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written by Venita Benitez , June 23, 2008

I am having a reception in Dallas, Texas on August 23rd celebrating the 1791 revolt and abolition of the slave trade. I know this is not much notice however, I am inviting the crew to attend this reception. It would be an honor if somebody from the crew could come and tell their story. Please go to globalslaveryremembranceday.com or US Commission for UNESCO website to find out more information about the Global Slavery Remembrance Day.

Regards,

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written by Ramon Noches , April 09, 2008

Barbados April 4, 2008; Thanks for the wonderful opportunity to share a brief but profound moment on your ship. To the captain and crew, you have my respect and admiration for the experience you all are sharing. You have my gratitude for the positive and uplifting experience you afforded me and I know the others who shared the esperience. I took plenty of photos so if you can send me an email address, I will gladly share those I took.

Kindest Regards for continue success and my prayers to you for fair seas and safe passage in all of your future voyages.

Sincerely,


Ramon Noches
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written by Jane Gray , November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving Hannah from your family in Maine! We are thinking of you and wishing you good sailing on your way to Sierra Leone. See you soon-Love from us all.

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written by Anne Vanover , October 14, 2007

I haven't had the opportunity to see you or the ship in person, but a very close English friend has kept me informed with links and news. I wish you all the luck with the remainder of your voyage and envy you all that fantastic opportunity. Be well and safe.

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written by Kihura Nkuba , October 14, 2007

To the Crew of the Amstad and Particularly Brother Kunta Kinte and Captai Pianky. I am sure the good captain known that the name Pianky belonged to one of the Pharaohs of the 25th dynasty of the ancient Egyptian, known in history as the Nubian Dynasty. And for you brother Kunta Kinte, this is definately a voyage of destiny, that many of the more than three hundred million of our people who perished in the middle passage would have wanted to take to go back to their homeland. I am sure that the souls of all those worriors, the scars on their eternal memory are watching their first very effort to relive the experience of what it would have been like to take a journey back home. May be it will inspire millions of our young African people trapped in the ghettoes, prisons, projects, drugs, low paying jobs and misled by the ideology of deciet of the success of the west as a high technical civilisation,and drenched in the persuit of nothing, good car, hifi, designer skimpy cloth, may be our young will look on the African horizon and their third eye will open and they will say any place is better than America, Colombia, Sao Polo or wherere our people are being lost in the death and decadancy of the so called opulatent and misnormered first world societies. My the Amstad be a ship of opportunity that wills show all that there is room for the majority of Africans to return home and that one needs not fight for thrity years trying to own a two bedroomed house on land measured in a few decimals, when he could own square miles in Africa and one does not need to eat junk food, when she could nourish herself on organic foods developed by our ancestors. I wish for all of you blessings without numbers. I must say that there is less publicity of this efforts in the media in Africa, we her of what is happening to Wallstreet, of the yen falling in Japan, or revolts in Mymrr or my mum or what ever the name is, but not our history in the Amstad. Peace and Blessing. Kihura NKuba

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written by roberto pacsi , October 05, 2007

Que lindo debe ser navegar por tanto tiempo,saben yo estuve al tanto de uds,desde que zarparon,en New Heaven,vivo en Lima , y me gustaria participar de esta travesia,que debo hacer,espero puedan ayudarme.

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written by Beverly Cox , October 04, 2007

Hey Haley! How are things going? We enjoy all the stories written by crew and students and look forward to each new addition everyday. We love the picture of you at the wheel. Gradad was so excited whe he saw the picture. Mom and Dad are down visting for the week.We all are lookig forward to the celebration of Grandads'90th birthday on Saturday. I am off to Halifax to pick Nina up today and bring her home for the weekend. Looks as though you guys are in for some good weather and a great sail to Portugal.Hope you have lots of Turkey this weekend as it is Thanksgiving here in Canada. We love you lots and wish you well. xoxo
Mommy

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written by Anne & Den Kerlee , October 04, 2007

TO DREW KERLEE/Deckhand -- Wednesday PM/here I am Drew, overlooking Lake Union/ Seattle--rain sprays from the SW, still city lights and Space Needle twinkle like diamonds against the black sky. Wow, you've come so far since Falmouth, ever southward despite weather in your face. Mom and I were pleased to see you've raised a top gallant so we guess the wind has changed and lightened? Amistad lumbers along towards Lisbon, and the chart shows you're now south enough to look (if the earth wasn't curved) straight east to Portugal! We remember drinking Mateus red wine (from Portugal) while college students in Honolulu ~1969. Can you have a glass for us in port? More from England--we'll be there in exactly 7 days. We love you, and follow the voyage daily! Love, Mom & Dad

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written by Nina Cox , October 04, 2007

Haley, just wanted to let you know that Owen is awesome! Your going to love him! University is going good, i miss you and love reading your stories that your write about. Better be getting a lot of good pictures. Hope the sea sickness has died down a bit. I hope you got my letter and the pictures and i hope you like my drawing. Much love and have fun
Love Always,
your cool sister
Nina

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written by shay , October 03, 2007

this is a really cool site learn as much as you can !!

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written by Kalyn Bruin , October 03, 2007

Wow - the time flies, or sails by as the case may be. More than 100 days since watching the Amistad set sail from New Haven and counting the days for its arrival in England. Since my son Seth returned in August, I have enjoyed continuing to read the blogs of the new leg of students and crew. Keep up your spirits - your blogs mean more to the folks back home than you may realize, and keep us connected to the mission of the voyage and the story of the Amistad. Wishing you all safe seas and steady winds!

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written by Mary Boyle , October 03, 2007

Haven't read the site for a while, so was interessted to see how the voyage was going.We saw photos by Wojtek of the Amistad going under the Tower Bridge in London and some excellent photos of the crew. Sister Citites Freetown/New Haven representatives will be on the shore or dock in Freetown to meet you on Dec 11. This is my second trip to Freetown but you will make it exceptional and historic. We look forward to seeing you.

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written by Ed Gray , October 02, 2007

Great to see that the boat is doing well. Loved the picture of Hannah Gray!! Dad

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written by Mike Kerrigher , October 01, 2007

Following you all the way and daughter is also, she enjoyed all in Liverpool and loved to take pictures and learning more (she likes picture of Dominic and her). She took info that you guys let us have before closed shop into school; think may become a topic in class. Safe trip and more.

Mike and daughter Sarah (9 years)

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written by Avril Harding , October 01, 2007

Congratulations to the entire crew at AMISTAD, wishing you all a safe trip as you sail around to your various destination. Special greetings to Donald George, a very good friend of mine,who gave me a lot of lectures on this all important vogage,one that you all would remember for the rest of your lives.WELL DONE, BRAVO.

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written by Charlene Witherspoon , September 30, 2007

It looks like you have sail through the rough times, I hope all went well. Hope with this website that more students will write about their experience. I know it could be rough trying to write when you have so much to do on the ship. Well be safe and continue with the sailing.

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written by Tim Clark , September 29, 2007

Hey guys! I finally am home from Ireland and I had the most amazing time. It was really weird to be alone after over a year of living, working, eating, and sleeping 24 hours a day in close quarters with at least three or four other people at all times! I found myself conversing often with sheep, cows, and horses to fill the void. It feels good to get back to my old life, but I must say that I really miss you guys already. It sounds like you are having a rough time with the weather, but I know it's nothing you can't power through with a little "square-rig training", as Paul and Mike would say! I will be praying for sunshine and calm seas to come your way, and I hope that you all have a safe passage to Portugal and West Africa!

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written by Charlene Witherspoon , September 29, 2007

Since this voyage started I have been following all the comments. Dominic Clayton is one of the students from New Jersey. I have learned so much history and I am enjoying this voyage. The students I enjoy all the writing and I watch about the weather report. This is an experience for me to follow such an trip. When I first saw the boat I was like how in the world are they going to sail in the ocean with that thing. Well, I don't think like that now, keep safe and all that is aboard learned as much as you can

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written by paul and kathy crossthwaite , September 29, 2007

Great to find that your website's gone interactive!! CONGRATULATIONS to the AMISTAD and her crew for your 100 day voyage!! We loved visiting your most beautiful ship when she was in Bristol, and meeting lots of the crew. We see from yesterdays map that you are now under way, and heading for tthe Bay of Biscay. We will be following the weather forecasts closely, and wish for fair winds and sunshine for you. It will be great if you are able to travel 'under sail' for some of your journey! You've left England at the right time. Drizzly, misty and cold today, but you'll be finding the weather hotting up for you soon. Great to read all your 'blogs' Molly. Sending you all our love. Mum and Dad

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written by Tom Stevenson , September 29, 2007

We are following your journey with much interest. Your voyage of discovery and education is making all those hours of scraping, sanding and painting worthwhile. - Tom, Pete and Ed - Mystic.

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written by Mike (Goth_Master_Sexai) , September 29, 2007

Hye guys hope you are all enjoying your trip and get to where ever you crazy sailor types get too! Big hello to Hannah, Kent and Paul. Miss you crazy guys so much!! x

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written by Joy , September 28, 2007

Hi Guys,
Hope you are all doing well – I miss you.
Happy Birthday Hannah – hope you had fun. I hope you all have a great trip to Portugal!
~Joy

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written by Anne & Den Kerlee , September 28, 2007

How clever and battle-tested is Cap'n Olsen, to await a shift in the wind by staying in the lee of the Solent, then off to Falmouth. You're headed to Lisbon now with a tried and skilled crew, exuberant students, and a ship that can stand up to foul weather in the Bay of Biscay. Portugal awaits your arrival. All of us follow your progress closely. A fair wind at your stern quarter and level seas ahead.
Anne & Den Kerlee

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written by Ron Cox , September 28, 2007

Announcing the arrival of Haley Cox's new nephew Owen Levi Cox Debique, born at 1306 local time Sept. 27/07 at the IWK hospital in Halifax NS.Mother and baby are doing just fine.
We're following your voyage every day and wish you fair winds and good weather.The descriptions of your adventure make us feel we're onboard with you, learning with you
and being amazed with what your seeing and experiencing.
Good luck and good sailing. We all send our love Haley-miss you love Dad

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written by Jane Gray , September 27, 2007

We love reading about the trip and all of the students writings! And we are watching your weather and thanking Capt. Stephen for staying put in the windy and rough seas. We had some wicked foggy weather here up in Maine today, in fact, the captain of the ferry boat missed the town dock by a couple of docks and almost landed on the Newman and Gray Boatyard dock (I almost said go ahead and land there, it will be easier for me to get all my groceries off and go home). Happy Birthday to our dear daughter Hannah! Miss you-love, Mom and Dad

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written by Wojtek Wacowski , September 27, 2007

Fair Winds for the ship and her crew for another few hundred days of the Atlantic Freedom Tour!