19 mai 2008
Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program Partners with Spanish Boat Builders
Thu, Apr 17 2008
St. Augustine – Thousands of pounds of Oak sailed out as the cargo of a container ship, and in 2011 it will return to St. Augustine as part of the brig Galveztown.
The original brig Galveztown was the flagship of famed Spanish General, Bernardo de Gálvez, who defeated British forces in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida during the American Revolution.
Today, a shipyard in Málaga, Spain, Astilleros Nereo, is building a replica of Gálvez’s flagship. The new Galvestown will serve as a floating museum and celebrate the often overlooked Spanish-American alliance.
In that collaborative spirit the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP), the research arm of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, has donated timber to Astilleros Nereo’s project on the other side of the ocean.
All in all, 25 trunks of Florida Live Oak weighing approximately 13.5 tons are destined to become the ribs of the replica brig Galvestown at the Málaga shipyard, which has been declared a Spanish national treasure.
“The partnership between LAMP Boatworks and Astilleros Nereo represents a great opportunity to mutually support each others maritime heritage preservation goals through a project that is important to the history of both our nations,” said Dr. Sam Turner, LAMP Director of Archaeology.
Once completed, the Galvestown is scheduled to dock in St. Augustine in 2011 to pick up cargo built by LAMP Boatworks.
In the meantime, volunteer boat builders at LAMP Boatworks will be busy building its shipsboats in the shadow of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Two Yawls, one fourteen the other sixteen feet in length, will be used by the Galveztown as workmens boats, transports, and even as tugs.
The Galveztown project is seen by Spain’s Andaluz Federation of Maritime and River Culture and the Astilleros Nereo, not only as a way to rekindle the memory of Málaga’s greatest native son, Bernardo de Gálvez, but also as a vehicle for building and enhancing Spanish-American relations.
History of the Brig Galveztown
The Galveztown was originally the British sloop West Florida that dominated Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana for two years (1778-1779). The armed schooner Morris, commanded by American sea captain, William Pickles, captured the West Florida. Pickles was funded by Oliver Pollock, a merchant and the Continental Congress’ agent in New Orleans. The victory was impressive given that the British sloop seriously outgunned the Morris. The prize was taken to New Orleans, fitted out by Pollock and the Spanish, and commissioned into the Continental Navy under Captain Pickles' command as the Galveztown.
After cruising for a short time out of New Orleans, the Galveztown was taken to Philadelphia where she was sold out of the Continental Navy service to the Spanish Government. Once in Philadelphia, she was extensively repaired and re-rigged as a brig, though there is some chance this occurred earlier in New Orleans following her capture.
Now a brig, the Galveztown returned to the Gulf of Mexico and operated with the forces of General Bernardo de Gálvez. It assumed its most historically important role as his flagship during the battle of Pensacola. When his admiral refused to run the guns of forts defending the entrance to the bay, Gálvez boarded the Galveztown and led the way. Five vessels stormed the bay entrance sustaining little damage from the defending guns. All ships of the Spanish fleet, save the Admiral and his flagship, followed him and the battle was won.
INFO ST.AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE
10 mai 2008
El gran día/ The big day - 9 mai 2008
El Instituto Marítimo de Texas y la Universidad de Connecticut apoyarán la creación a tamaño real del bergantín del malagueño Bernardo de Gálvez.
Los historiadores norteamericanos afirman que las victorias del malagueño Bernardo de Gálvez "hicieron definitiva la derrota británica" en la Guerra de Independencia de los Estados Unidos.
El arrojo del malagueño, al entrar el 18 de marzo de 1781 en solitario a bordo del bergantín `Galveztown´ en la bahía de Pensacola, en la Florida, para arrebatársela a los británicos, marcó un antes y un después para expulsarlos del Golfo de Méjico. El `Galveztown´, en los orígenes un barco corsario inglés, capturado por Gálvez y los americanos en 1779, volverá a nacer en los astilleros Nereo de Pedregalejo.
El proyecto, surgido en 1999, construirá el barco con las medidas reales y los métodos tradicionales. "No hay planos originales del barco porque entonces no se hacían, pero tenemos un estudio histórico con documentación del barco, la tripulación, la carga y grabados, como uno que se conserva en el archivo de Simancas, con la bahía de Pensacola al fondo", explica Juan Antonio Sánchez Guitard, propietario de los astilleros desde 1966.
La idea es dar a conocer la carpintería de ribera, un arte que lleva en este rincón de Pedregalejo desde el siglo XVII. El proyecto cuenta con el apoyo de dos centros norteamericanos, el Instituto Marítimo de Texas y la Universidad de Connecticut, que tienen comprometidos 300.000 dólares para hacer realidad este hermoso sueño.
"Además, haremos un intercambio con carpinteros de ribera de Estados Unidos, y aquí vendrán algunos a colaborar en la construcción del barco", explica Juan Antonio Sánchez Guitard, que recalca que durante la construcción, que durará de 2 a 3 años, se utilizarán métodos tradicionales: "Habrá una fragua, haremos las cuerdas, clavos y los cañones y la madera, pino y roble, se traerá de los desbroces de los montes que realiza una empresa".
La Academia de Bellas Artes de San Telmo incorporará este evento a los actos que está realizando en recuerdo de Bernardo de Gálvez y que en 2008 llevará a una delegación a visitar las ciudades fundadas o relacionadas con el malagueño en Estados Unidos.
El destino pensado para el `Galveztown´: permanecer en el espigón (que sería adaptado) proyectado tras la reforma de los Baños del Carmen, junto con otros ejemplos de embarcaciones tradicionales, salidas de la centenaria carpintería de ribera de Pedregalejo.
La Opinión de Málaga, 29/08/07