French frigate to recreate Lafayette's voyage to US
Last edited Sat Apr 18, 2015, 07:35 AM - Edit history (2)
Source: France 24
A replica of the French navy frigate Hermione that brought General Lafayette to America to rally rebels fighting Britain in the US war of independence, will set sail for the United States again on Saturday, 235 years after the original crossing.
Some crew members wear 18th Century sailor's outfits
The frigate is scheduled to make more than 10 stops in the United States as it sails up the east coast, including in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston.
Hermione will also sail into the bay of New York just in time for July 4 independence celebrations, with an expected escort of hundreds of local yachts.
Some 80 crew members will sail the three-masted 65-metre (213-feet) ship along the route to Boston made by French General Gilbert du Motier -- the Marquis de Lafayette -- to bolster revolutionaries fighting for an independent United States.
The crew plans to make landfall on June 5 in Yorktown in Virginia, where US troops led by George Washington and French soldiers accompanied by General Lafayette scored a decisive victory over the British in 1781.
Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20150418-hermione-lafayette-ship-history-france-revolutionary%20/
Building the Hermione in Rochefort – history in the making
Wish I could be there for her launch. She's setting sail from the island of Aix near Rochefort, Charente-Maritime on the Atlantic coast.
That's where the original Hermione was built and where she shipped anchor for the Revolutionary War.
Learn more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_frigate_Hermione_%281779%29
http://www.the-french-atlantic-coast.com/what-to-see/visit-the-hermione-at-rochefort/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochefort,_Charente-Maritime
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele-d%27Aix
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So lovely, with her three tall masts. I'd give anything to be on her maiden voyage. 
They interviewed some of the lucky crew on France 24 and they're just thrilled to have this chance.
Revolutionary War re-enactors should have a great time!
Lafayette (1757-1834)
Would love to see those tall masts in the middle of the city.
Lucky you! 
The young Marquis sent the Key to the Bastille, Paris symbol of the ancien regime in 1780 to GW via Thomas Paine in London and John Rutledge of S.C. It's still at Mount Vernon, Washington's home, displayed in a small wall mount case in the center hall. Black iron, it weighs about 3 lbs. Painting of Lafayette visiting the Washington's at Mount Vernon in 1784, on the porch facing the Potomac River. Lafayette named his son Georges Washington and he was educated in the US. Lafayette was made a natural born citizen of the US.
http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/bastille-key/
Gilbert du Motier the Marquis de Lafayette - who more than 200 years later still wears the mantle of America's BFF: Best French Friend. Ever.
More here:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32350305
Lucky you, appalachiablue!
and the Dordogne where an artist friend lives. Paris several times, from Cambridge via Dover and the ferry first time; then honeymoon surprise gift from little brother to Paris and Cannes; 1996 Paris on business and Normandy in 2004. Due for a return, I wish!
For now I rely on French news from young friends who travel there every year with their baby girl. He's Corsican, young banker with parents in Versailles, she's a fashion photographer of Spanish heritage. Both are charming, beautiful and sweet. I could and will go on, but out the door to a conference today in DC where the cherry blossoms are gawjus now. A view of Monsieur Jefferson's Memorial along the Tidal Basin- Merci beaucoup!
-Appa
Thus it was a three days to one week trip from the American Colonies to England or France, but six weeks the other direction. Thus it was faster to go to Africa then catch the winds from the South Atlantic to the Caribbean.
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150448/
?01AD=3s8_waMJ1V3qfER-fXFOcB6-jqZlUSO3a4PPqY0ei5QEoj6V7q9nK-Q&01RI=1B9AE7AEE447938&01NA=na
http://infomapsplus.blogspot.com/2013/02/ocean-currents.html
The Currents drive a lot of things, Southern California is dry, while San Francisco and north is extremely wet. The reason is simple the North Pacific Current takes a lot of Water from the Pacific to the American Northwest and San Francisco, then the California Current takes whatever moisture in California from California and take it in the direction of Japan (one of the reason for the Drought in California is the North Pacific Current is staying to far north, so that northern California is in drought instead of being wet i.e Southern California weather goes north).
Currents also determined trips from the East Coast to the West Coast. The Ship shipped out of the East Coast and headed to the direction of Europe, then as it approached Europe caught the Current to Africa. Then from Africa to South America. Once off Argentina would be the slowest part, take a while to get to the Straits of Magellan (this is the only area where they had to fight the wind). Then take the Peru Current off the West Coast of South America, then to Hawaii. Thus avoiding the southward California Current, Once off Hawaii, head north to catch the Northern Pacific Current to take to the American Northwest and then catch the California current to California. The trip via Hawaii remain popular even after the completion of first the Panama Railroad in 1854.
'Perfide Albion'. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfidious_Albion
I'll definitely be at one or the other, depending
on my work schedule. And I'll post pics.
She's a real beauty, isn't she?
Don't forget to check your local media for her call-in at the port nearest you.
