Teacher Aboard

IN THE SPIRIT OF CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH

Presently we are at anchor in a small sheltered bay off the island of Nanji Liedao, which is 240 miles northeast of Xiamen. We had been powering through fog most of the day. At our rate of travel, we would have arrived in Xiamen too soon. In the interest of allowing the weather to pass and killing some time, Captain Miles decided to explore this anchorage. Explore turns out to be an appropriate (the right) word. As we neared the island near dusk, an armada (large group) of fishing vessels proved to be a continuing challenge to navigation.

With careful attention to the radar screen, Captain Miles and the watch captains picked our way through the fleet and between the field of pots and fish nets which filled the bay. As nets passed near Pride II's hull, there were times when it would have been incredibly easy to become the "catch of the day." Inching our way forward into the bay, we could hear the waves crashing on a nearby rocky shore which was totally hidden in the fog. The crew was silent as we looked blindly into the fog, only able to hear the waves and vaguely make out a few dim lights on shore. Finally satisfied with our position, Captain Miles ordered the first mate to drop the hook (anchor).

Most of the crew had gone below to their bunks when the excited voices of two boatloads of Chinese people could be heard rowing out to investigate this visitor to their bay. All of them were talking at once while they passed their flashlights over the ship and pointed to parts of the rig. In the darkness, all we could see were uniforms as they uttered "priest, priest" which later we determined to be an crude attempt at "police." In the tradition of Captain John Smith as he confronted natives in a new land, Captain Miles came on deck to greet this first delegation (group) of islanders. True to history, English was not understood. Persistent in the need to communicate, our visitors retreated to shore only to return with a translator. Captain Miles invited two members to come aboard which, due to poor communication, resulted in a swarm of boarders scrambling over the sides and onto the deck. In a slow, word by word fashion, Captain Miles preceded to try to explain that we were ambassadors from the city of Baltimore on a goodwill mission to China. Mirroring the difficulties of Captain John Smith who had come from over the horizon to discover new lands, Captain Miles could make very little understood except that in spite of our cannons, we were friendly. It was also determined that these were protected waters. However, as long as we did not go ashore, we could stay. For the moment at least, the Chinese were satisfied. As they rowed back to shore, Jason, the first mate summed up the emotion we felt by saying, "I guess this means they're not going to slit our throats."

SIGHTSEEING IN SHANGHAI

In contrast to many exciting adventures that ports provide, there is a sense of peacefulness about casting off the dock lines and heading to sea. There is always a reluctance to part ways with new friends. However, the frenzy of activity usually leaves the crew exhausted. Woven between the numerous tours, receptions, and open houses, the crew managed to get out to see the street markets, Buddhist temples, the Pearl of the Orient TV Tower, and Yu Gardens and Tea House. One of the crew's favorite discoveries was the Chinese Acrobat Show where performers amazed the audience with incredible tumbling routines and moving pyramids of people. Shanghai was good to us. After a long stretch at sea, the crew thoroughly enjoyed their time in port. Xie Xie (shay, shay - thank you) to our first Chinese port of call.

YU GARDENS

As Shanghai's growing number of skyscrapers reach for the sky, reminders of days when life was more simple rest at the feet of these modern monuments of glass and stone. Built in the 16th century, Yu Gardens, formerly a residence of royalty, is a major tourist attraction. Gazing out the second story window of the tea house, couples can share a pot of green tea while overlooking the delicately designed gardens which encircle a pond so full of goldfish that at first glance the water appears orange. The adjacent (next door) gardens are divided by walls which enclose different landscaping (plants) as a means of suggesting you have traveled to a different lands without every having to leave the property. The setting is tranquil despite the large crowds that fill the walkways and sit by the pond. The Chinese have a marvelous way of finding peacefulness though the sheer enjoyment of a setting without requiring total solitude (being alone). It is skill to be admired.

Shanghai is an economic center of activity in Asia. As such, business interests from throughout the world have offices here. American and European businessmen and their families who come here to live are called expatriates. The Shanghai-American School which I visited was filled with delightful children from these families. Ms. Joan Goodson, one of their teachers, had formerly taught at Rogers Forge Elementary in Baltimore County and had prepared an enthusiastic welcome for Pride II. As someone who knew the area, Ms. Goodson was also tremendously valuable helping us explore the sights in Shanghai.

I also had the opportunity to visit two semi-public Chinese schools, Shanghai's No 3 Girls Middle School and Jin Cai Middle School. Chinese middle schools actually enroll high school age students who are academically high achievers (good students). Both of these Chinese schools had a nice size population of students who spoke excellent English which made it a real pleasure to share stories about Pride II and answer their questions. You may be interested to know that Jin Cai Middle is a boarding school for 1,000 students Monday through Friday. The students attend classes all day and also in the evening, leaving very little free time. Dating is forbidden until college. No one expects to own a car (they are expensive to purchase and maintain). Typically when people need cars, they use drivers who are assigned cars owned by businesses. When time is available for sports, students enjoy basketball, soccer, and ping pong. Uniforms are worn. Classes are large enrolling 40 students per class.

Both of these schools had rooms of computers with increased Internet connections scheduled for next year. The instructors teach two or three classes daily, then spend the remainder of the day at their desk in a large teacher planning room. Due to concerns about population growth in China, these children have no brothers or sisters. Since they are the only "investment" in the future of their family, they take their academic studies very seriously.

CHILDREN'S PALACE

The Children's Palace is a school of fine arts where children attend classes on week nights and weekends. Instruction is given in ancients arts such as ballet, calligraphy, and musical instruments. It was immediately apparent that these children were very skilled in these areas even at a very young age.

A WEATHER MAP from Pride II's weather FAX

Click on the image for a larger view

Latitude: 28.55 North; Longitude: 122.15 East is represented by the blue star. Shanghai is located at the black dot just above the red line with the two red half circles. Coastlines are yellow.

A few days before our departure, the high pressure system ("H") at the top right corner of the map had been located over Shanghai. During the time Pride II was in Shanghai with the high pressure mentioned above, the weather had been dry and the sky clear. As the high moved to the northeast, a low moved in from the west. Pride II is now at the blue star just above the word Fog that is indicated on the map between Shanghai and the island of Taiwan (located in the lower center of the map).

Note on the map below the "H", the 1018 representing millibars of air pressure for this high pressure system. As this high moved northeast, a low pressure system (blue "L") of 1012 millibars, began to dominate (take over) the area just west of Shanghai. Around noon as Pride II left Shanghai (the black dot to the right of the "L"), she moved easterly toward the open water of East China Sea off the coast of China. The weather was dry and cool with low gray stratus (flat) clouds covering the entire sky. The gradual (slow) development of low clouds is a sign of an approaching warm front as shown by the red line with half circles. At this point, Pride II was located just north of this front. The winds were light at 7 to 10 knots ( Beaufort Force 3) from the north to northeast as the wind flowed from its clockwise and outward motion around the high to its counter clockwise and inward motion around the low.

By morning we had reached the boundary between the edge of the cool and warm air located at the red line. As the lighter warm air (note the 28 Celsius at the green square) rides over the dense cooler air (note the 13 Celsius at the red star), it began to condense (turn to water) to create a light misty rain and fog. Pride II is now located at the blue star below the warm front and the wind is from the south at 10 knots (note the station model at the green square). This southerly wind is flowing toward the low to eventually circle it in a counterclockwise and inward direction.

The continuing fog has made it challenging to navigate through large fleets of fishing boats. The radar screen, which shows the boats as green points of light, displays a maze of dots. The watch captains and Captain Miles have been using the radar to weave our way through the fleet. In the words of Captain Miles, "There are more Chinese out here than there are on land."

More soon,
Leslie Bridgett

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. How might our first meeting with inhabitants on the island of Nanji Leida compare to the experiences of Captain John Smith in the 1680s as he explored new lands in Chesapeake Bay?
2. If you wanted to show a visitor the city of Baltimore, or your home town, list four sights you would visit and describe why you made this choice.
3. How does Yu Gardens suggest you are in different places within a single garden?
4. Name a place that is enjoyable and peaceful for you even if it is crowded. Why is this so?
5. Describe some of the practices of the Buddhist religion.
6. Describe how you would feel about attending a Chinese middle school. Support your ideas with descriptions of the way of life at these schools.
7. How would uncontrolled population growth affect the area where you live?
8. If you could attend a fine arts school, what would you like to study and why?
9. Using the description in the section on the "weather fax," use arrows to draw the air flow around a high and low pressure system. (HINT: clockwise (toward the center), counter clockwise (away from the center).
10. What features of the weather map indicate to Captain Miles the wind direction?

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