Teacher Aboard

Friday, December 26, 1997

On December 26, 1997, I flew from Baltimore, Maryland to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Even though Baltimore has been having a mild winter, it cannot compare with Puerto Rico's day after Christmas, 85 degree weather. When I told the cab driver I needed a ride into Old San Juan to meet Pride of Baltimore II, he exclaimed, "the Pride, yes, yes, I know the boat. I went to open house there!" So the greatest cab driver in all Puerto Rico drove me directly to the ship and then helped me lug two boxes of needed supplies, sent from the Pride office in downtown Baltimore, my luggage, laptop computer, and digital camera onto Pride II.

I was greeted warmly by members of the crew and Captain Miles, who after asking for my passport and showing me to my cabin where I promptly stored my gear, directed me toward Fort El Moro. I wanted to try out the digital camera that our computer teacher at St. Paul's, Mona Miller, had so patiently taught me how to use. Taking shots is the easy part. Transferring them to a floppy disk to Fed-Ex to Mr. Bird in the Pride office is a little more tricky.

December 26 appeared to be a holiday for families. Many were strolling the Christmas tree decorated walkways directly across from the dock. As I walked toward the fort, I saw children in strollers, others roller blading in shorts and tees, dads helping with kite flying, a game of tag, and street vendors tempting everyone with cold drinks and ice cream. I paused and smiled, took a few pictures, and reminded myself that families with children are pretty much the same the world over. I trudged on towards the fort because I had a mission!

Christopher Columbus made his second trip to Puerto Rico on November 19, 1493, and claimed the island for Spain. It is ironic that Puerto Rico was the only place that Columbus would ever step foot on that would become part of what is now the United States. Spain needed to protect her interests -- to guard other Spanish lands to the west and south. El Moro was built in 1539 for that purpose.

Jutting out on a point high above the sea, this fort gave the Spaniards a definite strategic advantage. One hundred forty feet above the sea at the entrance of San Juan, El Moro flies three flags - the Spanish military, Puerto Rico, and the US. Now a national park, it provides a magnificent look out over the Bay and a place to stroll, picnic, climb, and recreate an historic image of a different time.

I met an 8 or 9 year old named, Miguel, last night. He was peering over the pier's railing trying to get a better look at Pride II. His father called to me because his son had some questions about the boat. Since Miguel spoke only Spanish and his father a little English, we had an interesting time talking about the ship. The one thing that language could not be a barrier to was the look in Miguel's eyes as he swept them over the stern of the boat. I've seen that look of admiration and longing to board in eyes from 8 to 80.

Tomorrow we depart Old San Juan and head south to Aruba where we will pick up Captain Dan Parrott who will be in charge of this vessel and her crew when they set sail for Hawaii.

Saturday, December 27, 1997

The 8 a.m. sail out of Old San Juan was uneventful until we started a marathon tack session that lasted until approximately 6:30 p.m. The entire crew was on duty for the day instead of the usual shifts. It took all eleven crew members to hoist and rotate the sails from port to starboard 11 times during the day in order to work with the wind. Needless to say, the crew was pretty tired when we broke for dinner. After dinner, we were organized into shifts - they call them watches on board. My watch was from 4 am until 8 am. I had a hard time staying awake and was happy to see my watch end so that I could crawl into my bunk to get the rest I needed for my 4 pm until 8 pm watch. The entire crew soon became driven by three things - sleep, eat, and stand watch. But then the cycle begins again - sleep, eat and stand watch - just twelve hours later.

Sunday, December 28, 1997

The crew is less tired today and getting back into the sleeping, eating, working routine they do so well. I have observed a higher level of energy and excitement over little things. "Sinker," also known as Mike, brought a little excitement to the afternoon when our watch discovered he had caught a fish on his unattended line. We yelled and gathered around to see just what might be on the hook. Sinker hauled in a 10 pound mahi-mahi just in time for Andy, the cook, to reorganize his plans for dinner.

The other event that heightened spirits was to learn it was a "free day for showers." In other words, anyone who wished could take a "Navy shower." A Navy shower is a way to conserve water and still get clean and refreshed. First you turn the water on just long enough to get wet all over. Then you turn the water off to soap up before turning the water back on just long enough to rinse. Water conservation at its finest! From here on, showers will be taken according to if you are a port or starboard crew member. You are assigned the port or starboard category for emergency purposes, as this designation lets you know if you should go to the lifeboat on the right (starboard) or left (port) side of the ship. I am "port" so no more showers for me until Tuesday!

Monday, December 29, 1997

We've had an active day at sea today, making good time, but with plenty of motion below deck. I haven't had a minute's trouble sleeping with the constant rocking except that I have been almost thrown out of my bunk several times. A crew member suggested I roll up the wool blankets I don't need in this 90+ degree temperature and put them under my mattress along the starboard edge. Once I tried that, I have slept like a baby in a crib. The only time I stir is when I hear a pot or a pan or some other bit of cutlery fly across the galley.

Sinker caught a flying fish today and promptly brought it over for me to see. I find all of the crew members to be natural born teachers. They quietly teach and instruct, sharing lots of information and "survival" tips for a novice like me. Jennifer, who has taught with Living Classrooms, announced that she was going to do a little fish painting after her watch. Several looked at her like she had been in the sun too long. Fish painting? I know many St. Paul's Summer School students will understand just what she had in mind. First she really did apply paint to the flying fish -- first on its outstretched wings and then to its body. She pulled out a clean white tee shirt and placed it right on top of the painted fish and bingo! she had a painted fish in the contour of the flying fish on her tee shirt. Several crew members took turns giving the fish a bath and repainting "him" to suit their artistic design. It was quite a successful "classroom at sea".

We docked in Aruba last night in the dark. I felt helpless trying to get around the ship and decided the best way I could help was to "get out of the way." I did THAT very well! It was late when I fell into my bunk only to stare into space wide eyed. I couldn't sleep! The boat wasn't moving! I wasn't rocking, or rolling to be more precise, as I had been for the last few nights. And besides that, I had to remove the lumpy side bar made of wool blankets that had kept me from falling out of my bunk before I could get comfortable. The crew did not have to stand watch last night so I slept until breakfast. I thought that, since the boat was successfully docked, the crew would all go into Aruba to sightsee and shop a little. Wrong! When the ship is in port, everyone works to get the ship back into shape for the next leg of the journey because we have the time to devote to cleaning and repair. It's a lot easier to work and clean on a boat that isn't constantly moving.

Amy, the Second Mate, got out supplies stored in her "ditty bag," a canvas sailor's storage bag, and made repairs to a sail. First Mate Jason made skillful repairs to some rigging. Summer, deckhand, was everywhere with a mop, broom, cleaning supplies, and energy. I took a couple of pictures of her standing on the stove in order to clean the copper wall behind the stove in the galley. Kelly, another deckhand, was washing down the entire deck trying to get rid of the salt that had accumulated in only three days since the previous wash down.

Of course the crew and the ship needed shade while in port, so it was awning raising time. This is a procedure I witnessed on our run to Norfolk earlier in the year. The crew is master at setting sail, but just mention the word AWNING and, well, needless to say, it's not their favorite duty. I must say all those "awning raising drills" Captain Miles is reported to have called paid off. The procedure took much less time today and the end results received rave reviews from Captain Miles.

Dan and Sinker scrubbed the walls and floor down below. Again, this is necessary to get rid of the salt a vessel accumulates. Andy, the cook, and I tackled the galley just in time for Andy to be inventive with a quick lunch. You see, hard work does have its rewards. TIME OFF -- two hours to walk around Aruba before coming back to the ship for, you guessed it, the work necessary for leaving Aruba!

The crew is amazing. No matter what the task, they respond willingly and with enthusiasm. I wonder what they said in school about homework. I'll have to ask that question tomorrow.

More soon.
Your Sub Aboard
Dee Shugert

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. Ms. Shugert was able to communicate with Miguel and his father, although they shared little common language. Try to communicate to friend something you are excited about. What other means of communication do we find besides words to express ourselves?
2. Ms. Shugert recorded her impressions day-by-day in her log. She recorded those things that struck her as unusual, although they might be very usual for the crew. Imagine that you are Miguel, the boy Dee Shugert tried to communicate with in San Juan. Record impressions that Miguel might have if he lived in your house for a week. Write down these impressions in a log day-by-day. At the end of the week, review "Miguel's" log. How is your house and your life unusual for an outsider?
3. Why does the crew have to be so careful to conserve water, i.e. taking "Navy showers," when there is so much water all around?
4. Why did Ms. Shugert have trouble sleeping the night the ship docked in Aruba, when it wasn't rocking and rolling around?
5. If you only had two hours to see Aruba, what would you like to do there?

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