Captain Walter Rybka Retires After Nearly Fifty Years Navigating the High Seas of Historic Ship Preservation, Sail Training, and Maritime History Interpretation

摘要

In July, Captain Walter Rybka, senior captain and site administrator with the Flagship Niagara League in Erie, Pennsylvania, retired after nearly thirty years at the helm of that organization. Captain Rybka came to Erie in 1991 to take command of the then-recently rebuilt brig Niagara, the hero ship from the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. Upon his arrival, he pulled in sailing ship professionals from around the country and welcomed local volunteers and would-be crewmembers to join in the effort. Rybka's dedicated leadership guided the Niagara crew and shoreside team to elevate the ship and take its programs through several evolutions, including the creation of the Erie Maritime Museum, which opened in May 1998. Prior to his tenure in Erie, most people in the traditional sailing ship community knew him from his years in Galveston, Texas, (1977-1983, and through 1991 as a consultant) where he was instrumental in the acquisition and highly successful restoration and return to sea of the 1877 barque Elissa.