A Note from the Captain

From the Captain

October 29, 2010

Well I’ve left it long enough. We are in Samana, The Dominican Republic, and the students are now well immersed in the ways of the sea they have ( for the most part) learned Port from Starboard, Aft from Forward, And Below deck from Above.

Not that the road is easy if you have a student or friend aboard You must know they have had to work hard for their introduction not only cleaning Heads (toilets) and helmsanship(steering) and Navigating( finding our way) but all the other studying that goes with school.

After a slow start being stuck by weather in Mystic we went like a train bound for the Chesapeake bay However like all true voyages your destination isn’t always what you intended and yet more Fall weather decided our fate, ever at the mercy of the sea, we took her hint and made our way around Cape Hatteras and the other” Fearsome” capes to Charleston SC . Catching Fish and steering large making sometimes a steady 9 kts or 3 depending.

Charleston as always a welcome stop getting our mail bills for me and cookies for everyone else.

My time is passed by the pure pleasure of watching a student like Megan catch her first fish, Brooks comes back into form from a former voyage, Cat is a genius at Navigation, Janelle always has the first answer to a math problem and shows off her new found “guns” Ian perseveres through seasickness and manages to keep up. So many small victories and my heart swells with pride as one watch tacks the ship.

One such incident on this last passage from Fla. to the DR the watch informs me of some nasty squall ahead, you can see some wind in it,(a lot!) so in my calm Captain voice I say “ take in your jibs” and next I know they are down. Then I’m thinking “ Maybe the Mainsail” To a sailor when you think it you should do it. So “take in the main” and the students are on it. Its done as if by professionals During this Squall the wind was so hard the rain hurt when it hit you.

If only you could see what I see You would be so proud. So happy.

Fair winds, Captain Flansburg