National Park Service Interns

How are two architect students and one marine architect student spending their summer at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Maine?

Many hours have been spent measuring every part of the historic Ernestina. They began the measuring in New Bedord, MA before the ship left for Boothbay. This data combined with the data from a TOTAL, a laser tool, is being used to make line and 3D drawings of the Ernestina. Using this laser tool from the deck and land to get the topside and hull markings, a continuous surface is made to replicate the ship.
For more pictures and information see VIDEO.

Interns for the National Parks Service, Karolina Walichiewicz, from California, Caleb Reed from Kansas and Katie Whalen from New York have taken over a conference table and are busy on their computers replicating the Ernestina down to the tiniest detail.

These drawings will be used to get a full picture of what the ship is actually like right now in history. Todd Croteau, the Director of Historic American Engineering Record is supervising the interns, out of Washington DC.

This year the repairs of Ernestina will include the stem, foredeck, and planking above the waterline alongside the foredeck. There will also be temporary repairs to the main deck to halt the leaking.

When asked how it has been for them working at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, they were impressed with all the work goes on and what a busy place it is at the shipyard. Other comments were “It’s a great place to work” and "the people have been friendly and easy to work with.”

The work is expected to be completed this fall and will follow the standards set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standard’s for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects and the U.S. Coast Guard. Harold Burnham, an 11th generation Essex Master Shipwright, is the state representative for the project.