News and Events
Sail the Sultana: History on the Water
August 22-25, 2009
Sailing aboard the 18th-century schooner Sultana, a group of incoming freshmen explored the rich history of the Chesapeake Bay, their home for the next four years. Organized by Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, this new pre-orientation trip offered students with an interest in history or American studies an opportunity to live aboard an 18th-century vessel, meet a buccaneer from the Golden Age of Piracy, and canoe up the Chester River by moonlight. A Town Ball (18th century baseball) game and a climactic naval battle on Langford Creek rounded out the trip, leaving participants eager to jump into the exciting new world of college life (and very, very wet).
Click to enlarge photos.
Mike Mason '11
Ellen Dalina '13
Learning to coil rope.
Morning on the Chester.
Haul away...
Sultana Education Director Leona Dalton '04 shows the group a Chester River jelly.
A blue crab.
Riggings.
The group examines an 18th-century map of the Chesapeake Bay.
Sultana Captain Tanya Banks-Christiansen teaches Mike Mason '13, Brittany Krueger '13, Ellen Dalina '13, and John Macone '13 to use the tiller.
A quiet moment on deck.
Adam Goodheart, Hodson Trust-Griswold Director of the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience shares stories of the colonial Chesapeake.
Cliff Long regales participants with stories of the buccaneers who once ruled the seas.
Cliff Long.
Cliff Long.
Starr Center associate director Jill Ogline Titus tries out puppeteering.
Participants enjoyed a two-night stay at The Reward, of the Chester River's most beautiful historic properties.
Associate Professor of History Clayton Black introduces students to a time-honored Washington College tradition: Townball.
Mike Mason '11 and Katie Johnson '11 vie to be first at bat.
Is this far enough?
Katie Johnson '11 pitches to Alec Mog '13, while Tom Harrelson '13 acts as catcher.
Dinner on deck.
Tom Harrelson '13 and Katie Johnson '11
The group sets up camp.
Trent Lesh '13 explores the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
Kate Livie of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum explains the oystering industry.
Harry Coldwell '13 tongs for oysters.
The lighthouse.
The "Royal Navy" prepares for action.
Mike Mason '11, captain of the "Buccaneers," rallies his troops for the naval battle.
The Reward
Mike Mason '11 and Alec Mog '13 take down the flag.
Waterlogged remnants of the battle.
Back on dry land.
John Macone '13, Oliver Hegglin '13, Ellen Dalina '13, Brittany Krueger '13, and Mike Mason '11 write their own stories about the river.
