Marco Polo Project

Barry Ogden, the driving force behind the Marco Polo project, stands in front of the shrink-wrapped replica at the west side port. PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Marco Polo Replica still looking for a home
History Biggest challenge is to get everybody together, says high school teacher behind project

MIKE MULLEN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
March 11, 2011

   Next month is the 160th anniversary of the launching of Marco Polo in Courtenay Bay next month, but the nearly completed replica of the three-masted clipper ship remains without the permanent home it needs on the east side of the harbourfront.
   "Right now, it's under shrink wrap and sitting outside at the west side port," says Barry Ogden, the Saint John High School social studies teacher who has been the driving force behind the project for a quarter century.
   Despite the best efforts of Uptown Saint John and Enterprise Saint John, he said, "We're still looking for a spot so we can put up the mast and the bow sprit, and the final decking has to go on, "The biggest challenge we have in Saint John is getting everybody together," he continued.
   
   "Right now, we're trying to work on getting the three levels of government together. We need to pull together and make things happen."
    Abandoning ship isn't in Ogden's nature. "I remain very hopeful and optimistic,"he said.
   "I have always believed that negative thinking is just lazy thinking. We have got to get rid of the negative thinking. The power of positive thinking will take us a long way."
   
   Apart from the need for a permanent home, Ogden said there's plenty to be optimistic about.
   Once a permanent home is found, he said, Lenron Inc., a company that moves giant windmills around the province, has agreed to transport the 95-by-60 foot Marco Polo II replica - which was built mostly by a team of volunteers in a shed at the west side port - across the Harbour Bridge when the time comes.
    The several coats of paint already on the hull of the ship were provided by Benjamin Moore, which Ogden said has also agreed to provide enough paint to finish the job. Ogden said the project has also received good support from Cargoways Logistics and the Port of Saint John.
   He can't wait for the replica vessel to find a permanent home where tourists, and locals alike, can visit it while the final touches are put on the project
   "What we need, and what I hear every day, is people want to see it, he said. "My website has had over 500,000 hits. And I hear it in the public a lot. I know, just from the positive reaction, people are going to like what they see."
   At its launch on April 17, at the shipyard of James Smith, located at the mouth of Marsh Creek, the original Marco Polo's keel struck the mudflat and the vessel fell on its side, injuring several workers.
   It was floated free on April 22, appar ently suffering little damage. However, due to its large size, it subsequently grounded in Marsh Creek for a couple of weeks before being floated again.
   It was speculated that during one or both of these incidents, the vessel's keel was affected, which may have contributed to its later fame as the world's fastest clipper ship.

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