BATH, Maine —
The organization, Maine’s First Ship, located in Bath, was invited to share a historic ship at the Colonial Pemaquid event on Saturday.
The event will celebrate European and Indigenous watercraft from the 17th century, perfect for "Jane Stevens," a 17th-century-inspired rowing shallop.
Instead of driving the boat to the event, the crew at Maine’s First Ship had an idea to instead row across the coast of Maine to the event.
“And they started to get excited, and I was like, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it.’ What a great way to get people together and get people excited to continue to share the history of this place and to promote the event in Colonial Pemaquid." Kirstie Truluck, executive director of Maine’s First Ship, said.
Truluck is part of the first leg of the three-day journey from Bath to Bristol along with five other rowers and a helmsman.
Everyone involved is a volunteer from the public or associated with Maine’s First Ship.
“I love traditional wooden boats, and I love rowing, and I love adventure. So the combination of the three brought me here today,” Nicolle Littrell, owner of DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast, said.
“I’m excited! I’m hoping to see some seals,” Mandy Reynolds, a friend of Maine’s First Ship, said. “Kirstie Truluck is a very convincing executive director.”
“It didn’t take much convincing for me,” Sean Ireland, an advisory board member of Maine’s First Ship, said.
Jane Stevens started rowing out of Bath a little before 2 p.m. on Thursday to the sound of a single shot from a cannon.
The first crew of seven plan to travel about seven miles to their first destination between Georgetown and Macmahan Island. From there, a second seven-person crew will take over for the next two days of rowing to finish at Fort William Henry in Bristol, where the historic watercraft event will take place.