I'm product of Chicago's Southside and a CUB fan. Been messing about on boats since 1960 including a stint in the world's largest Canoe Club, the U.S. Navy. Managed parallel careers from Limbo dancer to corporate executive was a bit of a stretch. Watching AMISTAD change from logs to her beautiful form over the two years of building was like watching your child grow from an infant to a successful, competent adult and knowing you had a part in that growth. Arrival in Freetown will be the my most sought after goal: Coming to the shores of my ancestral home continent as the Master of a sailing ship and remembering that my ancestors left as cargo on sailing ships.

Captain Bill Pinkney's involvement in conceiving, building and operating of the Freedom Schooner is better described in the article "Captain William D. Pinkney - The First Master of Amistad".

Eliza N. Garfield is Master of Amistad and faculty of Sankofa College. Dr. Garfield has held her captain’s license since 1987 and sailed exclusively on educational tall ships throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, Caribbean and European Waters. She has sailed as master on several leading programs in ocean education: Tole Mour with the Marimed Foundation, Westward and Corwith Cramer, both of the Sea Education Association, and as mate for the Watermark Program aboard Te Vega, when she completed two transatlantic voyages.

Captain Garfield sailed the ship from New Haven to Falmouth UK and returned to take command of the Amistad on November 5th in Lisbon. 

 

Captain Stephen Olson was born when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, and grew up on his family's grain and livestock farm in Empire Township Minnesota. He studied history at Middlebury College and the University of Minnesota, leaving to run the family farm.
Since leaving Minnesota 27 years ago he has worked as a merchant mariner, sailing as engineer and captain on fishing boats, tugs, research vessels, tankers, passenger sail, and military craft. He also works as a freelance contributor to magazines, and as an independent marine surveyor, specializing in fishing vessels and wooden construction. He lives in Belfast Maine, with wife Julia Olson, daughter Clare and son Skyler.

Captain Olson commanded the Amistad in August and September sailing into all UK ports of the Tour as well as safely navigating the ship and her crew to Portugal. He is missed by his crew.