BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -
Two of the most popular attractions on the coast are the pair of schooners that belong to Biloxi's Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. The original, the Glenn L. Swetman is back on the water after undergoing an ambitious restoration.
On a beautiful morning, we stepped on board for an adventure in the Mississippi Sound. It's a special moment when the crew raises the sails and lets wind power take control.
"It's the quiet and beauty," Museum Director Robin Krohn David said. "It's the water, dolphins and birds as you pass Deer Island."
Robin gets excited and a bit emotional about seeing Biloxi's schooner, the Swetman, back on the water after extensive repairs.
"The thrill is never gone. To see the schooners out on the horizon with its white sails, it touches my heart. It's special."
Captain Ron Reiter says he feels fortunate to be at the helm of this classic boat, surrounded by coastal beauty with the wind at his back.
"I tell people it's not a vocation or a hobby, it's a disease. It gets in your blood and there's nothing quite like it."
Schooners like the Swetman are a big part of our coastal heritage. They were the work horses of the seafood industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s, helping to make Biloxi and coastal Mississippi the seafood capital of the world. Today, the museum runs charters on the Swetman.
Biloxi's other schooner, the Mike Sekul, is in the boat yard undergoing a makeover and will soon join the Swetman.
"It's waiting to get a lot of deck work done and maybe some of the deck beams," said Museum Board Member Buddy Jumonville. "It'll be back soon."
Krohn David said it will be a special day to see both schooners once again representing our rich maritime history.
"To see the white winged queens out on the water again, it'll be unbelievable."
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