Photo: Jim MacKay/WBZ NewsRadio
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mayflower II will set sail in Cape Cod Bay in just a few weeks as part of Massachusetts 250 celebrations.
The public sail on Aug. 8 will commemorate 250 years since the start of the American Revolution. The tall ship was built in 1957 as a replica of the original Mayflower.
The ship most recently sailed in 2020, after a grand restoration. Ahead of the sailing event, the ship and the exhibit at State Pier in Plymouth will be closed to visitors from Aug. 4-8 for sea training exercises and a Coast Guard inspection.
However, the public will be able to see the ship sailing in Cape Cod Bay in the late mornings and early afternoons during that time, according to the Plimoth Patuxet Museum.
The ship is a daily sight for many South Shore locals who walk along the Plymouth waterfront, and some even have personal connections to the history.
Lynn, a Plymouth native, said her family has been in Massachusetts forever.
“I have at least seven [family members] that were on the Mayflower,” she said. “[I’m] very proud of our heritage.”
Bob from Sandwich said he drives up to Plymouth all the time to enjoy the view, and several of his friends had relatives on the Mayflower. Plus, he appreciates the meaning behind the ship.
“I’m a great history buff myself,” he said.
The Plimoth Patuxet Museum says the proceeds from the public sail on Aug. 8 will go toward the ship's maintenance and annual operations, which is important for a vessel that’s had more than 25 million people step aboard its decks.
“It’s nice to see the history of our country is still maintained and people come and explore it,” Lynn said.
WBZ’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.