Volume X, Number 1 Spring 2005
Articles:
- President's Message
- Annual Meeting, August 1, 2005
- Docent Program
- Trail Day, July 9, 2005
- Documentary Film Update
- Conducted Tours of Eagle Island
- The S.S.Roosevelt
It hardly seems possible that, on this rainy morning in April, we're only a few short weeks away from summer and opening Eagle Island . We have a lot to do on the island this season including more Ed Stafford Tours, Trail Day, Archive Day, and further work on the documentary film that is well under way. Still, it almost always seems as if we just get started and fall is in the air but I'm getting ahead of myself.
One of the regular events that the Friends do each summer is the Annual Meeting on Eagle Island . To my knowledge, poor weather has only intervened once; three years ago when a stiff southwest breeze forced us to cancel travel to the island and instead meet in the shop at Dolphin Marina. All thanks to the Saxton family for allowing us to invade their work space but I for one am hoping that this year is not a repeat.
The annual meeting is, simply, a lot of fun. Oh, we conduct business just like we do in all other meetings but the annual meeting is special because it's on the island; I have to confess: I look forward to that a great deal more than the business part of the day. Being on Eagle Island is the special part. We usually end up rambling through the house, often dragging Ed along to tell us about life on the island when he grew up or when some of the boys happened to sink a dingy or some such mischief. The annual meeting is also special because it's a family gathering. My son loves to play on the beach and gather crabs in the tidal pools around the island.
This year's annual meeting is set for August 11. The day starts with a trip to the island, this year on Claire Ross's boat the "Marie L". We'll usually try to get the business meeting out of the way quickly but it's important as well because we elect officers for the coming year and thank those that have given so selflessly to the island and the organization.
I would hope that many of you reading this installment of the Eagle Island Journal would plan to join us on the island this year. As a member and supporter of our organization, you might like to get information on the Friends first hand instead of reading our newsletter. Or, perhaps you would simply enjoy a few hours on the island. Whatever your motivation, please come. I have to confess that I have another motive for asking everyone to join us at the annual meeting: I'm hoping that some few will want to get involved in the Friends of Peary's Eagle Island organization.
This is our twelfth year in existence and it has been a productive time for all of us involved. Still, for those on the board, it has been twelve years; a labor of love to be sure. We've accomplished a great deal in that time and there's still more to be done. What we need is new ideas and help setting a course for the next twelve years.
I surely hope that you will consider joining us for the annual meeting. I hope also that you'll want to get involved in some way. Ours is a special group, comprised of people that have no special personal agenda: we simply want to carry out the Admiral's direction: "Look out for mine, and Eagle Island ." Thanks to all for your continued support.
Bob York
( OPEN TO ALL! )
Thursday, August 11, 2005 on Eagle Island
Boat leaves Dolphin Marina 10 AM , returns 2 PM
Call 833-5567 to reserve a seat on the boat
HELP WANTED!
This summer the Friends hope to have an expanded Volunteer Docent program on Eagle Island on all the Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. We would like to have two Docents each day or a total of 36 volunteers. A very ambitious program. Docents are needed to greet visitors to the Island and tell the story about the Admiral, his family, and the Island . The job doesn't pay very well, but we will provide transportation to the Island and return, a manual to refer to as needed, and a yellow (butter) polo shirt with Eagle Island emblem, yours to keep. Those who did it last summer, report they have had a fabulous time doing it.
The boat will leave from Dophin Marina in Harpswell at 9:00 AM and return around 5:00 PM. Bring your own lunch and drinks and plenty of warm clothes and a rain jacket. Cancellation will be made the night before for projected snowy, rainy, or very windy days.
If interested please call Harry Rich at 725-8510 and he will send you a schedule form to fill out in the mail.
Every July, the Friends have held a volunteer work day on Eagle Island . This year we are concentrating on mulching the trails to prevent erosion. Using two on-island chippers the crew will need at least 4 volunteers to operate the chippers, 8 volunteers to drag the brush to the chippers, and 8 volunteers to load the two wheelbarrows and spread the mulch where Jeanie Dorrington, Park Manager, thinks it is needed the most.
Because Eagle Island is a seasonal Sanctuary, this work must wait until after the eider ducks, herons, and most of the gulls have finished raising their chicks. If you are one of those who do regular exercise, this day will be a perfect fit.
This year the Bureau of Parks has chosen Saturday, July 9 th . Capt. Claire Ross on the good ship "Marie L" will leave the Dolphin Marina at 8:30 AM and return 4:00 PM. Lunch and drinks will be provided. It's a fun day working with other volunteers to help preserve this Island paradise. If you have not already volunteered, please call Harry Rich at 725-8510.
We hope to hear from you.
Harry Rich
The Friends documentary film project exploring the life and achievements of Admiral Robert E. Peary is moving towards completion. Nearly all of the planned personal interviews have been completed, and work is now concentrating on selecting the desired array of still images from photographic collections and published sources made available through negotiated arrangements and permits granted by individuals and cooperating societies and organizations.
Studio work conducted by Smith-Atwood Video Services, Inc., of Portland , Maine , under contract to the Friends , is focusing on integrating videotaped scenes, interviews, animated map sequences and narration overlays for a premiere showing planned for mid-July.
Serving as director of the documentary film program has been a unique educational experience. Pursuing leads to long-forgotten picture collections, diary extracts and archival documents has provided an understanding of Peary, the man, and his times that could not be realized, let alone appreciated by any less intensive effort. We believe the resulting program will be informative, enlightening, and inspiring.
John D. Davis , Program Director
Conducted Tours of Eagle Island
Once again, Cdr. Edward Peary Stafford has agreed to donate his vacation time to giving conducted tours of Eagle Island . The Friends are most fortunate to have him return for the month of August. Ed is Admiral Peary's Grandson and knows all the inside "skinny" on the Island life as it was lived by the Admiral and his family. Several of our Friends have had so much fun they have taken the tour two seasons in a row. The tour is given as a fund raiser to benefit the ongoing preservation of Peary's Eagle Island
The tour will leave Dolphin Marina in Harpswell, Maine on Tuesdays August 2 nd , 9 th , 16 th , 23 rd , and 30 th at 9:30 AM and return around 12:00 noon. The price will be $35.00 a person.
Transportation will be provided on the "Marie L" captained by Claire Ross. Tours are limited to a maximum of 24 persons, so we request that your reservation be made and paid for in advance. Reservation forms are available on our web site ~pearyeagleisland.org or phone 207-833-2310 for a reservation form in the mail. If the tour has to be cancelled due to inclement weather, you will be notified the night before and your money will be refunded so it is important that you supply us with a phone number when you make a reservation. Hope to see you there.
A very special ship
It was 1904, and Peary had received permission from the Navy to make his 7 th arctic expedition to reach the North Pole. His planning had the benefit of his many years exploring the arctic, so he was able to define the needs of this momentous task. He knew that he must transport his team of men, dogs, and supplies as far north as possible the previous summer, so that during the short time before the arctic night set in, most of the supplies could be safely transported to Cape Hecla , on the north shore of Ellesmere Island ready for the spring assault.
Previously he had determined that the Pole was about 500 miles north of the northern most land of Greenland and Ellesmere Island over the roughest ice imaginable. This ocean was filled with enormous ice ridges up to 100 feet in height that had to be traversed and it wasn't until the last 200 miles that the ice became somewhat smoother. Teams of 4 or 5 men each with his own sled and dogs were needed, to help each other over these ridges. Often the trail had to be made by chipping and cutting the ice through the roughest sections. Traversing the ice had to be done as early in the spring as possible or just as soon as the sun began to peek over the horizon and the temperature hovered between minus 40 to minus 60. This would help avoid the open leads resulting from the high winds pushing the ice floes in either a north or south direction. The window of opportunity was very brief.
This dictated that all the men, sled dogs, and supplies had to be as far north as possible ready to start out as early as possible in the spring. In the early 1900's, the best way to get this far north would be by ship.
Peary felt that only a special ship could take him far enough North through the ice channels to winter quarters to put the "Pole" within reach for the spring drive. The ship needed to be easy to maneuver and therefore relatively short in length so that it could quickly outmaneuver the huge ice-bergs. It needed to be shoal in draft so it could go inshore safely away from grounded ice-bergs. This design would also allow the vessel to maneuver close to shore where the ice would be thinnest. The ship needed to be extremely rugged so that it could withstand the huge compressive force of being frozen into the ice for the winter. This resulted in wooden sides as much as 30" in thickness, heavily braced by struts at the waterline (unique to the Roosevelt ). Shoal draft and rounded sides also assisted in letting the ship "rise up" when it was under this heavy pressure. The hull needed to be steel sheathed so that she could be used to force her way through pack ice. Her counter (stern) needed to be heavily raked to protect the rudder and propeller as much as possible. The rudder also needed to be capable of being lifted up out of danger from heavy ice.
The bow was heavily raked and reinforced so that the vessel could tolerate continuous ramming through the pack ice for hours on end (A 1500 ton battering ram). The vessel had 3 steam boilers fired by coal. The steam engine had a unique high capacity by-pass, (when required), to the 52" low pressure cylinder that could provide short term bursts of power. This feature proved invaluable on several occasions where a burst of speed propelled the vessel forward so quickly that it was able to avoid being crippled by two huge ice-bergs being forced together by wind and heavy flood tides. Auxiliary sails were available for use on long trips with a fair wind (to save coal). The enormous 12" diameter propeller shaft and heavy propeller were insurance of never losing power due to breakage or cracking. Extra heavy duty deck hardware, steam capstan, windlass and winches provided capability for warping the vessel out of danger. Below decks was used only for the three steam boilers, power cylinders and for coal storage. Crew and expedition member's quarters were provided on deck.
The huge oak timbers of the keel, false keel and keelsons were bolted and scarfed together to form a rigid backbone over 6 feet high. Massive oak timbers formed the stem, stern and rudder posts. The oak ribs were spaced closer together than normal and in the irst 10 feet from the bow were bolted and scarfed together to form a sold ram. A unique internal truss system was provided every 4 feet for the length of the ship as well as 3 solid timber bulkheads equally spaced that provided immunity from being crushed by the ice. The outer planking was white oak and the deck planks were Oregon pine. Yellow pine was used for the inner planking and ceiling. She was fastened with galvanized bolts going through both courses of planking, the ribs and the ceiling. So this is the ship that Peary specified and designed.
Overall length ~ 184 feet
Beam ~ 35 feet 6 inches
Draft ~ 16 feet 2 inches
Gross Tonnage ~ 614 Tons
Load displacement ~ 1500 Tons
She was built at the McKay and Dix Boatyard in Bucksport , Maine . The keel was laid on October 15, 1904 and she was launched on March 23, 1905 . Josephine Peary performed the Christening. Then the Roosevelt was "fitted out" in Portland , Maine .
On July 16, 1905 the Roosevelt left New York on Peary's 7 the expedition with Captain Robert A. (Bob) Bartlett as skipper. She fought her way to winter quarters near Cape Sheridan , Grant Land (Ellesmere) arriving September 5, 1905 . The trip home the following fall was the most perilous one could imagine. The Roosevelt was badly crippled by collisions with the icebergs; she was constantly running out of coal, and had incredibly bad weather, finally reaching New York December 25 th 1906 .
On July 6, 1908 she left New York , again with the indomitable Captain Bartlett as Skipper. She was fully repaired, with new timbering to replace that broken or used for fuel along with several new rudders and including 2 new scotch type boilers to replace the tube type. She stopped at Oyster Bay to say farewell to President Teddy Roosevelt, for whom the ship was named, and arrived at Cape Sheridan September 5, 1908 almost the same place and date as in 1906. After the successful expedition to the pole was completed, she left for home (earlier than in 1906), on July 18, 1909 .
From 1909 to 1937, the S. S. Roosevelt was used by various owners as a salvage vessel, a fishing boat, a tug boat and then as a U. S. government patrol boat in Alaska . She was beached and abandoned on January 21, 1937 in the harbor of Cristobal , Balboa (near the Panama Canal ). Later, efforts were made to save her, but failed. After the two extraordinary trips to Cape Sheridan , the Roosevelt continued another 28 years, "a very special ship."