'Bounty' to once again dock in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG -- The HMS Bounty, considered by many to be St. Petersburg's own tall ship, will return in January for a visit of about six weeks.

The 169-foot wooden vessel, built in 1960 for the remake of the movie Mutiny on the Bounty, will tie up at the head of the Pier and be available for parties, cruises and other functions.

Most recently in Booth Bay Harbor, Maine, for restoration work, the Bounty returned to the high seas in July. Its owners are Robert and Cathleen Hanson of Long Island in New York.

Once moored near Spa Beach on the Pier's approach, the Bounty was a permanent resident for 20 years starting in 1965. The ship has since visited from time to time during the winter, but has missed the past two or three seasons.

Jan. 10 is the scheduled arrival date, said Margaret Ramsey, the ship's marketing director. And nautical buffs are excited.

"She's one of those ships that, although we support all tall ships, this is our tall ship," said Andrew Jagger, an officer in the bay area's Tall Ship Society. "She belongs to St. Petersburg, no matter whose name is on that ship.'

Society members hope to have a chance to crew. The Bounty's usual contingent is 18, plus captain Robin Walbridge. The vessel can carry 12 passengers.

The Tall Ship Society is an enthusiast group with a special interest in the classical age of sail. Members teach newcomers sailing skills and how the old-time square-riggers work.

"How they go, how to keep them going," Jagger said. "We like to train people to a reasonably high standard."

Members will help maintain the Bounty while it is here and hope to demonstrate seagoing skills on board.

It is scheduled to depart in late February, bound for Washington, D.C., where it will take part in the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The replica of the 19th-century ship that generated a famous civil rights case will return to St. Petersburg on Dec. 16 for another week of tours, cruises and discussions about slavery and racial harmony.

Amistad's first visit, which ended last week, was successful in attracting middle- and high school classes, said Will Mebane, marketing vice president of Amistad America, the ship's owner. He said the demand was greater than the ship could accommodate.

"The only thing I heard that was a little disappointing, we had made time for taking the public out for some harbor cruises. We did not sell those out," Mebane said, adding that there will be an effort to promote the tours better next time.

The Amistad is making its two visits without total sponsorship, although the city government is providing some in-kind services. About $10,000 of the ship's usual $37,500 appearance fee was raised, Mebane said.

"We're working on trying to get some other folks helping us. We're still true to our commitment. We're not going to charge the city. But we are still trying to raise money."

The city's $5.35-million sea wall project is almost complete. Some landscaping, irrigation and culvert work remain on the project's Coffee Pot Bayou section, but the 16-month job should be finished by Thanksgiving, said city engineer Mike Connors.

Pedestrians and cyclists have noticed that the Coffee Pot sea wall's edge -- where it meets the sidewalk -- is much lower in some places, sometimes dropping away to a little more than two inches high.

It's an engineering thing, Connors said.

Although the sea wall is of consistent height, Connors said, sidewalk height varies. That's because it is tied to curbing elevation that in turn is tied to road elevation -- which varies because of drainage requirements.

So the chain results in thin-lipped walls in a few spots.

It probably isn't likely cyclists will run over the edge into Coffee Pot Bayou. Just pay attention.

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