♪ HEAL YOUR HOME, BOYS.
♪ ♪ >> THIS IS CHRONICLE ON DUST WCVB CHANNEL 5.
>> YOU KNOW WE TRAVELED THE MAIN STREET AND BACK ROADS BUT WRINKLY, EVEN IN NEW ENGLAND, YOU CAN RUN OUT OF REAL ESTATE.
THERE IS A WHOLE LOT MORE TO BEYOND ROCKLAND HARBOR ON MAINE’S COAST IS A BAY WHERE YOU WILL FIND LEND OF LOBSTER.
THIS KIND OF TRAVEL CAN’T BE DONE IN A 1969 CHEVY IMPALA.
FORTUNATELY, WE HOPPED A RIDE ON AN 1871 SCHOONER.
>> ARRIVING SOMEWHERE UNDER SAILED IS THE BEST -- SAIL IS THE BEST WAY TO ARRIVE ANYWHERE.
>> NOAH CAPTIONS THIS.
THIS IS MY ACTUAL BUNK BUT FORTUNATELY I WOULD NOT BE SPENDING MUCH TIME HERE.
IT IS ALL HANDS ON DECK.
FOR 20 ADVENTUROUS GUESTS AND THE SMALL CREW OF THE TAPER AS WE TRAVEL BY SALE WITH NO SET SCHEDULE THROUGH THE MAIN ISLANDS.
>> WE WILL AND UP AT THE PLACE WHERE WE GET THE MOST OUT OF THE DAY.
WE HAVE THE BEST SUNSET, WE WILL JUST USE THE DAY AS WE CAN.
THEN WE WILL EAT REALLY WELL AND WAKE UP AND DO IT AGAIN.
>> BOY DO WE EAT.
LET’S NOT PART -- PUT THE STERN BEFORE THE BOW.
OUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE IN ROCKLAND, MAINE.
>> ROCKLAND WAS THE FOURTH LARGEST SEAPORT IN UNITED STATES.
BOSTON, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA AND ROCKLAND, MAINE.
ANYTIME YOU SEE AN 18 WHEELER ON THE TURNPIKE, THAT WAS A SCHOONER BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.
>> THE CAPTAIN KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE OLD DAYS.
>> I AM THE OLDEST THING AROUND ANYMORE.
ALL THE OLD SKIPPERS DIED OFF BEFORE ME.
I OWN FOUR OF THE BIGGEST >> INCLUDING THE STEPHEN TAPER.
>> THAT IS SIX YEARS AFTER LINCOLN WAS SHOT FROM THE FORD THEATER.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE WATERS HE SAILED OVER ALL OF THOSE YEARS?
IN THOSE DAYS, I SWUNG OUT OF MY BUNK AND I WAS UP OVER MY ANKLES IN WATER.
I SAID IF WE ARE GOING SAILING, WE ARE GOING TO GO BAILING.
COME GATHER AROUND ME SAILORS.
>> CAPTAIN SHARP HAS A LOT TO SING ABOUT.
QUITE A FEW SOUVENIRS AS WELL.
>> A LOT OF PARAPHERNALIA LEFT OVER FROM MY CAREER.
SHE SAID GET SOME OF THIS STUFF OUT OF THE HOUSE.
I SAID MAYBE IT IS A GOOD TIME TO START A MUSEUM.
>> SO HE DID.
RIGHT HERE IN ROCKLAND WITH THIS SALE, POWER AND STEAM MUSEUM.
YOU WILL FIND HISTORIC ARTIFACTS.
>> THIS IS THE NORTHSTAR.
>> TAKE A CRASH COURSE IN CELESTIAL NAVIGATION.
44 DEGREES, FIVE MINUTES IS OUR LATITUDE RIGHT NOW IN ROCKLAND.
>> LEARN A LITTLE HISTORY.
>> ONLY 88 FEET LONG.
THIS IS A WOODEN VESSEL.
THE OFFICIAL VESSEL OF MAINE.
>> PERHAPS THE GREATEST TREASURE IS CAPTAIN JIM SHARP HIMSELF.
THIS EARNED HIM THE LIFETIME APPRECIATION AWARD.
A LIFETIME YOU CAN READ ABOUT IN HIS BOOK.
>> ALL OF MY MEMOIRS.
MOST OF IT IS TRUE.
>> FROM A MARITIME MUSEUM TO A PIECE OF MARITIME HISTORY, STEPHEN TAPER FOR OUR THREE DAY CRUISE.
HERE TO SEND ME OFF, TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE SHIP WELL.
>> IN 1976, WE WERE FOUR YEARS OUT OF TEACHING.
WE LEFT OUR FOUR CHILDREN AT HOME.
WE WENT ON A TRIP.
>> IT WAS AN EPIPHANY.
>> WE VISIT A LOT OF BED AND BREATH -- THAT AND BREAKFAST OWNERS.
THE FANTASY IS ONE THING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCE?
>> IT WAS NONE OF THAT.
>> 1.5 YEARS LATER, WE DID NOT HAVE A DAY OFF.
>> THEY COMPLETELY REBUILT THE SHIP WHILE USING THEIR THEATER BACKGROUND TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE GUEST EXPERIENCE WHICH HAS BROUGHT VISITORS BACK FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
>> WE WATCHED PEOPLE GET MARY ON BOARD AND NAMED THEIR FIRSTBORN, STEPHEN.
>> IT IS EASY TO SEE HOW ONE COULD FIND LOVE ABOARD A SHIP.
THEY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 60 YEARS.
>> I MARRIED MY BEST FRIEND.
>> PEOPLE ASK US ALL THE TIME, IT IS LUCK.
>> THERE IS SOME LOVE IN THERE.
>> HAND IN HAND, THESE BONDS TAKE TO SHORE SO THAT THIS BARN’S YOUNGEST SON, THE CURRENT CAPTAIN CAN START OUR ADVENTURE.
>> TONIGHT SHOW WAS FILMED PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
THIS WAS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
THIS WAS ONE OF JUST TWO BOATS IN THE FLEET THAT CHOSE TO OPERATE THE SEASON.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO RUIN THEIR IMPECCABLE RECORD.
GUESTS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE.
STILL, BUSINESS IS DOWN 80% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
NEXT, ONC