"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Writing Exercises: Underway toward Guadeloupe

>> Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Kaitlin Orne
2/15/10, 1451- En Route to Guadeloupe

As Gamage fights her way through the roaring waves, we all do our best in tending to her needs to get to our next destination. Sometimes the sails scream in the wind and she’ll sing us to sleep, but we’re forced to be patient and work with her. When the day is over and we take a look at what has become of our work, we’ll appreciate her even though the dancing lines have made our hands rough, the constant smiling sun has tanned our fragile skin; our integrity will have grown along with life-long stories that she’ll make sure we won’t ever forget.


“Seasick” – By Crawford Cunningham
After being seasick five times in less then two days, finally feeling better is like a spiritual awakening. Having to constantly fear being sick every time I come on deck was exhausting. After losing the delicious twisty noodles and beef gravy, I thought I was done. By the end of that watch I had also lost a glass of hot chocolate and an apple. The next morning I decided that it was a new day and I was done being seasick. For some reason or other I decided four pancakes slathered in syrup and some bacon would be a great breakfast to get rid of my seasickness. Just a few hours later I found out that was a bad idea and was over the rail once again. I decided to try the remedy the crew offered up- saltine crackers and an hour on bow watch. After that hour I felt One Hundred percent better and possibly cured. Hopefully I will throw up as little as possible the rest of the trip.



“Gamage” – By Charlie Campbell
As she, the Harvey Gamage, pushes through the water- she fights for the moment we anchor so she can get a brake. She can let her wood made ribs stop from aching. We will leave her and let her be in peace to think, calmly sitting in the world’s lake. There she sits and waits and waits for when she will move again on her journey wide-awake.

“Caribbean Swells” By- Judibrown Sample
The Caribbean’s mouth swells open as the waves engulf me from shore, tossing me in circles through out the body of water. Taking a breath of air felt almost impossible as the current was still tossing me about. Finally, the water came to a halt, I found my eyes closed shut with salt and sand. I realized I had been washed ashore like a piece of sea-glass waiting to be noticed. My hair tangled like silly string, sand imbeded into my scalp made me feel as if I had been tossing and turning for hours, when in reality it had only been seconds. “Round two!” , I fist-pumped and screamed. The swells entertained me for the next forty-five minutes of pure joy.

“Passage to Guadeloupe” By- Katherine Alwan
On our passage to Guadeloupe the swells finally picked up. The bow rises and then slams into the waves. The increase in swell has led to the increase in seasickness. Every trip below decks is a signal for an onset of that horrible, nauseous feeling in my stomach. Lunch consisted of rice and saltines, the only safe food for the moment. But, even through this horrible cramping in my stomach, the sun shines and the wind blows. The water is still a beautiful color and today is going to be a good day, even with the seasickness.

“ Before Sleep” By- Jesse Prothers
As I lay in my bunk wondering what sort of adventure awaits me the following day, I can actually hear the sounds of the Gamage as she rolls about in the waves. The squeaking and moaning of the walls fill my ears, it’s as if the ship is talking to me, asking me about my day. Those are not the only sounds that the ship makes; the constant crashing of the waves as the hull fights off the intruding swell also joins the rhythm. The moans and groans of the ship play in perfect formation, almost as if I have my own private orchestra.

Macy Lamson
En Route to Guadeloupe
Feb. 15, 2010
I can sense Gamage’s excitement when everyone hauls and works together on getting the sails up into the dancing wind. On a tack, I hear her exasperation as she fights to fill her sails by herself. That is, until the student crew scampers aft to the complaining main sheet, easing it out or sweating it in to alleviate Gamage’s frustration. All we can hear is the giggling of the thankful, happy rigging as the Harvey Gamage cuts through the rolling swells.

“Mid- Watch” By- Abi Campbell
As the waves threw themselves along her hull I braced myself on the griped anchor. Mr. Fleming called to set the outer jib, as I was hauling she took a huge breath of air lurching me forward. My exhausted arms and further exhausted mind begged for four o’clock. When I began down the companionway my rack, musty and ancient, smiled at me as I slowly laid my heavy head on my pillow.

“Ting” By- Dylan Troy
The green glass bottle hissed as I popped off the cap. Mist from the cold liquid inside rushed out and down the neck of the bottle. I took a minute to admire the beauty of the ice cold drink before touching it to my lips and indulging in my ting. Ting, the Caribbean grapefruit soda. My new favorite drink…I will miss it back in Maine.

“ Refreshment” By – Dan Dickenson
The bottle saw me when I came through the door. Sweat dripping down my face as I approached the cashier. I rang the shiny bell in anxious anticipation for service. I stared hard at that glistening green bottle. When the cashier came to me I became speechless in Spanish Town. The words came back to me as I pointed to the magic bottle. She took it out and my mouth dropped in the open air. My arm reached for the cold, shiny Ting. My dry lips puckered into the luminous emerald bottle. My dry taste buds were reminded of a day on the beach in the hot, dry Caribbean air.

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