She’s literally the pride of an historic seaport – the goodwill ambassador for a state rich in maritime history. And she’s leaving town Thursday. The Pride of Baltimore II sets sail for Jacksonville, Fla., and will make port calls in Miami, Charleston, S.C., and Richmond, Va., before returning to her homeport May 30.

“All of the crew serve as ambassadors of not only the ship but of Maryland when they sail to distant ports,” said Jan Miles, senior captain of the Pride.

This winter, the Pride underwent extensive maintenance and just recently made her season debut in the Inner Harbor.

The topsail boat is a replica of the 1812 Fells Point-built Baltimore clipper Chasseur, and replaced the circa 1975 ill-fated Pride of Baltimore, which sank in 1986 about 250 miles north of Puerto Rico. Three of her crew perished at sea, including Capt. Armin Elsaesser. Eight crewmembers were rescued after four days adrift in a life raft.

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A memorial to the original Pride of Baltimore stands today in Rash Park on the south shore of the Inner Harbor.

“Since the accident with Pride I, we have improved our rafts and what they hold, so in case of an emergency the crew won’t have to worry about what to bring with them,” Miles said Tuesday during a short cruise in the Baltimore Harbor and into the Patapsco River. “Every time you prepare to sail, it’s like preparing to climb Mount Everest. There is no training that can prepare you for when things go wrong.”

The Pride of Baltimore II is owned by the people of Maryland and is operated by Pride Inc., a nonprofit corporation that pays for its operation and maintenance. It also pays the salary for its crew.  

Crew members usually stay aboard for six months, when a new crew of sailors comes aboard.

“We have people on the crew from Washington, Colorado and all over,” said Charlie Adams, a deckhand from Massachusetts who explained the ins-and-outs of life aboard the replica sailing antique.

Several of the crew served together previously on other sailing ships, such as the clipper Liberty in Key West, Fla., and say they plan on crewing on several more vessels.

“I didn’t sail before 2005,” said Shelly Colanstonio of Kingston, NY, “but I plan on sailing until I find something better to do. I haven’t found that yet.”

Colanstonio just recently joined the Pride’s crew.

But even former crew members continue to serve, like Ann Costlow of Baltimore, who joined the crew when she quit her job as a stock broker in a downtown office tower and signed on as a cook. Today she owns Sofi’s Crepes on North Charles Street but continues to serve the Pride of Baltimore as a member of the nonprofit’s board.

Even though she’s not an active crew member, she pitched in on Tuesday to hoist sails and set lines.

“Once a member, always a member,” she said.

GOING SAILING

When she returns to port in May, the Pride of Baltimore II will be open for public tours most afternoons. Sailing excursions will be offered on Fridays and Saturdays from 4-7 p.m., and on Sundays from 9-a.m.-noon and again from 2-5 p.m. Tickets are $45.

For information, call 1-888-55-PRIDE, or logon to the Web site.