Tucked away in Pocket Park behind the PJ's Coffee kiosk on Tulane's campus, a historic 30-foot sailing vessel called the Nydia until recently had rested in a glass enclosure. It was surrounded by tranquil, overgrown foliage, and not many students even knew it was there. Those that did, however, appreciated the solitude found near the Nydia 's secret spot.
On the other hand, whether Baldwin Wood, the man who donated the Nydia to Tulane in his will, would have approved of his boat's lonely home is debatable. Now that campus construction on the University Center has forced the Nydia out of Pocket Park into storage, Wood would be happy to know that it looks like his treasured all-wood cutter will receive a restoration and a more prominent display.
Baldwin Wood was an 1893 graduate of Tulane's engineering school and a prominent New Orleanian who left a sizable endowment to his alma mater on the condition that the university would keep the Nydia on display for at least 99 years. Wood worked as superintendent of the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board from 1939 until his death in 1956 and is revered as the architect of the system that pumps water out of the city and prevents it from flooding.
He also was an avid sailor of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Nydia, built in the 1890s, had a history of winning yacht races. Wood died at the age of 77 of a heart attack when navigating the boat alone from Biloxi to Horn Island.
The Nydia is currently residing at the MG Mayer Yacht Service while Tulane administrators decide the level of restoration they want to undertake. Michael Mayer, the president of the nautical sales and service company, says after the project is complete the Nydia will most likely be displayed in a more appropriate spot near the engineering school, this time with the rigging and masts up.
"Needless to say, there are not too many boats around that are over 100 years old, and the Nydia was built on the Mississippi Gulf Coast," says Mayer, describing the boat's historical importance. "She's also significant because who Wood was. He built the pumps that drain New Orleans to this day. He was sent to Panama for similar issues and also worked with the Dutch in land reclamation. Apparently, he was quite a genius."
Mayer adds that Tulane University is proud of its alumnus as it should be. Wood had a lot of affection toward the Nydia and displaying the boat prominently will be a tribute to who he was.
