Mayflower II to Depart Plymouth for Mystic Seaport Dec 1

Mayflower II, Plimoth Plantation’s 1957 replica of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to Massachusetts in 1620, will leave her mooring on the Plymouth waterfront Tuesday, December 1 to head to Mystic, CT, for preservation work during the winter at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport.

In this next phase of a multi-year preservation initiative for the nearly 60-year-old ship, Mystic Seaport shipwrights and Plimoth Plantation maritime artisans will be replacing the half-deck area as well as working on the tween deck and topmast rigging.

Accompanied by a crew of eight from Plimoth Plantation’s Maritime Preservation and Operations group, the 106-foot ship will be towed by the tug Jaguar (operated by Mitchell Towing in Fairhaven, MA) with stops in New Bedford and New London. The public can track Mayflower II’s progress online using Jaguar’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity number 366934810.

Due to uncertain weather conditions over the next several days, the ship’s arrival date in Mystic cannot be determined at this time.

While visitors may not come aboard the ship during her journey, Plimoth Plantation, in partnership with Mystic Seaport, expect to make possible some opportunities for public engagement over the winter.

Mayflower II will return to Plymouth in the spring for the busy tourism season.
As the Town of Plymouth prepares to commemorate 400 years since the Pilgrims’ arrival, Plimoth Plantation wants to ensure that this nationally relevant ship can continue to fulfill her educational mission and serve as a floating classroom. Between now and 2020, Plimoth Plantation is actively seeking funding to support Mayflower II’s preservation efforts to enable them to share the magnitude of her transatlantic voyage.

For preservation updates and more information about Mayflower II, please visit plimoth.org/SOS.