Sunday, May 3, 2009

After 13 years of sailing through Key West Harbor at sunset, the seasonal Liberty Clipper once again will head home to Boston on May 14, but this time she will not return to the Southernmost City.

The permanent departure of the 125-foot tall ship marks the end of the Liberty Fleet in Key West, which has hosted the Schooner Liberty and Liberty Clipper for more than a decade.

Greg Muzzy launched the fleet by bringing the 80-foot Schooner Liberty to Key West in 1994, when it docked in the North Basin next to a gravel parking lot that was to become a Hilton hotel, and now is the Westin Key West Resort Marina property.

Muzzy and his wife, Donna, added the 125-foot Liberty Clipper to the fleet in 1996. The vessel is a replica of a 19th century clipper ship, and offered day sails, sunset trips, stargazing cruises, and private charters.

The clipper spent its summers in Boston every year, heading up the Atlantic coast with as many as 25 passengers for the voyage from Key West to Boston.

Hundreds of local and visiting couples have been married on the deck of the Liberty Clipper, and thousands have photographed it from other boats and the shore, as it glided past with yards of sail spread from its two masts.

Muzzy this week said he is ready to spend more time enjoying his grandchildren and less time working.

He sold the 80-foot Schooner Liberty last year, and it now sails of out New York Harbor, said Liberty Fleet General Manager Christina Garcia. The Liberty Clipper, which moved to a dock in Key West Bight when Hurricane Wilma destroyed its pier at the Westin, also is for sale.

"We'll run it from April to November in Boston," Muzzy said Thursday, thanking everyone in Key West for their support. It won't return unless the new owner brings it back to Key West.

Muzzy is offering a 20 percent discount for locals who want to sail one last time aboard Liberty Clipper in Key West waters. The farewell sails will take place on Friday, Saturday and May 11.

"Then we provision the boat on May 13 and on the 14th she sails away," Garcia said.

Call 305-295-0095 for more information or reservations.

mbolen@keysnews.com