Foremast & Crow's Nest

The mast closest to the bow is called the Foremast. Atop the foremast is the ‘crow’s nest,’ where lookouts would be stationed and somewhat sheltered from the weather. The jumbo boom is secured aft of the foremast. The circular bands at the top are used to secure the cargo booms in a vertical position when the ship is underway.

Masts are supported and made ridged by means of stays, shrouds, and backstays. Stays are heavy wire ropes that support the mast. With the change from sail to steam, booms were no longer needed to support sails, so their primary use on modern steamers was to handle cargo. 

Painted on the crow’s nest is Bruce D. Raven. In 1994, during the O’Brien’s epic return voyage to Normandy, the cartoonist, Phil Frank, used his comic strip “Farley”, to depict his wisecracking, talking raven named Bruce as a stowaway aboard the O’Brien.

In a style true to his character, Bruce became the unofficial avian correspondent reporting back adventures and misadventures that occurred along the voyage to readers of the San Francisco Chronicle back home. In turn, crewmembers painted Bruce onto the ship’s actual crow’s nest.

The image of Bruce you see here was restored and immortalized by Phil Frank himself. Like “Miss Jerri”, “Bruce D. Raven” has become part of the ship’s history. An example of the Farley comic strip with Bruce on the voyage can be seen in the ship’s Museum.