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Wanderbird at home in Penobscot Bay, Belfast
A new mission for Wanderbird
By Rebecca Crosgrey
After 27 years of taking from the sea, Wanderbird enjoys a new life giving back to the sea by providing eco-tourism excursions.
Retired from fishing in 1990, she was brought across the pond on her own bottom in April 2001 and now enjoys her days on the U.S. Atlantic coast and Canadian Maritimes
Her new home port in Belfast, Maine, is because of a dream of ecology lovers Rick and Karen Miles. Both active conservationists, Rick and Karen wanted to share their combined love of cruising and nature and they needed the perfect boat to do this.
After looking seriously at about 20 North Sea trawlers all over the world, they found Wanderbird in the south coast of France.
Rick and Karen had decided on a classic North Sea trawler hull early on and knew that they wanted to convert a commercial vessel to a 12-passenger expedition trawler.
"We knew that she was the one the second we saw her. Our real criteria was that the ship would have a sound hull and powerplant. In the Wanderbird we found both. We would take the entire interior down to bare steel and work back from there. The hull was gauged to find that there had been minimal wastage over the years and the Industrie Diesel was not unlike what you would find in a museum. This fine powerplant was once the Cadillac of marine engines. They were built so well that they never broke. We especially liked the fuel economy from the Industrie which burns about 5 gallons per hour at 7 knots!"
Industrie 510hp diesel engine
Her steel and wood construction combine the 21st century's highest safety standards with the authenticity of a classic 19th century North Sea fishing vessel.
After bringing Wanderbird across the pond, Rick and Karen got to work on the conversion. They did most of the work in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and six hard months later they were ready to board passengers on the first of many great adventures on the coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. Wanderbird has spent several winters in Lunenburg which is her other home port with refitting done while docked at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
Dimensions:
Length - 90 feet on deck
Beam 21 feet
Draft 10 feet
112 Gross Tonnage
Floorplan of Wanderbird
Karen and Rick who come from commercial fishing backgrounds, have over 35 years of combined professional service at sea. They are both licensed ship captains and have owned and operated their own vessels since 1985.
Rick and Karen offer eco-tourism cruises on Wanderbird and share the wildlife information they gather with several conservation and research organizations with a portion of their proceed being donated to local animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation facilities. All excursions are part of their research work as passengers get to interact with nature up close and personal. Passengers can choose from whale-watching, bird-watching, wildlife photography or even vegetarian-themed cruises.
Rick and Karen added six personal guest quarters each with its own private head and shower.
Wanderbird takes only up to 12 passengers to give it an intimate and personal setting. The meals all reflect Karens love for gourmet cooking, with freshly baked breads and pastries, and even home-grown vegetables.
Rick and Karen named the boat Wanderbird in the spirit of their heroes, sail-training pioneers and circumnavigators Irving and Electra Johnson. Irving and Exy met on board a schooner named Wanderbird where Irving was serving as a mate.
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