By the time the majestic Kalmar Nyckel pushed off from the dock in Bristol Borough last Friday, the shore of the Delaware River had groups of people taking photos.
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The 141-foot replica ship with a mast that is more than 100-feet-tall sailed past Burlington Island, the Turnpike bridge, and up to Tullytown cove.
The ship, operated by the Delaware-based Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, made an eye-catching stop last week in Bristol. It took passengers on two-hour trips on the river and let them helped rig the sails and learn the boat’s history. At dock, it opened to the public as a way to offer a hands-on history lesson.
Lauren Morgens, the captain of the ship, noted that while the Kalmar Nyckel is built to be similar to the one that took a 1638 trip from Europe to what is now known as the Delaware Valley, there are modern amenities below deck for the crew.
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“We have a six-burner stove and a large, large coffee pot,” she said.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The all-volunteer crew sleep on the ship during its visits up and down the East Coast and can range anywhere from eight to 49. Trips on the open ocean require more crew, including for a round-the-clock watch, said Bill Hutchinson, a volunteer who has given more than 10,000 hours of his time to work on the ship.
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For the retired history teacher who loved sailing, the trips are refreshing and offer a way for him to share word of the original Kalmar Nyckel and it style of boat.
Morgens said she became interested in tall ships while in college and cemented her love during a semester-long program.
“I really fell in love with sailing,” she said.
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After Bristol, the crew of the Kalmar Nyckel headed back to Delaware.
