Pride Ii

The Pride of Baltimore II embarks on a 13-month public relations mission today to locales both tropical and arctic."We've scheduled first-time stops in Hawaii and Alaska," said W. Bruce Quackenbush Jr., executive director of the Pride of Baltimore Inc., the nonprofit corporation that operates the vessel. "Once we've completed that, we will have been to every major port in the U.S."The 12-member crew plans to reach Hawaii by May and Glacier Bay, Alaska, by mid-June."When the ship arrives in Tampa next month, it will have been to 100 ports and traveled 100,000 nautical miles," Mr. Quackenbush said.

Commissioners Julia W. Gouge and Elmer C. Lippy will be on the Pride of Baltimore II in Chicago this evening, trying to lure business to Carroll."They'll be mingling with people we need to mingle with to inspire some development here," said Commissioner Donald I. Dell, who stayed home because he has too many other trips on his schedule.William E. Jenne, administrator of the county's Office of Economic Development, also will be on board.The Carroll officials will attend a reception on the ship from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with at least 60 other guests, including a consultant for a Midwest food distributor considering locating in Carroll.

After a week of thunderstorms, cloudy skies and sweltering temperatures, the University of Maryland's solar car was expected today to roll across the finish line of a seven-day,1,100-mile race across the Midwest.While the Maryland team's "Pride of Maryland II" isn't likely to win the U.S. Department of Energy's "Sunrayce '93," it was sixth overall yesterday and seems likely to finish near the top of the 34-car field.The final, 91-mile stage of the race was set to begin at 9 a.m. (10 EDT) today in the town of Albert Lea, Minn.

An odd, wedge-shaped vehicle built by College Park students began a 1,100-mile -- across the Midwest yesterday, fueled only by the power of sunshine.The University of Maryland's sleek, lightweight "Pride of Maryland II" joined a field of 33 other solar cars, which were to switch on electric motors at 9 a.m. for the first leg of a seven-day race from Arlington, Texas, to Minneapolis.The U.S. Department of Energy is sponsoring the contest, called "Sunrayce 93," which pits teams from 34 North American colleges and universities against each other in a test of engineering skill, solar car technology and road-racing skill.

COLLEGE PARK -- It still had some rough edges. Its turn signals and lights weren't installed yet. And a few parts were held together with tape.But with just 12 days to go before they're supposed to race it across the Midwest, University of Maryland College of Engineering students decided to roll out their new solar-powered car for university officials and the media here yesterday -- even if it wasn't quite finished.The vehicle, called "The Pride of Maryland II," is one of 36 solar cars entered in the U.S. Department of Energy's "Sunrayce 1993," a seven-day -- from Arlington, Texas, to Minneapolis scheduled to begin June 20. Colleges and universities from 20 states, Canada and Puerto Rico are competing in this year's event, which is intended to promote solar car technology.

SPIRIT, PRIDE IISteal a glimpse of a New Englander this weekend. The Spirit of Massachusetts, a 125-foot sail training vessel modeled after the Gloucester fishing schooners of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, arrived in Fells Point yesterday and will be docked at Broadway Pier until Thursday. The ship will not be open for public tours, but all are invited to take a look -- and maybe a picture or two -- from the docks. One landmark ship you can board today and later in May is the Pride of Baltimore II. The ship arrived home Monday and will be in port (at the Inner Harbor Finger Piers)

Robert Foster and Cathy Miles share a romance with the sea and with each other.They came together as husband and wife on the deck of the Pride of Baltimore II, docked off Pier 5 at the Inner Harbor yesterday."

On a clear, bright morning, the kind that would have been perfect for sailing, about 35 people gathered in the Inner Harbor today to remember four Pride of Baltimore crew members lost at sea six years ago.The captain, Armin E. Elsaesser III, along with crew members Barry Duckworth, Vincent Lazarro and Nina Schack, were lost when the ship went down in a violent squall near Puerto Rico on May 14, 1986. Eight other crew members managed to escape and drifted in a life boat for 4 1/2 days until they were rescued by a Norwegian freighter's crew.

The Pride of Baltimore II is offering a month of public sailing opportunities as a fund raiser to help support the goodwill ambassador sailing ship's 1992 itinerary.The schedule for "Gala Sail" month, from April 15 to May 16, calls for the two-masted schooner to sail twice daily, on three-hour afternoon and evening excursions.Tickets cost $200 a person, and the outing includes "a bountiful, gourmet feast" and open bar.The Pride will also be open to visitors this weekend while docked at the Broadway Pier in Fells Point and at the Annapolis City Dock April 11 and 12. Hours for today and tomorrow's tours are noon to 5 p.m."

JUST AFTER 8 a.m. yesterday, an older gentleman standing under an umbrella hailed the Pride of Baltimore II as it inched away from the Annapolis City Dock."