The ship is being prepared for 2020, the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival.
The replica of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America has set sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts, to another historic port in Connecticut where it will undergo a restoration.
The Mayflower IIdeparted Plymouth harbor Friday for Mystic Seaport for the six-month project. The 57-year-old ship, owned by the Plimoth Plantation living museum, is being pulled by a tugboat.
Nat is at sea! Helping take the Mayflower II to dry dock in Mystic pic.twitter.com/jCAB1yf3Pn
— Paul (@RidgeHillBoston) December 12, 2014
Passing the Bug Light Mayflower II leaves Plymouth Harbor for the first leg of her trip to Mystic, CT for repairs pic.twitter.com/TKLGll9uCA
— David L. Ryan (@GlobeDavidLRyan) December 13, 2014
The Mayflower II is towed through the east end of the Cape Cod Canal Friday evening @capecodtimes #mayflowerII pic.twitter.com/EIWsDdLe6G
— Ron Schloerb (@rschloerbCCT) December 13, 2014
Plans call for the 106-foot-long ship to arrive in Mystic on Sunday, after stops in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and New London, Connecticut.
If the repairs go on schedule, the Mayflower II will be back in Plymouth in May for the summer tourist season. But seaport officials have said it could return to Mystic for additional work over the next two winters to get it in shape to sail in 2020, the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
