Send-off for the Charles W. Morgan

Mystic Seaport volunteer Bill Steinmayer, best known for his role reciting from memory chapters of Moby Dick at the seaport, stands in period costume during a ceremony send-off for the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. New London is the first stop on the 38th voyage for the Morgan, the last remaining wooden whaling ship and the oldest American commercial vessel still in existence as well as a National Historic Landmark. The ship sails to Newport, RI June 15th.

Mystic Seaport President Steve White holds an umbrella as U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) addresses those gathered for a ceremonial send-off for the the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014.

Mystic Seaport volunteer Bill Steinmayer, best known for his role reciting from memory chapters of Moby Dick at the seaport, stands in period costume during a ceremony send-off for the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014.

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy, right, and Richard Blumenthal, second from right, greet members of the crew of the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan after a ceremonial send-off for the ship docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014.

Members of the core crew of the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan; from left, Ryan Loftus, Aaron Gralnik, Jules Johnson, Cassie Sleeper, Dana Mancinelli and Joee Patterson eat lunch sitting in the blubber room docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014.

Deckhand Aaron Gralnik perches atop one of the port side whaleboat davits to feed a line for one of the "boatfalls" through the pulleys at the end on the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The Morgan will sail with four whaleboats, all faithful replicas of Beetle whaleboats hanging in the davits.

Deckhand Aaron Gralnik perches atop one of the port side whaleboat davits to feed a line for one of the "boatfalls" through the pulleys at the end on the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The Morgan will sail with four whaleboats, all faithful replicas of Beetle whaleboats hanging in the davits.

Deckhands E. Foreteck, left, Joee Patterson, center, and Cassie Sleeper, row one of the whaleboats from the floating docks to the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The Morgan will sail with four whaleboats, all faithful replicas of Beetle whaleboats, hanging in the davits.

Deckhands E. Foreteck, top, Joee Patterson, center, and Cassie Sleeper, prepare to climb out of the whaleboat they rowed from the floating docks to the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The Morgan will sail with four whaleboats, all faithful replicas of Beetle whaleboats, hanging in the davits.

Crewmembers of the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan raise of of the seaports Beetle Whaleboats to one of the port side davits while docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The Morgan will sail with four whaleboats, all faithful replicas of Beetle whaleboats, hanging in the davits.

Send-off ceremony for the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan docked at City Pier in New London Friday, June 13, 2014. The ship sails to Newport, RI June 15th.