Journals, week ending 8/23/96
Departing San Diego
By Steve Drake, guest crew, aboard Concordia, at sea...
8/23/96A perfect sunset heralds our departure from San Diego. As we passed by Point Loma leaving San Diego harbor behind, the ship entered the wide open ocean and began an easy, rhythmic roll. Although a stranger to these Pacific waters, I felt at home with my new Concordia shipmates.
As I stood quietly on deck watching a glorious sunset, I was startled into action by the bosun's call for hands aloft to set the square sails flying. Instantly, I grabbed my harness and leapt skyward to an upper yard arm. Within minutes, all the yards were occupied by other eager student sailors. From the deck below we must have looked like brother birds perched together in some leafless, gigantic tree.
Several students, including this guest crew member, moved with cautious, faltering steps to accomplish our nautical tasks on high. Shortly thereafter, with new found equilibrium, we yelled and cheered for all to hear a chorus of delight.
A Great Beginning
by Andrew Baldwin - at sea aboard Concordia - 8/22/96
Anthropology and Social Studies teacherToday is day two of our Pacific voyage and all is well. The sun is in fullshine and the wind is at our port side stern quarter. We have just jibed Concordia and are heading in a south south easterly tack towards a pair of islands that are home to a variety of sea mammals. Hopefully, we will arrive there sometime this afternoon and get our first glimpse of 'life at sea'. I am excited by the possibility of sighting a few shore birds that I have never seen and adding them to my life list.
From a teacher's point of view I am very impressed with this group's success so far. Everyone seems to have a very good sense of the importance of teamwork when living aboard a sea vessel. Galley duty is performed very well and all of our sailing maneuvers are executed quickly and efficiently. All of yesterday was spent performing man overboard rescue drills and learning how to react in other emergencies. As everyone becomes more familiar with all of these responsibilities, our overall sense of group confidence increases, and we become more willing to participate and learn.
Speaking of learning....classes begin in two days time. As yet we have not had anytime to begin classes with so many other things taking priority, not to mention it is still only August. The students will be in class anywhere from 3 to 7 hours per day, and will take a full course load including such favorites as mathematics, history, and physical education. Perhaps, the most interesting thing about Class Afloat is that the students' learning will take place both inside and outside of the classroom equally. Each of us, students and teachers alike, will be engaged in an experience so entirely unlike anything we have done before. This is an amazing way to see the world.