The Alma is commanded by Skipper Al Lutz, who has befriended us, offered advice and sea stories, and serves as a regular source of encouragement. The Scouts think he is "really cool!" Please notice how good the decks look in this picture.The sub title of this page is "Sail and Service". On October 30, the Orion crew began a two day work detail on the Alma under the direction of Skipper Al Lutz. These projects provide our Scouts an opportunity for community service, teach us about maritime history in the area, and allow us to crew aboard the Alma.
The Alma remains as the only one of hundreds of this type of gaff-rigged yawl which sailed the bays from Petaluma to the Delta and South San Francisco Bay carrying hay, chickens, food, and any thing else grown in farm areas and needed by the residents of San Fracisco. She was built in 1881, and served until replaced by steam engine ships in 1958. Here the crew is helping raise sail to check it and the running rigging.
The Alma is commanded by Skipper Al Lutz, who has befriended us, offered advice and sea stories, and serves as a regular source of encouragement. The Scouts think he is "really cool!" Please notice how good the decks look in this picture.
After the Scouts helped prepare the Thayer for borate preservation spray, they began to paint the Alma. Painting has to be done "just so", and Skipper Lutz was very patient with instructions and supervision. He also explained, patiently, that the errors were OK because he would "touch it up" another day. Touch-up is a good thing.
That night the Scouts carved pumpkins before sleeping aboard the Thayer. This pumpkin, was carved in honor of the Alma by Orion crew leader Adam. The United States Parks Service served us dinner and treated us royally.
Probably the reason we were treated so well was the plan for Sunday morning. The Scouts discovered what a holystone is and how to use it. What a messy, awful chore! Skipper Lutz thought it would take the crew until 1200 hours to finish the deck, but the Scouts attacked this job with a "right good will". The result? We were finished, cleaned up, and ready for more by 1030 hours. Nate is using his considerable energies to make sure that the decks are done well.
Two weeks later we returned to Hyde Street Pier to help sail the Alma. San Francisco Bay showed us all of its various moods; we had glorious clear, foggy, windy, cold, still, choppy and flat conditions. During the foggy periods, sailing ships are required to sound "one long - two short" blasts of a horn. The Scouts were given that responsibility. There was a standard horn, but a conch shell horn was much more popular and sounded much more "historical."
The Orion crew had ample time to rest and visit aboard the Alma. The regular crew provide a comfortable, relaxed, but "no-nonsense" atmosphere for the cruise. We hope to return for an encore work and sail adventure in May.