September 3, 2009 - The Newburyport Art Association boards the Black Dog Clipper Ship "Alabama"

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I suppose the title frame of the movie implies actual "sailing," which we didn't quite do...but we did board The Black Dog's Clipper ship Alabama for a grand evening. I was invited as Special Guest Captain by the Newburyport Art Association for their fundraising cocktail party in Newburyport Harbor, just inside the mouth of the mighty Merrimack River. Though I've been making trips to Newburyport my entire life, I'd actually never heard of the Newburyport Art Association, or NAA, before their invitation to come aboard the Alabama. Leading up to the evening, and on-board the vessel, I'd find out all about the community involvement of the NAA, including their education outreach programs, and would hear from both board members and those whose only connection was their love for the galleries and artwork on display at the NAA building in downtown Newburyport. Of course, it was also terrific to board the Alabama, find out as much as I could about it from Captain Morgan Brown, and get a chance to bring the video camera below deck, lined with bunk beds and bisected by the engine room. View the video and take a tour with me, learning about the NAA and the Alabama!