All Hands on DeckA bit about us |
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The Whistling Man Schooner Co. StoryThe founder of Whistling Man had an old Charlie Chaplin wind up toy as a kid. When wound, Charlie twirled his cane and whistled. When starting this company in 1996, he was reminded of this childhood toy and he recalled a superstition that many sailors revere: whistling on a boat will conjure up fair winds and following seas! 25 years later, the Whistling Man Schooner Co. namesake has come to mean more than just old sailing lore. It's also the pleasant sound the wind makes when traveling through the rigging, and it's what we all like to do when we're having a jolly good time sailing on Friend Ship and Wild Rose.
From all of us whistling, salty sailors - Welcome Aboard! |
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Meet The Crew
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Capt. Hannah "Diddy" Langsdale - Owner
Diddy is originally from Maryland and studied Biology at St. Lawrence University. She thought she was going to go into the medical field, but then she discovered sailing and her whole world changed! She first learned the ropes as a deckhand aboard Friend Ship and fell in love with this operation, these ships, and Lake Champlain the moment she stepped aboard... so much so that she purchased the operation in 2018. Diddy now has what she considers to be the best job in the world. She feels incredibly fortunate to be at the helm of such historic vessels and to be supported by the amazing crew below. |
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Capt. Hannah O'Brien
Hannah has spent every summer since she was seven on sailboats. She learned how to sail at a sailing center in Boston Harbor and later became a sailing instructor there. She moved to Burlington and joined the Friend Ship crew in 2018 and is extremely excited for the season. Captain O'Brien is an ardent believer of Lake Champlain's lake monster, "Champ"! During the fall and winter seasons she enjoys hiking and snowboarding and exploring everything that Vermont has to offer. |
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Capt. Bill "O" O'Connor
As the son of US Navy parents, Bill grew up around some of the major ports of the US and Europe. His passion for all things nautical developed as he followed his dad on all kinds of seagoing vessels. Bill worked his way through college aboard a New Orleans tug boat, and has captained a number of vessels up and down the East coast, and once across the Atlantic. Since then, Bill has dropped anchor in Burlington, which he considers to be one of the most beautiful and historic places in the world. |
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Capt. Bob "Bubba" Bristow
Bubba grew up in Bristol, CT but spent his summers on Lake Champlain where he spent time at camp learning to sail on Cat boats. Over the years, Bubba continued to sail on many different boats and his passion for sailing grew. Bubba experienced many wonderful adventures sailing and exploring all parts of the lake with his family. He has also done numerous boat deliveries up and down the east coast. After retiring from his career in sales, Bubba earned his captain’s license and feels very fortunate to share his experience and passion for sailing with others as a captain aboard Whistling Man Schooner Co. and with Sail Beyond Cancer. When not sailing, you can find Bubba enjoying time with his wife, his four grandchildren, and his yellow lab Cody. |
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Capt. Tom Peterson
Tom had his first sailing experience at the age of four and has been hooked on it ever since. He has called Vermont home since moving here from Alaska in 1979. Tom has sailed extensively on the east coast from Maine to the BVI, but always loves coming home to his beloved Lake Champlain. In addition to sharing the lake with Whistling Man guests, Tom runs his own consulting firm, drives the Island Line Bike Ferry, and participates in storytelling events around town. |
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Cory Dalsimer - First Mate
Cory’s introduction to the Vermont tourism industry came about from growing up in a ski town; his first job was as a snowboard instructor at Sugarbush Resort. After high school, he moved to Southern Vermont to study at the Vermont Technical College. Last year, Cory transferred to UVM where he will earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Cory loves the ski mountains, but something about sailing on Lake Champlain really struck a chord in him. He hopes to share his enthusiasm of Vermont’s maritime history with Vermonters and tourists alike, while ensuring Friend Ship maintains her high standards of operation. |
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Lucia "Perrywinkle" Pendolino - Deckhand
Raised in the Champlain Islands, Lucia is no stranger to wonders of beautiful Lake Champlain. A dinghy sailor since in the age of seven, she has spent her days sailing from the lakes thaw to freeze on boats big and small. In high school she was a part time sailing instructor and a racer for the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center. She now spends her fall and winters in the waters of Lake Ontario where she attends school at Queen’s University. Lucia has a passion for everything sailing and is excited to be back for another summer with Whistling Man and this fabulous crew. |
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Elizabeth "Starbuck" Walker - Deckhand
Elizabeth grew up on the waters of Lake Champlain, originally from the southern shore of Long Island. Water is where she loves to be whether she is sailing, swimming, boating, paddling, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, all things. She runs her own Integrated Holistic Health Coach Business and is a mother of two handsome teenage boys. Elizabeth always has a smile and many stories to share about her experiences here on Lake Champlain. She swears she saw Champ as a little girl. Growing up on the water between her time on Long Island and Lake Champlain has only solidified her passion for everything life has to offer in regards to water and adventure. She started sailing later in life for a local nonprofit and fell in absolute love with the wind in the sails and the sense of absolute inner calm and detachment from land that exists only with sailing. |