PEOPLE & 



PLACES 



hours each day in order to arrive at preplanned 

 destinations. The six-member crew rotated daily, 

 drawing from a roster of 26 volunteers from 

 towns all over North Carolina. Two larger yachts 

 from Hertford, with a total of seven sailors, also 

 accompanied Periauger. 



Over the course of the Odyssey, the flotilla 

 visited the historic ports of New Bern, Oriental, 

 Washington, Bath, Belhaven and Manteo. 



For the crew, the tnp became a three-week 

 learning experience. "There was a lot of on-the- 

 job training," says Ernst. "Everybody was willing 

 to learn about it, though." 



The flotilla stayed at each of the port cities 

 for at least one day to do sailing and rowing 

 demonstrations. 



In Bath, almost 100 people greeted them. 

 "Bath was the party town," Ernst recalls. "They 

 had a wine and cheese reception at the dock 

 when we arrived. On the second evening we were 

 there, they had a homemade pizza party and 

 everyone in the town was invited." 



It was also in Bath where the Periauger had 

 a run-in with the dreaded pirate Blackbeard. 

 Although this wasn't the same pirate that 

 sailed along the Outer Banks in the late 1 600s 

 terrorizing ships, the look-alike still managed to 

 startle members of the crew. 



"We let Blackbeard come on the boat when 

 we were in Bath to put on a show for the people 

 on the dock," says Ernst. "Then all of a sudden 

 he let off an 'arr-rrgg-hhh' and fired one of his 

 guns right next to my crew. They almost went 

 overboard jumping out of their skins." 



The water portion of the Odyssey came to 

 an end after two days in Manteo. The Periauger 

 then was hauled onto its trailer and driven to 

 Hertford. 



"It was a lot of work but very satisfying," 

 says Ernst. "It was a great adventure, and people 

 stepped in and helped out. It was terrific." 



WHAT'S NEXT? 



Periauger didn't have much time to rest 

 after it arrived in Hertford. It was displayed at 

 the Moth Boat Regatta in Elizabeth City, the 

 Plymouth Wooden Boat Show and a sailing 



regatta on Albemarle Sound. It will be featured 

 at other shows and history programs in the years 

 to come. 



The boat alternates being on display in 

 the water at the Hertford town pier, built by 

 the town for Periauger, or on its trailer at the 

 Newbold-White House Museum. Situated on 

 the Perquimans River six miles from downtown 

 Hertford, the museum plans to build a dock in 

 an old turning basin after some archeological 

 excavation has been done on the site, according 

 to Ann Jones, the site manager. 



"Then it will really be home," saysjones. 

 "Maybe the ghost of Abraham Sanders will 

 come down and get on his Periauger." 



NEWBOLD-WHITE HOUSE: 

 A Colonial Quaker Homestead 



• Hertford, NC 



• Attractions: 1730 Newbold-White House 

 tours, Quaker gravesite from the 1600s, 

 seasonal herb garden and the Periauger. 



• Tickets: Adults $3, Students $ 1. 

 Children age 5 and under, free. 



• March 1 - Thanksgiving. 



10 a.m. -4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 

 2p.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday. 



• Online: www.newboldwhitehouse. 

 com contains a link to Periauger' s 

 construction, launch, sea trials and 

 Odyssey. 



• For more information, including winter 

 group tours, call 252/426-7567. 



TOP TO BOTTOM: The Periauger touches the sea for the first time. • The crew catches a stiff wind in New Bern 

 during a nearly stage of the Odyssey. • The Periauger cuts through the water during its Odyssey. » 

 The Periauger slowly sails amid the natural environment of a North Carolina waterway. 



COASTWATCH 29 



