Robert Juet's Journal

The Halve Maen continues four miles upriver in the morning, then sets anchor to wait out the ebb tide. While waiting, they trade for oysters with the local Lenape. Once the tide turns to the flood again in the afternoon, they sail another eight miles or so before anchoring for the night, most likely at the southern end of Haverstraw Bay. The "high point of Land" Juet sees is the highlands beyond what is now Tarrytown.

On September 13th, 1609:

The thirteenth, faire weather, the wind Northerly. At seuen of the clocke in the morning, as the floud came we weighed, and turned foure miles into the Riuer. The tide being done wee anchored. Then there came foure Canoes aboord: but suffered none of them to come into our ship. They brought great store of very good Oysters aboord, which wee bought for trifles. In the night I set the variation of the Compasse, and found it to be 13.degrees. In the after-noone we weighed, and turned in with the floud, two leagues and a halfe further, and anchored all night, and had fiue fathoms soft Ozie ground, and had an high point of Land, which shewed out to vs, bearing North by East seuen leagues off vs.

-- Robert Juet's Journal.