Mayflower II sails the ocean blue ... again: Iconic ship voyages through Buzzards Bay

Seth Chitwood, Standard-Times

NEW BEDFORD — The Mayflower II has sailed again.

The historic ship was spotted being pulled by Fairhaven's Tug Jaguar from Plymouth across Buzzards Bay and toward Mystic, Connecticut, on Tuesday morning.

"We were off to get our bounty from the sea. And there's the beauty of the sea," said Seth Garfield, owner of Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms Inc. who was on his way to the island to harvest oysters when they saw the Mayflower II.

The ship is full-scale 65-year-old reproduction of the vessel that brought Pilgrims to the shores of historic Patuxet in 1620. Since 1957, the ship has been an educational exhibit at the Plimoth Patuxet museum.

The Mayflower II was tugged through the Buzzards Bay on the way to Mystic, CT on Tuesday.
The Mayflower II was tugged through the Buzzards Bay on the way to Mystic, CT on Tuesday.

In August 2020, the Mayflower II made an unexpected stop at the State Pier on its way to Plymouth to ride out the tropical winds and rains expected from Hurricane Isaias.

Charmaine Gahan, Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms' manager, was also onboard with Garfield when they spotted the iconic ship four miles out. "It was very dramatic. ... You could see the sea fog and then rising out of it was clearly a tall ship," she said.

"The fun thing about being an oyster farmer and committing to Cuttyhunk across the bay is that you never know what you're gonna see," Gahan added. "I'm always hoping to see a whale. It hasn't happened. But this exceeded my expectations."

From pond to table: How Cuttyhunk Farms' oysters prepare to be served

According to the Plimoth Patuxet museum, no one knows what happened to the original Mayflower. "The last record of the ship was an assessment of her value in 1624. After that, she disappeared from maritime records. Several places in England claim to have a piece of the original ship, but there is no historical proof to support these claims."

Seth Garfield observes the Mayflower II in the Buzzards Bay from his boat.
Seth Garfield observes the Mayflower II in the Buzzards Bay from his boat.

The journey ahead for Mayflower II

The Mayflower II was being pulled by Capt. Charlie Mitchell of Tug Jaguar. Built in 1978, the diesel engine tug from Fairhaven has had the honor of moving the Mayflower II throughout the years.

"He [Mitchell] historically has always had the privilege of moving it," Garfield said. "He's been a fixture on the Fairhaven waterfront for decades."

'Stepping back in time': Ferry from New Bedford offers taste of Cuttyhunk's simple life

Rob Kluin, Plimoth Patuxet Museums' director of marketing and communications, said the Mayflower II is having routine maintenance work at Mystic Seaport Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. It should arrive by Wednesday afternoon.

"Once at Mystic Seaport, the ship will be moved into dry dock for regular maintenance and painting during the winter months," Kluin said. "Mayflower II will return to Plymouth Harbor in time for Plimoth Patuxet Museums’ reopening for the 2022 season in early April."

The Mayflower II was tugged through the Buzzards Bay on the way to Mystic, CT on Tuesday.
The Mayflower II was tugged through the Buzzards Bay on the way to Mystic, CT on Tuesday.

Gahan says she took photos and videos to send back to her children in Concord. "I got to see firsthand the size of it and imagine what it was like for the people who came across for the first time," she said.

"It was incredibly humbling when you pull up close to a boat like that."

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Fairhaven tugboat guides Mayflower II through Buzzards Bay to Mystic