Good morning everyone. The final exam occurred yesterday and the
grades are in. The class has passed with flying colors. We had our
challenges and those we overcame. The wind was light onshore in the
morning and came stronger with the turn of the tide in the
afternoon. There were moments when obtaining a fix was very
difficult. The importance of the bow watch, the eyes and ears of the
ship, was reinforced. Ditty bags were finished with some fancy knot
work.
The ground rules were simple. Keep a constant DR plot with 6, 12, &
18 minute projections. Keep a minimum of 2 people on bow watch at
all times, keep Mary, our beloved cook happy, and make certain that
everyone gets to "taste a slice of the pie." In other words, get
everyone involved so that they feel good about their participation in
the team.
There is no question that everyone has learned something this week.
Everyone will take something different away with them. Some one
asked me why no one else does what we do up here. There are many
sail training programs around the world. But not many vessels cater
to older adults and try to do in one week what it is we do. Learning
to be a crew member aboard a schooner along the Maine coast is a long
process. As we have discovered there is more to being a crew member
than just setting and furling sails. Sailing 96 tons along the
abruptly changing geography of the Maine coast without the benefit of
an engine is not necessarily extraordinary around here but there is
no place else on Earth where this kind of thing happens. Imagine
that. No where else in the world is there a collection of
traditional pure sailing vessels like we have here in Maine. That is
very cool.
Have a great day. Be well. Do good.
Photos by Tom Haraden.
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