Journals from the week ending August 30, 1996
On the Bridge
by Aubin Dupree
8/29/96, onboard Concordia...Today I visited Captain Bartoszuk on the bridge in order to find out a little more about how he navigates the Concordia on her global passages. First, on the list of navigational materials for any mariner are a chart and compass. A chart (used on the ocean) is different from a map (used on land) in that charts indicate water depths, sea floor conditions, landmarks and aids to navigation. A compass shows which way a ship is heading in magnetic degrees. Each of these tems can help a sailor find his position on the water. It is important for a sailor to know his position so he may reach his destination without running aground.
The captain uses parallel rules and dividers to locate positions through which he would like the ship to sail. Once he has determined these positions, he will type them into the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS uses a system of 24 US military satellites to determine a ship’s position with an accuracy of a few hundred meters. Once the GPS knows where the ship is supposed to go, it will tell the autopilot (a machine that steers the ship) how to steer. Theoretically, the ship could get from one port to another by itself, without anyone on the bridge; however, there must always be someone on watch to look for debris or other ships in the Concordia’s path.
There are many other navigational instruments onboard. During the night and at regular intervals during the day, the officer on duty will use the RADAR to scan the surrounding area for other ships or obstructions. We use a Single Sideband Radio (SSB) to receive weather maps and detailed meteorological charts that can be used by an experienced officer to forecast the weather along our route. For close range communication we use a VHF (Very High Frequency) radiotelephone. In some ports we must bring a pilot onboard to help the ship find a berth, and arrangements for the pilot are often made by VHF. The INMARSAT-C satellite communications system is also available for informational use, but due to its high cost it is not used often. The last major piece of navigational equipment onboard is a Radio Direction Finder, or RDF, used for tracking home beacons and eventually fixing positions using a broadcast beacon signal. Finally, in case all else fails, we can mimic the sailors of old and use a sexton and celestial navigation to determine our location.
Imagine you were a sailor 200 years ago, sailing unknown waters with nothing but the sun and stars to guide you on your journey. Could you find your way home?
The Start Of a Daring Adventure
by Charlotte Redway
8/27/96, onboard Concordia at sea...I had mixed feelings when I first got off the airplane in San Diego from Oregon. I really didn't know what to expect from Class Afloat. Sure, I had read the brochures about the program and it sounded wonderful, but I didn't know what it would really be like. What I found that day was an amazing group of people prepared to share the experience of traveling, learning and living together.
The ship itself is l88 feet long with enough cabins for all of us. Each cabin has two to four bunks and its own bathroom. The cabins are very small, but there are two larger rooms on deck: the mess, where we eat, hang out and hold meetings and the classroom, where we have classes.
The galley is much bigger than I had expected it to be. Every six days we are given galley duty. During galley duty we help cook (which can be very interesting when the ship is rocking) and set the tables.
Another duty we are given is watch. When a person is on watch they are either on look out or steering the ship. I have watch from one o'clock to three o'clock in the morning. To help myself stay awake, I usually drink tea and have a snack.
One of my favorite discoveries about the ship is the rigging. It feels great when you have climbed 100 feet of the rigging and are swaying in the wind looking at the sea.