...And a Star to Steer Her By

Probably every movie and most every book about the days of wooden-hulled, wind-driven ships romanticizes them more than a little. I'm sure that life aboard them had more than its share of hard times.

But this is still darn cool.

The USS Constitution, the oldest U.S. Navy ship still in commission, unfurled her sails Sunday for a little walk around the nautical block to mark the 200th anniversary of her victory over the HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812 -- a conflict not overly burdened with victories or great moments for the new United States of America.

"Old Ironsides," so-called because during the fight the Guerriere's lighter cannon balls bounced off her oak sides like they were "made of iron," was commissioned 215 years ago. She is mostly a floating museum and although has undergone some renovations is still not really able to sail as she did in her day. During the 17 minute voyage, she made about three knots, or about 3.5 miles per hour.

The post title comes from John Masefield's 1902 poem "Sea-Fever." which contains the line, "And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by..."

The most famous poem about Old Ironsides is called just that, "Old Ironsides," and was written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., in 1830. He read a news item that suggested the venerable ship was to be broken up rather than repaired and his poem urged the Navy to repair the historic vessel, suggesting that even being scuttled at sea was a better fate than being broken up in a shipyard.

Holmes' poem generated enough attention that the Constitution was repaired and eventually became a national monument and the setting for lessons on maritime history. One of its sister ships, the USS Congress, faced a similar fate at the time but was not repaired -- leading to the conclusion that even in 1830, no one thought much of Congress.