Al Bezanson submits-
Joey___
How many folks can name the schooner sailing over City Hall and explain why she merits such a lofty presence? It is a fascinating story – thoroughly researched here in Gloucester by a Canadian — Capt. Keith McLaren. A Race for Real Sailors (2006), the Bluenose and the International Fishermen’s Cup, 1920-1938. An America’s Cup yacht race had been cancelled in 1920 for weather conditions considered ‘normal’ for working fishing schooners, and this prompted the idea for the competition between the Gloucester and Lunenburg fleets with ‘honest to God boats.’ In the words of Joe Garland, Capt. McLaren’s book is “The definitive account of the fabled sailing rivalry between the fastest of the last fishing schooners of Canada and the States — and with photos to take your breath away. What a read!” The front jacket painting: Racing Schooners, circa 1921, by Dusan Kadlec, portrays Bluenose and Elsie racing. Sailing proudly over City Hall is Elsie.
At the Cape Ann Museum across the street there is an exquisite Elsie model built by Erik Ronnberg.
In the acknowledgements the author makes special mention of help he received from Joe Garland and Dana Story, and credits Erik Ronnberg along with James Craig and Stephanie Buck at the Museum. A Race for Real Sailors is available in the Museum’s gift shop.
A newly-launched Bluenose II will be making her first appearance in Gloucester on Labor Day weekend at the Schooner Festival. Our good friends from Nova Scotia have reached deep into their pockets to create a new masterpiece. This would be a perfect time for people in our city to refresh their knowledge of Gloucester’s famed past in preparation for a grand welcome.
Al Bezanson
Good Morning Gloucester 
I appreciate this posting. Just this evening I was at Maritime Gloucester and was wondering what was so special about Elsie! Now I know!
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The Elsie was my great grandfather’s schooner. Thanks for your comments Al.
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Elsie had quite a few owners in her 25 year life. One was the great Capt. Alden Geele, in partnership with Gorton-Pew. Who was your grandfather?
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Just came across this – my grandfather, Charles Geele, was Alden’s brother, so he was my great uncle.
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Jewel of a post thanks
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I love reading about and seeing photos of Elsie. I have “A Race For Real Sailors” and a connection to Elsie through my grandfather, Captain Martin L. Welch. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to build another Elsie, or even an Esperanto!
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Thanks for the post, it was an absolute treat researching this book and being mentored by such legendary figures as Joe Garland and Dana Story.
Keith McLaren
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It’s great to hear from you Capt. McLaren. I came by the book courtesy of your friend Capt. Phil Watson. Thank you for all your good work in researching and writing this down in such a readable way. I can imagine you had a wonderful time visiting Joe Garland, and I’ll bet he got plenty spirited in talking about the old times. This is a book that merits a place on the top shelf.
I know you spent time on Bluenose II, and are aware she has many admirers here in Gloucester. I was aboard her for the first time in July 1969 in Halifax and have regretted ever since that I passed up an invitation to sail on her the next day. It was a very bad decision on my part not to say the heck with my job for that single day.
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Joe and Helen became good friends and we had many great conversations sitting at their home Black Bess overlooking the Harbour. We were very sad to hear of his passing.
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My mother always spoke of ELSIE when she was alive, being born in Malden and seeing the ship at Boston in the late 1920’s. Her Grandfather was William James Forbes of Woods Harbor, Nova Scotia. He captained ELSIE sometimes when she sailed to Georgia’s Banks and brought all that cod in.
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