Mayflower II departs Mystic Seaport back to Plymouth, Mass.
Mystic — After five months of restoration in the Mystic Seaport shipyard, the Mayflower II was towed down the Mystic River on Tuesday to begin its trip back home to the Plymouth, Mass., waterfront.
The 58-year-old replica of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to Massachusetts in 1620 is slated to return to the Seaport over the next two winters to continue the restoration. Its owner, Plimoth Plantation, wanted the ship to be back in Plymouth in time for the busy tourist season. Up to 350,000 people visit the ship each year in Plymouth.
Seaport spokesman Dan McFadden said the Mayflower has been a great addition to the museum over the past few months, as visitors could watch the restoration taking place.
"We’ve been able to bring extra people on and staff up the shipyard” to do the work, he said. “We’re doing work we like to do and doing work for another museum.”
Work on the Mayflower follows the completion of the five-year-long restoration of the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan last spring.
After the ship arrived at the Seaport in December, a detailed survey was completed to determine the scope of repairs that would be needed. The 130 tons of stone and rusting iron ballast was removed and replaced. The oak needed for the planks and knees was acquired, 300 feet of planking was replaced and extensive caulking was done on seams.
Among the other highlights of the work was the repainting of the ship and replacement of the bilge and fire suppression pumps. The goal is to have the ship ready to sail for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival in 2020.
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