SAVANNAH - Some people
dedicate their lives to looking for sunken treasure and the wonders
of the sea, and some dedicate their lives to preserving them.
Gerhard Schwisow preferred the latter, sinking about 30 years of
money and effort into keeping the tales of the sea alive by
preserving his lifelong passion, the wooden tall ship Barba
Negra.But along with his money and time, the Barba Negra sank.
Now, the 106-year-old relic that served River Street for 22 years
sits waterlogged and wedged in mud. The two-masted,
square-rigger ship was built in 1895 in Hemme, Norway. It was
launched under the name Moder Norwegian one year later and hauled
salted, dried fish for 44 years.
In the 1940s, it was made into a single-masted ship, and an engine
was installed. In 1960s and 1970s, the Norwegian government
threatened to sink the ship to encourage modern fleets. In
1971, Mr. Schwisow and his partner, Albert Seidl, bought the ship
for $16,000, saving the boat from being sunk and changing the name
to Barba Negra, which means Black Beard. Their intent was to sail
around the world and use the ship for whale research and to make
movies. They brought the ship to Savannah in 1978 after an
invitation from Savannah Mayor John Rousakis. The visit was supposed
to be two weeks long, but the ship always returned to its dock at
River Street.''At
low tide, she shows her deck,'' Mr. Schwisow said. ''I know I can
raise her. I'm going to raise that ship, help or no help.''
He said Thursday's heavy
downpour caused the boat's hull to fill with water, and as water
levels rose, the boat's electricity failed, causing the bilge pump
to cut out and leading the hull to fill with water.
The seas have been rough
for the Barba Negra lately.
Three months ago, the
city and county pressured Mr. Schwisow into moving the boat to
improve water ferry service and make room for a Navy vessel that
visited during St. Patrick's Day.
So the Barba Negra, towed
by the Coast Guard, moved across the river and docked on a
county-owned slip, where it now lies half-submerged in water.
Mr. Schwisow said raising
the vessel could take time and money both of which he cannot afford.
''She will come up. I
have no doubt about that, but it's a question about how much it will
cost and a question of time,'' Mr. Schwisow said.
Although the Coast Guard
monitors maritime situations, the decision of what to do with the
Barba Negra lies with Chatham County, which owns the slip where it
is docked.
Mr. Schwisow said he
would cooperate with the Coast Guard and would raise his boat at the
proper time, when the tide is at its lowest point.
Once the Barba Negra
emerges, Mr. Schwisow said, it might never see the open seas again
because he cannot afford to make it seaworthy.
''This is an excellent
time to start fresh,'' he said.
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