Aftermath

As I write this (Nov. 1), sites on the Trails of History are in various stages of dealing with the results of Superstorm Sandy. Overall, we fared pretty well, as far as I know, with less flooding than during last year’s bout with Irene and Lee. However, some sites in the southeastern part of the state are still without electricity. Some are working to clean up fallen trees and other debris. That’s no doubt true for many Trailheads readers, as well. And I’m sure some of you, or people close to you, are dealing with far worse.

If you were planning to visit, or attend a program at, one of our sites this weekend, I strongly encourage you to check ahead to be sure everything’s still on schedule.

Our colleagues at the Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara shared, on their Facebook page, their tribute to HMS Bounty, which sank off the coast of North Carolina earlier this week. Built for the film Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), the ship was en route from New London to St. Petersburg when its bilge pump and engine failed. Most of the crew made it into lifeboats and were rescued by the US Coast Guard. One sailor, Claudene Christian, perished and the captain, Robin Walbridge, has not been found. Walbridge served as an engineer on Niagara in 2000, and Bounty participated in Tall Ships Erie 2010 (there’s a photo of Capt. Walbridge in the guest blog post Linda Bolla wrote for Trailheads).

The sailing community is a close-knit group, and I know that there are many people affected by this loss. Our hearts go out to all who lost loved ones as a result of this historic storm.