        
|
Teacher Aboard Logs |
|
Ronnie and I got suited up quickly. Ronnie is a member of the volunteer lifeboat team and owns the Fastnet Bed and Breakfast in Baltimore. The crew is very serious about their safety gear and strapping in when in rough seas - something I was about to learn well! |
| With everybody suited up, we set out for Pride II. By the time we got there, the engine had been restarted and it was determined that our assistance was not needed. So the lifeboat crew decided to take the boat out of the harbor to find out just how bad the conditions were. This shot was taken from Pride II as we went by. |
|
I had no idea what to expect. I was invited to move forward to try to take photos through the windshield while being rocked around by the seas. I was startled when one of the crewmembers grabbed my harness from behind and anchored me down. Then he pointed out the window at what was coming and explained that we needed to keep ourselves from being slammed into the ceiling when going over giant waves and dropping off the other side.
|
Then I turned to look ahead and this is what I saw! We climbed up the wave and several more just like it. |
| The waves were approaching 22 feet in height. This one came right at us! The lifeboat seemed to stop and rise vertically up the wave just before it broke. The pilot throttled back and we went down the other side. What a roller coaster ride this was! |
|
|
When the boat turned to reenter the harbor, I couldn't see anything due to the height of the waves. As we made it through the opening, this is all we could see of Pride II. She was riding out the storm fairly well, but it was taxing on the captain and crew. We returned the lifeboat to the boathouse and went back into town to follow Pride II's progress. The wind had gusted up to 68 knots during the height of the storm, but she was surviving due to the skills of everybody onboard. I watched her throughout the evening as the storm raged on. |
The next day brought the promise of a break in the weather as the barometer started to climb and the winds began to decrease. The captain called ashore to request that the passenger crewmembers take the afternoon ferry out to the other side of the harbor where we would be picked up by dinghy and returned to the boat once again. All went as planned, and here we are getting ready to make our break. What a wild week this has been!
Goodbye Captain Miles
This was also the port where Captain Jan Miles was scheduled to leave the ship, and Captain Dan Parrott was to take over the command. I asked Captain Miles for a few minutes of his precious time so I could tell you a little bit about him.
| Here he is posing with a copy of a local Maryland newpaper, the Dundalk Eagle, in front of the village sign. The Eagle printed a great story about Pride II's visit to Ireland. |
|
Captain Miles grew up travelling overseas because his father worked in the Foreign Service. He has a sister who works in Project Management in the field of corporate interior design. As a youngster of fifteen, he lacked focus and was not a great student. Searching for a way to help, his father arranged for him to take a short trip as an unpaid volunteer crewmember on a sailboat delivery trip. Jan enjoyed it so much, he asked to stay on longer! From 1976 until 1981, young Miles worked on various delivery crews, honing his skills and discovering enjoyment in the field. He obtained his commercial license at eighteen, and now holds the equivalent of Ocean Master for 500 Ton Vessels with an Auxiliary Sail Endorsement.
His serious progression toward becoming a captain began when he became the mate aboard the ship Brilliant in Mystic Seaport. He moved to Pride of Baltimore as a temporary replacement captain and worked with Pride of Baltimore, Inc. on and off for several years. In 1988 he became a permanent part of the organization.
|
When asked what he liked best about sailing on Pride II, he responded by saying, "the variety of travel locations." He favors the ports in New England for their variety. However, his favorite port is Baltimore, Ireland - except for the rough weather and shallow water in the harbor! |
| Captain Miles is now taking a vacation in Ireland for a week or two, after which he'll return home and prepare for his next set of adventures aboard Pride II. I shall miss his sense of humor and the patience he showed while answering all my questions during my travels with him. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, and goodbye! |
|
Soon I hope to introduce you to Captain Parrott, the other half of the talented team of captains that command Pride II.
|
Until then, I'll say goodbye as we head south to Lisbon, Portugal. From there we'll sail southwest to Madeira, then onward across the Atlantic Ocean. So, here's to warmer weather! |
Your Teacher Aboard,
Lee Vogtman
YOUR THOUGHTS
- What is hypothermia and how does it gradually affect the body?
- What can be done to delay the affects of hypothermia?
- In many small towns across America, we have organizations similar to the volunteer lifeboat crews I described. What are they, and how are they similar?
- How does a barometer work?
- What are the physical differences between a high pressure system and a low pressure system?
- Why does Ireland get such extreme weather at times?
Return to Part 1 of the October 4, 2000
