Just to clarify our situation with the Barrouallie Whalers, we've been working on this since December. We applied for and have gotten visa clearance from the Department of Homeland Security. Funding is the issue. The SMF budget can support less than half of the cost to bring these men from St.Vincent. We applied fro and did not get a grant from the state of Connecticut and are now working on other options. I am committed to bringing these gentlemen if at all possible particularly because they are important representatives of a whaling tradition with links to the history of the Charles W. Morgan and the time she spent in the Caribbean in her latter days. The theme of this year's festival is the history of the Morgan and her ports of call so I'm bringing performers from New Bedford and San Francisco and including some Hawaiian music to honor her connections there (the SMF schedule and roster of performers [without the BW until I can confirm our ability to bring them} are now on line at:
www.mysticseaport.org/seamusicfestival) and I feel the Barrouallie Whalers can tell a significant part of the story. We will post further news here when we have answers, but in the mean time, if anyone out there wants to help, let me know.