Liana's Ransom. Photo Heavy.

Chako · **on:** July 20, 2014, 12:49:49 AM

It would appear that my city gets a visit once per year n the summer of something nautical. This trend has gone on for at least the last 3 to 4 years. This year, it was a 90 minute short cruise on the Liana's Ransom.

A bit of history on the ship taken directly from online...

Quote

Liana’s Ransom is an 85 foot, steel hulled schooner built in Houston, Texas. Construction began in 1998, but she was not launched until 2002. She was bought by the current owners in the spring of 2005 in Seabrook, Texas. She was sailed home to Nova Scotia in the fall of 2006, the 2500 nautical mile voyage taking 20 days. Originally designed as a Staysail schooner, she was converted to a gaff rigged, square topsail schooner over the winter of 2006/2007. She chartered for 3 years in Halifax, Nova Scotia before seeking warmer waters to the south.

She was built to United States Coast Guard specifications, and was certified by Transport Canada to carry 70 passengers. She has all of the latest safety features and navigation aids, and meets or exceeds all Transport Canada requirements.

Her design was influenced by the schooners typical of the Gulf of Mexico, thus she is of shallow draft and broad beam. She is rigged as a two masted, gaff rigged, square top sail schooner, typical of the type of vessels commonly used by privateers and pirates throughout the 1700′s and early 1800′s.

So the whole thing about this tall ship is the pirate theme. Basically, the Liana's Ransom goes down the British Virgin Islands and becomes a party ship for paying customers. Somehow, the owner has decided to take a tour of the Great Lakes area, holding these 90 minute excursions for a fee. Well I can say it was money well spent. The owner and crew talked about Pirates, ship life, and even swung around on ropes off the hull of the ship over the water. The finale was the firing of the 4 1/4 scale 12 pounders. We were told these can fire a golf ball a 1/2 mile distance. I would love one of these guarding my MT collection.

Anyways, here are the photos.

Flying the Jolly Roger.

It was money well spent.

They had this poor guy strung up for effect.

Valley Camp museum ship on the Michigan side of the St. Mary's.

Ships bell, taken from the doc.

On the other mast, the flag of Nova Scotia.

While waiting to board her, I got bored and took this photo.

Chako · **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2014, 12:52:50 AM

Now on board. Here is a photo of one of their cute little cannons. More the size of a swivel gun.

Plenty of safety equipment present.

Just because.

Now on board...may as well take some photos of the dock flowers.

That poor guy strung up.

While on board, I spied a web.

Chako · **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2014, 12:57:50 AM

Sailing ship and rope goes hand in hand. this one literally had buckets of rope.

Tower of History on the Michigan side. Interestingly enough, I have never been there in all my years living in Sault Ste Marie.

The crew invited folks to done pirate gear. Happily enough, nobody decided to get quaint and talk pirateese.

This is a shot of the famous Sault Rapids. Prior to building the locks and dams, these rapids were big and dangerous. This is what gave Sault Ste. Marie its name, as sault means rapids in French. These, days, they don't impress much. Because Lake Superior is high, they did open up a few water control gates...which means this is the best I have seen them in a long time.

One of the crew members.

Chako · **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2014, 01:02:21 AM

Another crew member.

Folks were invited to hoist the sails. Being the way the Liana's Ransom is rigged, she only needs a crew of 3. Very efficient.

Here is the Captain and owner.

The crew was very athletic. I couldn't see myself swinging and climbing like that...ever.

Here is a shot of the bow with folks. I decided to take the 10 am departure as the parade was going to run from 11 to noon. I figured there would be fewer people on board. I was right. We only had 31 for this cruise...perfect for a guy with a camera.

Chako · **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2014, 01:03:45 AM

A few more shots.

Sault Michigan lock tours.

Chako · **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2014, 01:05:44 AM

Loading the canons with gun powder.

Sault Ontario City Hall.

Yeah, no way could anyone get me to do that.

Chako · **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2014, 01:16:16 AM

And the grand finally. 4 volunteers got to fire the 4 on board canons. Now I figured if I placed the camera in full drive mode, which is 8.5 fps on my camera, and set the focus to single shot instead of AI servo, I might get some interesting photos.

I just held down the shutter button and let my camera chatter away.