Seen here scouting the Hudson River, a working replica of the 17th century Dutch ship ONRUST puts into port this Saturday and Sunday for two public-invited events on the Navesink. Â
Much attention has been paid in 2014 to the 350th anniversary of the first non-native settlements in what would become the State of New Jersey — and among those oldest established communities are some right here in the greater Green.
This Saturday and Sunday, present-day settlers will have a unique opportunity to get a close-up look at the way those original traders and explorers sailed the region’s waterways, when the good ship Onrust (pronounced AHN-roost) puts into two Navesink River ports of call.
See redbankgreen‘s earlier article about the Onrust here.
Crafted in 2009 as a detail-intensive replica of an actual 17th century Dutch sloop — the first European vessel built in the New York Harbor region, a full 400 years ago — this fully functional piece of living history arrives in Highlands Thursday night and heads to Red Bank Friday afternoon for an invite-only cocktail party at the Monmouth Boat Club in the evening.
Public access will be available Saturday at Fair Haven Yacht Works (75 DeNormandie Avenue), then on Sunday at Red Bank’s Marine Park. The Cruise of the Onrust is being funded by a group of local maritime companies and coordinated locally by the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association.
Described as a “once-in-a-lifetime chance to see how 17th Century sailors lived on board as they sailed along the Atlantic shore trading, exploring, and finally creating settlements,” the Onrust will be hosting the public between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm in Fair Haven on June 7, and from 9 am to 4 pm in Red Bank on June 8 (take it here for full details).
The Onrust will remain docked in Red Bank on the morning of June 9, prior to departing for its home port near Albany, NY, for the purpose of hosting school group tours. Any school personnel who wish to arrange a class visit are invited to call Gayle Horvath at (732 )687-6715.
