Galleries

Charles W. Morgan, the restoration home stretch

Image No. 1 | Shipwright Evelyn Ansel works under the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Friday, May 17, 2013 in Stonington.

Shipwright Evelyn Ansel works under the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Friday, May 17, 2013 in Stonington.

Image No. 2 | Shipwright Roger Hambidge looks through a hawes pipe as he works to fit it into the forward bulkhead on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Friday May 31, 2013 in Stonington.

Shipwright Roger Hambidge looks through a hawes pipe as he works to fit it into the forward bulkhead on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Friday May 31, 2013 in Stonington.

Image No. 3 | Shipyard director Quentin Snediker, left, meets with shipwright Roger Hambidge as Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Monday, June 3, 2013 in Stonington.

Shipyard director Quentin Snediker, left, meets with shipwright Roger Hambidge as Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Monday, June 3, 2013 in Stonington.

Image No. 4 | A tour group walks by as Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Monday, June 3, 2013 in Stonington.

A tour group walks by as Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Monday, June 3, 2013 in Stonington.

Image No. 5 | Gary Anderson and Shelly Larsen put a second coat of primer on the lettering across the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Gary Anderson and Shelly Larsen put a second coat of primer on the lettering across the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Image No. 6 | Shipwrights Walter Ansel and Sean Patrick Kelly work on installing seawater intake valves in the hold of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Shipwrights Walter Ansel and Sean Patrick Kelly work on installing seawater intake valves in the hold of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Image No. 7 | Shipwright Ali Mitchell paints the hull of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Shipwright Ali Mitchell paints the hull of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Image No. 8 | Shipwright Matt Barnes fits a piece of the Gammon Knee of the Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Shipwright Matt Barnes fits a piece of the Gammon Knee of the Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Image No. 9 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Friday, June 14, 2013.

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Friday, June 14, 2013.

Image No. 10 | Lightning flashes in the western sky at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard over the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 17, 2013 in Stonington.

Lightning flashes in the western sky at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard over the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 17, 2013 in Stonington.

Image No. 11 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard install the rudder on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard install the rudder on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Image No. 12 | Lead rigger Matt Otto climbs down through the rudder hole to guide the rudder into position at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard install the rudder on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Lead rigger Matt Otto climbs down through the rudder hole to guide the rudder into position at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard install the rudder on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Image No. 13 | Project leader Rob Whalen examines the progress as the staging surrounding the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan is slowly removed at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Project leader Rob Whalen examines the progress as the staging surrounding the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan is slowly removed at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Image No. 14 | Shipwright Matt Barnes dry fits the primed but unfinished Billethead into place as workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

Shipwright Matt Barnes dry fits the primed but unfinished Billethead into place as workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard continue work on the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan as part of the five-year restoration project Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

Image No. 15 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard crank on a series of hand winches to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard crank on a series of hand winches to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Image No. 16 | Shipwright Maggie Wright, kneeling, takes her turn on one of the four hand winches being used to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Shipwright Maggie Wright, kneeling, takes her turn on one of the four hand winches being used to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 17 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard gather for a group photo as they take a lunch break from rolling the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard gather for a group photo as they take a lunch break from rolling the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Image No. 18 | Shipwright John Day checks the progress of the final cradle wheel to roll into place as workers at the H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport crank on hand winches to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Shipwright John Day checks the progress of the final cradle wheel to roll into place as workers at the H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport crank on hand winches to roll the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013.

Image No. 19 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard lift an extension ladder into place on the starboard side after rolling the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013 .

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard lift an extension ladder into place on the starboard side after rolling the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan the 50-feet from the side-track rails onto the main shiplift rails system as part of the two-step process to return the ship to the waters of the Mystic River Monday, June 24, 2013 .

Image No. 20 | Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard prepare the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan to be lowered into the water on the shipyard's shiplift system Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Workers at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard prepare the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan to be lowered into the water on the shipyard's shiplift system Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Image No. 21 | Shipwright Rob Whalen paints the draft markers on the bow post of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as workers prepare to lower into the water on the shipyard's shiplift system Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Shipwright Rob Whalen paints the draft markers on the bow post of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard as workers prepare to lower into the water on the shipyard's shiplift system Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Image No. 22 | A boater snaps photos as the keel of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan touches the waters of the Mystic River for the first time since November 1, 2008 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

A boater snaps photos as the keel of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan touches the waters of the Mystic River for the first time since November 1, 2008 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Image No. 23 | Shipwright Matt Morello trims

Shipwright Matt Morello trims "gump wedges" in the hold of the Charles W. Morgan at the Mystic Seaport H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

Image No. 24 | Shipwright Matt Barnes installs the billethead on the bow of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The gold-leafed piece, a replacement for the ship's original decorative piece, was carved in 1991 by shipwright Roger Hambidge.

Shipwright Matt Barnes installs the billethead on the bow of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The gold-leafed piece, a replacement for the ship's original decorative piece, was carved in 1991 by shipwright Roger Hambidge.

Image No. 25 | Shipwrights Sean Patrick Kelly, left, and Maggie Wright, await the next pallet of ballast bricks as workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Shipwrights Sean Patrick Kelly, left, and Maggie Wright, await the next pallet of ballast bricks as workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 26 | Shipwrights Bob Long, left, and Rob Whalen stack the lead ballast bricks as workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Shipwrights Bob Long, left, and Rob Whalen stack the lead ballast bricks as workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 27 | Shipwrights Maggie Wright, left, and John Day, joke as they exchange a ballast brick during the loading several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Shipwrights Maggie Wright, left, and John Day, joke as they exchange a ballast brick during the loading several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 28 | Workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 29 | A diagram indicating the positions of flags and bunting to be hung sits atop a pile of flags and bunting as final preparations for the launch of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan continue at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Friday, July 19, 2013.

A diagram indicating the positions of flags and bunting to be hung sits atop a pile of flags and bunting as final preparations for the launch of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan continue at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard Friday, July 19, 2013.

From the May 10th installation of the "Shutter" plank, efforts kicked into high gear to make the ship watertight and ready for the July 21st launch date.