"Sailing
to Sea" Documentary Proposal
In the spring of 2002 the valiant privateer, MEKA II,
a tiny brigantine from Beaufort, North Carolina, set sail
south on a cruise of education and adventure arriving
in Jamaica to participate in the world-class Americas'
Sail Jamaica gathering of tall ships.
The MEKA II was crewed by Captain Sinbad, Lt. Terry Brown,
Fenner Hoell 13, Rebecca Cole 12, Marty Brown 13, and
Taylor Fondren 14, a total compliment of two officers
and four adventuresome teenagers. The voyage was sponsored
in part by the North Carolina Maritime Museum Americas
Sail and sanctioned by a privateer's commission from the
Honorable Governor Mike Easley.
Fenner Hoell, Captain Sinbad, Lt. Terry Brown, Rebecca
Cole, Taylor Fondren, and Marty Brown
The
MEKA II's course was down the east coast, through the
Bahamas to Cuba, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, St. Petersburg,
Florida, Mobile, Alabama, and back to Beaufort, an arduous
3700-mile odyssey of exploration and adventure.
While in Jamaica the dauntless crew and Meka II won Americas'
Sail coveted Class B Trophy. Class A Trophy gold trophy
was won by the Cisne
Branco from Brazil.
Since Captain Horatio Sinbad's Meka II won the Class B
Trophy, he was given the honor of choosing where the next
North American host port, and the Class B Race would be
held in the 2006 event. Naturally he choose Beaufort,
NC for both. At Beaufort's Americas' Sail 2006, the MEKA
II can relinquish the Class B Trophy or defend it during
the event's Class B Race and North Carolina's greatest
celebration of its maritime heritage.
Fenner Hoell, Marty Brown, Taylor Fondren, Rebecca Cole,
Lt. Terry Brown, & Captain Horatio Sinbad in 2006
ready to defend Americas Sail Class B Trophy
This final phase of Americas' Sail was in 2006, four years
later, with the same crew reunited and setting sail south
to the gathering of tall ships in Dominican Republic,
the second port of the race's three port visit. The Meka
II was representing North Carolina with a new commission
from Governor Mike Easley and saiedl back north in company
with the Class A and B tall ships welcoming them to Beaufort's
Pepsi Americas' Sail 2006 thus completing this saga.
