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DATE:	Monday, June 29. 1998
TIME:	0430 GMT; 1330 Local Time
POSITION:	Sailing coastwise between Osaka and Nagoya
CONDITIONS:	Speed: Variable, between 3.5 and 6.5 knots Course: Full and by northeast Weather: Fair, hot and not enough wind. East, Force 3 and veering Sea State: east, one foot; slight southwesterly swell. Barometric Pressure: 1006 millibars and slowly falling Sky: clear. 24 Hr. Position: Ise Wan (the enclosed bay near Nagoya) 24 Hr. Weather: southeast, Force 3.
ENTERED BY:	Captain Dan Parrott

Greetings from the south coast of Honshu, Japan!

We are presently making our way from Osaka, our first official port of call in Japan, toward Nagoya, our second scheduled visit. We departed Osaka yesterday, Sunday, after an extravagant farewell ceremony featuring speeches, performances, and music. We were showered with gifts and sent on our way. We motored through the night with occasional sail assist. After several months in the enclosed waters of the China Sea, the Korean Strait, and the Inland Sea of Japan, we are back out in the wide open Pacific for a while. This morning, while ghosting along before a very light southwesterly, we experienced a sudden wind shift to northeast, Force 4, dead ahead. At first it appeared to complicate our designs as it was too stiff to motor against efficiently but posed the worst possible angle for getting toward Nagoya. Then the breeze abruptly began to veer into the east and then east by south. So we cracked on the mainsail, then the top'gallant, followed by the jib topsail, and the main gaff topsail. Now we are gliding along, almost making good our course. The breeze has dropped some, and we may end up motoring yet. At least we have had a chance to shake out the kites, shut down the engines, and do what PRIDE II does best - sail!

Arriving at Osaka

When I last wrote, we were enjoying a day or so anchored in a snug little cove off the main shipping thoroughfare in the "Naikai," the Inland Sea of Japan. We got underway on the evening before our scheduled arrival in Osaka to cover the seventy-odd miles that remained of our passage from Pusan. With very little wind either with us or against us, we proceeded along the shipping lanes through the night, weaving our way through fleets of slow moving fishing vessels and staying clear of the "big boys" barreling along on their way to load or discharge cargo at the many industrial ports that fringe the Naikai.

As morning came on, a thick drizzle and a feisty headwind greeted us and threatened to spoil our arrival. But, as PRIDE II approached the Osaka seabuoy, several pleasure craft packed with passengers bearing colorful banners emerged from the murk. They were flashing peace signs, grinning, and waving their message of welcome. Upon approaching the harbor, the headwind subsided somewhat allowing us to set a few dripping sails. Passing the lighthouse at the harbor mouth, the first of four cannon shots announced to Osaka that PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II had arrived!

The local fireboat was standing by to greet us with technicolor geysers of water. At one stage the display was so intense that the fireboat completely disappeared behind a curtain of green, then red, now blue froth that shot eighty feet into the sky. Osaka has made a bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, and the people of that city took this opportunity to show their enthusiasm for that aspiration by discharging the Olympic colors skyward.

Once in view of our berth, we took in sail to the strains of a brass band playing on the quay. When the concussion of our final cannon faded, we went alongside the pontoon berth where around 300 people were looking on in an absolutely torrential downpour. We quickly cleared Customs and Immigration and stepped ashore to a hero's welcome.

After some kind words from the Director of the Port of Osaka, we were presented with a stunning bouquet. While we stood there dripping beneath a tent, our attention turned to a group of 25 kindergartners who proceeded to execute a taiko drumming performance. Taiko is an elaborately synchronized and very physical drumming and chanting art form. Despite the deluge, these children never flinched from their purpose. It was an awesome performance indeed.

It would be nigh impossible to describe the variety of activities in which the crew participated during the week at Osaka. Two things that make Osaka different from any other port that PRIDE II has visited in Asia are: the presence of a sail training tradition; and a volunteer network that supports visiting Tall Ships. The focus of sail training in Osaka is the AKOGARE, a three masted topsail schooner. (Note: this is a link to "Sail Osaka 1997," a race in which AKOGARE participated. At the very bottom of the main page is a link to a photo of AKOGARE. Also, click on Participating Boats, then scroll down to Class AII/B, then click on "Akogare" for more information.)

The AKOGARE sails throughout Japan in the summer carrying trainees of all ages for trips of varying duration. She has also sailed internationally. Although the AKOGARE was away on a voyage during our visit, the organization stepped forward to render assistance to us and generally shoot the breeze about traditional sailing. We lay at the AKOGARE's berth throughout our stay. The volunteer network in Osaka traces its roots to last year's Sail Osaka '97 Tall Ships event. It was the largest such event ever held in Osaka and was hugely successful, in no small part due to the efforts of volunteers. These volunteers re-activated themselves to host PRIDE II when it became known that we were coming. All of these people, along with the Port Authority and many others, made PRIDE II very welcome. We could not help but notice that there is an enthusiasm for sailing ships in Osaka, and many people were prepared to get involved. A third matter of marine interest that makes Japan, in general, unique in Asia is the existence of pleasure craft and yachts of both the sailing and the stink-pot variety. Pleasure boating and yachting are still not big in Japan as compared with America or Europe; however, it does exist in a small but vibrant form. This makes for a very noticeable change when plying the local waters on the weekends. Preparations are afoot to host the Osaka Cup, a double-handed yacht race from Melbourne, Australia, to Osaka in 1999.

OSAKA, JAPAN

There were also a number of parties and outings for us, including an excursion to the ancient city of Nara for all of the crew. But one of the most memorable occasions was not a planned event at all. It was the harbor tour aboard the fireboat that had escorted us in on the first day. Nearly all of PRIDE II's crew were able to join in for an evening cruise with the fireboat team. The Sail Osaka volunteers provided translation as we glided past the city lights, a 350 Ferris wheel, an aquarium strikingly similar to Baltimore's (same designer), and a stadium lit up for a night baseball game.

The closing scene of the evening was our crew dressed head to toe in fire fighting gear posing with nozzles. Deckhand Jennifer Muther reports that the Ferris wheel is worth the trip. A ticket buys you 16 minutes of vertical twirling aboard this behemoth.

Our penultimate crew change for the ASIA WITH PRIDE Tour took place at Osaka. Deckhand and Fisherman Extraordinaire, Michael "Sinker" McCreery, cast off lines for home last week. We owe many a fine fish dinner to his skill and effort. Engineer John Shellenberger also flew home from Osaka, though he had been relieved in Pusan, Korea. Both will be missed. Only the durable Ms. Muther remains now of the original crew that sailed from Baltimore last December. Jennifer is now serving as Assistant Engineer in addition to her usual deckhand duties. We gained Deckhand Mike Lawnsby to replace Sinker. We encountered Mr. Lawnsby while passing through Hawaii in February when he was working on the three-masted topsail schooner TOLE MOUR, along with Caroline Smith who is also sailing with us now. Mike sailed aboard PRIDE II for a short while last autumn. Crew change is a fact of life aboard a schooner. With the changing of the guard, something is always lost and something always gained. The old familiarity and unity give way to a new dynamic. Skills are lost, skills are gained. A favorite shipmate is missed. A new shipmate adds welcome energy and enthusiasm.

This Captain's Log entry would be lacking if it did not mention the invaluable contribution of Deckhand Pamela Coughlin. Pamela lived with her husband in Tokyo for two years in the early 1990s, during which time she attained a high degree of fluency not only in the Japanese language but also in the culture. She has tirelessly translated on our behalf and explained the nuances of this remarkable culture and the mechanics of daily life. On one occasion she accompanied ship's cook, Tina Koch, on an expedition through the local markets to assist in identifying the truly remarkable array of peculiar and delicious foods that are available here, but seldom seen outside Japan. Pamela has given the crew guidance with phrases and also explained the subtleties between different expressions. For example, as in English, gratitude can be expressed in Japanese with a spectrum of formality, depending on the circumstances. Pamela has helped us get the hang of this kind of thing, while also translating when the need arises. Errors of pronunciation and vocabulary are inevitable though, even for the maestro. Such a thing occurred when Pamela explained to a cluster of bewildered and horrified Japanese that she had been walking down the street when a very large and ferocious sea urchin ran out of an alley and started barking at her. She was very frightened. So were they.

Osaka was a hectic, fun-filled week. We received many gifts from our hosts, but none greater than the overwhelming sense of friendship and the sincere desire to reach out to us and the spirit of this sailing ambassador, the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II.

Watch Below,
Captain Daniel S. Parrott

Greetings from the Inland Sea of Japan!

We are anchored in a snug little cove just off the shipping lanes en route to Osaka, Japan, from Pusan, Korea. We have a dreary day above us but we are enjoying the opportunity from our busy in-port schedule to clean up the interior of PRIDE II and review safety procedures. A number of new crew, many of them returning PRIDE II veterans, have joined the ship in the last few weeks, making this an auspicious opportunity for "spring cleaning" and re-visiting important safety items.

Its great to be back aboard PRIDE II! I re-joined the ship in Pusan, Korea on June 10. After spending several days with Captain Miles going over ship's business, I took command on June 15. When I was last aboard, back in February, it was in a relief captain capacity. I sailed the ship from the Panama Canal in the month of January, arriving in Honolulu in early February. I spent a week and a half aboard her in Hawaii until Captain Miles came back aboard to take the ship to Asia. While he has been sailing throughout the Orient, I have been back at the University of Rhode Island completing my Master's degree in Marine Affairs. Upon graduating in May, I immediately packed my bags, and here I am. This time for good. Captain Miles and I will maintain an ongoing rotation, which has been the custom for PRIDE II almost since the beginning of her life. Yep, it's great to be back.

PRIDE II has had an intense schedule ever since leaving Baltimore in December, but the crew has been working hard to hold the line in the maintenance department. The Pusan schedule was relatively light, enabling the crew to carry out some important maintenance tasks. The ship looks as good as can be expected and continues to be manned by a crew of topnotch seafarers, though there have been many changes since I was last aboard in February. In addition to the crew changes of recent weeks, several more new crew came aboard with me in Pusan. These are Chief Mate Wesley Heerssen, relieving Jason Quilter; Engineer Mike Rogers, relieving John Shellenberger; and Deckhand Pamela Coughlin, relieving Summer O'Malley.

Saturday, June 20, 1998

Life aboard PRIDE II is as varied and busy as ever. I will try to summarize the events of recent days. We sailed from Pusan on the evening of June 16. The wind was light but favorable and we crossed the Korean Strait through the night, passing through squadrons of squid fishers. Unlike farther south in Asia, these vessels were lit up intensely, and it seemed as if we were sailing through a sea of drive-in movie theatres. The sea remained quiet and we made a comfortable crossing upon waters which only a few days earlier were quite rough. We are carrying a few supernumeraries: former engineer John Shellenberger is riding along to Japan with us and continues to be an asset. Today he is diving on the hull to replace some zinc anodes. Captain Jan Miles also is riding along to fulfill his longstanding desire to see the Inland Sea, and to render services to the vessel once in Japan. And of course, our redoubtable Teacher-at-Large, Leslie Bridgett is with us.

We made landfall in the Southwestern part of Japan at mid morning in a very heavy haze. Massive freighters emerged both ahead and behind us and a shark swam lazily alongside for awhile. We reduced sail so as to deliberately bring our speed down to about three knots because it was important to time our arrival with a slack tidal current. There is a narrow, winding passage called the Kanmon Kaikyo that separates two of Japan's main islands of Honshu and Kyushu. The Kanmon Kaikyo is about 12 miles long and is the only outlet on the western side of Japan that connects the Inland Sea to the wider body of water to the west known as the Sea of Japan.

The tidal currents flow through this constriction point at rates approaching 10 knots when it reaches maximum; the best speed PRIDE II can hope to motor is about 8 knots. If we arrived with the tide strongly against us, it would be a very slow transit, forcing us to burn a great deal of fuel. If we arrived with the tide strongly behind us, it might be a quick transit, but we would have little control over the vessel because the rudder becomes ineffective if water is not flowing past it from bow to stern. The entire body of water would be moving at such a rate that the vessel would be swept along like a leaf on a brook. The Japanese understand the situation, having lived with it for so long, and have erected enormous tidal signals that indicate precisely what the tide is doing, and what its trends are at any given moment. These signal station are like oversized electronic scoreboards standing on the surrounding hillsides. Using these, in conjunction with the Tidal Current Tables that we have on board, we were able to arrive at the optimum time for a safe transit. The optimum situation for dealing with strong current, both at Kanmon Kaikyo, and in most places, is to arrive with a little bit of tide against you, just before slack water. A little bit of tide against you gives good rudder control, without fighting a lot of turbulence. About halfway through the choke point, the tide went completely slack, so our speed picked up, and then toward the end the tide was turning in our favor and spat us into the Inland Sea in the late afternoon.

Tide isn't the only concern in this region. As with any navigable choke point, the volume of shipping is intense. Big ships, little ships, tugboats, barges, fishing boats, work boats, and one Baltimore Clipper! Once we were in the Inland Sea, the bulk of this shipping traffic was domestic. As foretold to us, the Japanese navigators were "very well behaved," meaning they abided by the maritime Rules of the Road. Although many large vessels passed by closer than we were accustomed to, which sometimes gave us the willies, they were never erratic or threatening. We steamed on through the night in a generally easterly direction. Although I was called several times during the night, it was mostly on points of information, and the passage continued on in a mercifully uneventful fashion.

The Inland Sea is an enclosed body of water formed by three of Japan's largest islands. It is about 230 miles long and about 30 miles wide at its widest point. In places it expands into wide open basins where it can become quite choppy if there is a breeze. In other places it narrows or becomes broken up by random patterns of islands. Japan is volcanic and these islands reflect that history with the occasional perfectly formed cone and deep crescent shaped bays. Lovely as these surroundings are, the Inland Sea is also very populated and industrial. The shipping channel that runs down the middle is a maritime equivalent of Interstate 95 on the east coast of the US. A ceaseless parade of shipping is on the move both day and night. Though not formally designated, in practice there is even a slow lane, a passing lane, and a travelling lane. When a vessel approaches its destination, it glides off on an angle like descending an exit ramp. Likewise, when joining the fairway, a ship must gauge its speed so as not to interfere with the ships that are under way in the channel.

We passed through the other major choke point of the Inland Sea, Kurusima Kaikyo, at noon on June 18, and found it reminiscent of Hell's Gate in New York, where Long Island Sound meets the East River. A massive new bridge, evidently the largest suspension bridge in the world, was being erected overhead. Though we arrived shortly before slack water, powerful eddies shoved our bow this way and that way as we passed along the rocky shore. After making it through, we got a lucky break. We were able to time our progress with the currents so well that we got a little ahead of schedule and have been able to anchor for a day. We found a hospitable little bay in the lee of an island, just off the shipping lanes. You could think of it as a scenic rest stop.

It rained sporadically all day yesterday as a low pressure system passed to our north. Though in one sense dreary, the weather lent a spectacular and mystical appearance to the surrounding landscape as green peaks poked up here and there above layers of mist and cloud. We put the time to use by scrubbing the interior of the ship, and then during the afternoon, there was an all-hands safety session led by the three watch officers. Chief Mate Wes Heerssen led the section on shipboard firefighting and prevention; Second Mate Jen Huggins discussed Man Overboard responses; Bosun Chris Flansburg lectured on Abandon Ship and Survival at Sea. Afterward we ran a couple of drills and tested equipment, which is a routine part of PRIDE II's operation.

Today is a gleaming blue-sky day which we will put to use by varnishing the bright work. This evening we will haul up the anchor and make sail eastward to Osaka before a fair west wind. Tomorrow we will pass the breakwater at the stroke of noon for our first port of call in Japan. That's it for now.

Watch Below,
Captain Dan Parrott

Greetings,

I have been relieved by my new partner, Captain Dan Parrott. Dan came out from Baltimore to Pusan, Korea, six days ago and we have spent the time since sharing information. He is now Captain of PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II and I am a passenger. So this will be my last log to you as Captain for a while - I'll just bring you up to date about our passage to and visit in Korea.

I am staying aboard for the transit to Osaka, Japan. I don't want to miss the passage through the Middle Sea of Japan, which I hear and read is fascinating for its beauty. So as PRIDE negotiates the inland sea with its narrow channels, very fast currents (a reported 10 knots at times), many islands, and heavy shipping traffic, I am looking forward sitting back and relaxing while Captain Dan concentrates on piloting the ship. I am looking forward to the change of pace.

Getting to Korea

I left you last during PRIDE's passage from Taiwan to South Korea -- a trip that will live with me as one of the bigger miscalculations of this Asian Tour. Instead of getting southerly winds, we got northeast winds. We even got some heavy weather and a good shot of the ol' adrenaline when a tropical low appeared on the weather maps. But the inclement weather passed, as it eventually does, and we got underway again. But just as I thought we were going to be on time after a two day delay hoved-to in the middle of the East China Sea, we got hit by another bit of poor weather. This time it was in the form of a low pressure system that came from China as we neared the Korean coast. Sadly, it halted us in our tracks and we had to heave-to again. The frustrating thing about this event was we were only 30 miles from getting into sheltered waters. But the fuel we carried on board had gotten pretty low due to the long slog up-wind from Taiwan, a distance of about 700 nautical miles. During this new blow, I could not figure out what the wind was going to do. In the end, it gave us a mixed bag of conditions that were all calculated to test my patience mightily.

So we got another chance to practice our heaving-to -- this time with a reefed main and the forestaysail set. Only this time the forestaysail was not backed. With the forestaysail sheeted in as it would normally be if we were sailing, and the reefed mainsail sheeted in tight, PRIDE fore-reached a little and, in general, drifted to the lee quarter (about 130 degrees from the bow) while riding pointed near the wind (60-30 degrees) most of the time. She oscillated more than with the mainsail alone (when she sits nearly steady at 60 degrees to the wind), but not so much as she would with the forestaysail backed. After a while, as conditions changed with the passing low, we took the forestaysail down and rode with just the reefed mainsail. She rode just like she did when the mainsail had been set full back in the middle of the East China Sea. And she drifted straight back down wind in the same manner she did previously. The overall conditions near Korea were stronger than they had been in the East China Sea, so it was warranted to reef the mainsail. My concern that the windage forward could present a problem when hoved-to with a reefed main seems to have been unfounded. So, maybe it was a good experience to have had this second bit of heavy weather, as it helped teach us something. But being hove-to again did not help our schedule for arriving in Korea!

As it turned out, we were delayed a full day beyond the time we were scheduled to arrive. But the official welcome was not to occur until the day after our declared arrival. So we had a little extra time. This proved very handy and we finally made our destination, Tongyong, a mere four hours before the official Welcome Ceremony.

As we made our entry into the Tongyong area, the weather cleared from the west and the air dried up but remained calm. We got to see our surroundings clearly for the first time in a couple of days. The south coast of South Korea is quite similar to the coast of Maine. The islands tend to be very tall, however, and they come nearly straight out of the water. But the coloring is the same with lots of pine trees and rocky shores. True to the Asian experience we have been having out here, there were no yachts about, but there was lots of commercial traffic and fishing vessels. There were also plenty of fish farm buoys (it was good that we did not try coming in while it was dark). The charts do not indicate the location of these in-water fish farms and we just might have gotten tangled in them.

Tongyong, Korea

The Welcome Ceremony took place on schedule just before noon on June 3. After the speeches and customary exchange of gifts, our audience came aboard for a look around. But this did not last long as our hosts, which included the Vice Governor of Kyongsangnam-do, a province of South Korea and a Sister State of Maryland, had a lunch planned for the crew of PRIDE, and all hands needed to leave the ship and get aboard the bus waiting to take us to the restaurant.

This lunch turned out to be much more traditional than we could have anticipated. In the restaurant we were shown to a private room which held two long tables with enough place settings for the whole crew and an equal number of hosts from both our sister state of Kyongsangnam-do and the city of Tongyong. The difference in the presentation this time was the short legs of the tables. This was to be our first experience with sitting cross legged for a meal. It was also the first time we were faced with the tradition of taking off our shoes before entering the dining room. The whole scene was quite handsome with a basically wooden decor and splashes of color. The tables had charcoal burners inset every six persons or so. The burners were stainless steel and designed to complement the tables which sported many dishes of differing foods. For two hours we were treated to the traditions and the rituals of Korean dining and Korean food. In this case, we (with a lot of help from our hosts) cooked much of the food right at the table. The main course was a delicious marinated beef sliced into thin strips for barbecuing. The meat was complemented with many vegetables that were also barbecued, as well as different kinds of kimchee scattered around the table. Then it was back to the ship to move her to her more permanent berth at a marina across the Tongyong harbor.

When we made this shift across the harbor, I was able to further appreciate our surroundings. Tongyong is a city of about 100,000. Fishing and aquaculture (fish farming) are its biggest industries with tourism second, but increasing steadily. What interested me most were the numerous slipways located around the shore. Slipways are concrete runways that angle into the water and permit vessels to be hauled up out of the water for maintenance or for launching new ones. There must have been 30-40 different slipways for vessels of various sizes -- from small fishing boats to 600 foot cargo vessels.

I can't say I have ever seen a location with so many vessels hauled out of the water at one time. We also got the chance to appreciate the clean harbor water. During lunch we learned of the special status given to the Tongyong waters by the American Food and Drug Administration. This designation by the FDA permits seafood to be exported directly to the States. And it sure helps to keep the general surroundings handsome too!

The harbor and town are backed by green wooded hills that give the area a lot of extra beauty. With the new and crisp wind that came up during the middle of the day from the west, and clear sky, the whole scene was breathtaking.

Our somewhat relaxed scheduled in Tongyong gave us our first real chance to get at some needed cosmetic maintenance. The first thing was cleaning the hull which was showing a nasty line of some white waxy substance six inches high all around the ship. Thankfully, it came off readily. We surmised it was picked up at our dockage in Keelung. Our location there had been at the confluence of two city flash flood rivers. These two waterways were not set up for boating but did go right through downtown. I think that the many street cafes along those waterways dumped their cleaning water right into the harbor, and maybe the water had a lot of dissolved food fat in it. If so, the fat could easily have coated the hull. But it was not noticeable till we got into cooler water temperatures and the fat turned white with the drop in temperature (the water temperature in Keelung was near 75 degrees -- in Tongyong it was 55 degrees).

The Koreans in Tongyong were markedly different in their response to seeing PRIDE than anywhere we had been since arriving in Asia. All day long and well into the evening, there was a steady crowd of onlookers. Some of them seemed to think it was all right just to come aboard, even after dark. The crew showed the patience of Job when escorting them back to the dock. None of our uninvited visitors were rude or resistant while being chased off. Instead, they persisted in assuming their curiosity had a right to be satisfied and remained on the dock looking on. Thankfully none of the bold ones tried a second time. But over the six days of our stay, there was always a number of people that made the leap aboard, only to be escorted off.

Fortunately we had Open Houses on Saturday and Sunday during the weekend so the curiosity of many could be properly satisfied. This was only the second out of six ports so far where we were permitted to do this. With warm weather and clear skies, those Open Houses were very well attended - we hosted over 3,200 visitors during two sunny afternoons!

Crew Changes

Two of our trusty and intrepid outbound crew left us in Tongyong. Samantha Heyman and Dan Nelson flew home. They were replaced by Caroline Smith and Kathryn C. (KC) Hinkley. Both are newcomers to PRIDE but have strong seagoing experience. KC is somewhat new to traditional sailing ships but has recently spent a semester at sea with a college program aboard one of two big steel schooners operated by Sea Education Association out of Wood's Hole, Massachusetts. Caroline has many days on traditional vessels on Chesapeake Bay as well as the coast of Maine and Hawaii.

Also joining PRIDE in Tongyong was Jennifer Huggins. Jen has been a crew member on PRIDE on a number of occasions, the last being the European Campaign of 1996. She comes back to us as second mate, replacing Amy Strange who had to leave us in Taiwan earlier than planned for family reasons.

Kyongsangnam-Do Province

On Monday before our departure from Tongyong, our hosts from our Sister State of Kyongsangnam-do arranged for the whole crew to go on an all-day tour of the province by bus. We saw quite a bit of country side which is lushly green and mountainous where it is not being intensely cultivated in rice paddies.

We were away from the ship between 1030 A.M. and 930 P.M. We had an hour for lunch, an hour for a tour of one of Korea's three oldest Buddhist temples, a half hour tour of the seat of government of our Sister State, followed by a two hour supper with our friend, the Vice Governor. The rest of the time was spent in the bus. The day could have been even longer had we not been able to get taxis to take us the last 45 minute drive to the ship after the bus developed serious transmission trouble. I never assumed we would be able to find four taxis at the same time, out in the country, at 9 PM, willing to drive one way some 45 minutes. But they were found by our very resourceful translator, Kelly Park, and quite quickly too. A good thing, because the next day we were off for our second Korean stop, Pusan.

Getting to Pusan

The run to Pusan is only 60 nautical miles. I had been looking carefully at the charts studying the most interesting route we might take to get there. The numerous islands that make up the south coast of South Korea offer fjord-like channels to pass through on the way. Our American charts showed a number of high tension power cables spanning several of the channels I was thinking of using. The charts showed the clearances of the cables, but I was suspicious of their accuracy. So I spent some time getting the true heights of the cables. It was disappointing to discover that the American charts were so out of date or in error that three of the six wires were actually a full third lower than our chart indicated. The other three were only ten percent wrong. But only one of them was wrong by being higher than the true cable height. And then there was the wire not indicated on the American chart at all! Needless to say, with these cables too low for PRIDE to pass under, we stuck to the main body of water which did not present any wires to worry about.

On our way to Pusan the crew took time to drill on various sail evolutions, i.e. setting sail, striking sail, furling sail, re-setting, and sailing. We also did quite a bit of tacking against the wind and rain coming in from the northeast (another low system was passing by!) This time it was not a strong system and we kept going in the lumpy sea outside of the island-strewn coastline.

By dark the crew had gotten a lot of practice sailing but we were not getting very far along our route. So we took in all sail, except the mainsail, and motored on toward Pusan. At one point after dark, we had a problem with our starboard propeller. Whatever was wrong, it was not performing properly. In fact it prevented the engine from achieving normal RPM. I feared the propeller had somehow broken. Being an automatic feathering type, it could do something like that and then prevent the engine from getting full RPM. So we turned off the motor and proceeded with the port propeller. In the lumpy sea and the wind, it was a bit of a struggle. But we had the mainsail up and set the forestaysail to provide some compensation for the weather helm that the mainsail created. Thankfully, we did not have far to go -- only 25 miles with some 14 hours to do it in.

After dawn we hove-to again and sent John, our engineer, and another diver aboard to look at the propeller problem. They found that it was a discarded piece of fishing net. It was big enough and strong enough to remain attached to the propeller and prevent it from being cut adrift by the special cutting blades attached to the propeller shaft, which are designed to prevent ropes from fouling the propellers. Once John cut the net away, the starboard propeller was back in operation again and off we went. I was much relieved that our problem was so easily fixed and did not occur in really rough water.

Our entry into Pusan was a real sail and competes with Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Hong Kong for being a great harbor to enter under sail. The occasion had wind from a favorable quarter with enough force to make it fun for PRIDE's crew. We even had our first sailing escort since being in Asia! It was another foreigner like us -- a 67 foot English sloop that sailed out to accompany us in. She was there on behalf of the Global Challenge organization that organizes races around the world for amateurs. These global races are unique in that they go against the prevailing wind, unlike the route the Whitbread racers take. It was a great treat to have another sailing vessel around after all the fishing and commercial vessels we've seen.

We made our entrance and held the attention of several news media teams who were standing on the dock watching us come slowly towards them. As is usual in these circumstances, we held our sail till the last minute and then took them in furiously. The cameras were flashing and whirring at a heck of rate as PRIDE's crew got sail in and we glided up close to the dock. We learned later, after tying up, that several of those ashore thought we would sail right into the dock and were concerned for our safety. Others thought it was wonderful that we could get so close with our sails up. All in a day's work for PRIDE and her crew!

PUSAN, KOREA

Our dock in Pusan was at a U.S. Army facility. Over the years that I have been involved with PRIDE, I can count on one hand the number of times we have docked at a U.S. military pier. But whenever we have, it has always been a great experience! Being in Asia, it meant we could be understood when we spoke. It also meant easy access to ATT USA DIRECT phone service without worrying about having local coins to operate the public telephones. And it also meant we would have no unexpected visitors. Our hosts, Lt. Colonel Mallette, commander of this U.S. Army transportation battalion, and his staff were all very supportive and friendly.

Special ceremonies planned in Pusan would not take place till the day before departure. So we had a great opportunity to get right back to cosmetic maintenance. With the passing of the mild low system and its rain, the following sunny days dried the ship's hull quickly and permitted the crew to paint it. There were further crew changes too. Captain Dan Parrott arrived and so, too, the First Mate Wesley Heerssen, and Engineer Mike Rogers. They were followed later by Pamela Coughlin as deckhand. Wes has been aboard PRIDE many times before, the first as deckhand for the 1990 European Campaign. More recently he was second mate, then first mate during the 1996 European Campaign. He replaces Jason Quilter who sailed out from Baltimore and was ready to head home after a full six months at sea. Mike comes back after sailing with us for the fall of last year and replaces John Shellenberger. Pamela last sailed with us during the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes tour of 1997. She replaces Summer O'Malley. During crew change, we allow several days of overlap to provide some time for indoctrination before those being replaced actually leave. Hence there were several more crew around for getting things done, which meant those chores got done more quickly. Meanwhile, Dan and I shared information and went over the plans for going to Japan.

But after a couple of days of dry weather, the weekend came in wet and windy with yet another low system passing by. This one had some power to it too. We felt 30 knot winds right at the dock for a little while on Saturday. These lows were becoming a bit of a disappointment. This time they were getting in the way of our Open House schedule. Due to the weather, we had only 130 visitors on Saturday. Sunday it cleared a little and there were over 500 visitors. We spent Sunday evening on a two hour sail. We took our translator and invaluable local guide, Kelly Park, and several others for a "thank you" sail for all of their work on our behalf. This sail shook the new crew into place pretty quickly.

Yesterday was another maintenance day and my first day off. After signing the log, I took off for a little time ashore. But I was back soon enough to join the crew and Kelly Park on an excursion to the local professional baseball park to see a game between the Tolle Giants and another Korean team. It was a great evening of relaxation as I watched the underdog home team win the game 9-2.

I had to go back on duty for a little while on Tuesday (today), and be recognized, along with Dan Parrott, as a Captain of PRIDE II during a reception hosted by the Maryland Port Administration for their counterparts in Pusan. The American Consul General attended and spoke (in English and fluent Korean) to the crowd of Korean businessmen. The Maryland Port Administration was represented by one of its commissioners, past Maryland Secretary of State Fred Wineland. One of the guests, an official from Pusan city government, made a point of commending us on our brave and friendly visit to his city. He made especially clear that he wanted me to be sure to carry back to Baltimore and Maryland the heaviest cargo of goodwill we had ever carried. He also said he was sure this cargo of goodwill would not unduly burden the fine and beautiful ship, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II. A very gracious sentiment indeed.

At Sea

We are now underway again. Dan and the crew have the ship sailing in a light breeze from the northeast to east as they point PRIDE toward the southeast and Japan. Ship morale seems very high as the new crew go about their chores with some of the old crew showing the way at helpful times. For once our weather outlook seems good for at least a couple of days. I peer over Dan's shoulder as he looks at the charts for the upcoming transit into the Middle Sea of Japan -- a body of water described by the Japanese maritime authorities as "not suitable for foreign ships unless they have business within the sea." Pretty ominous sounding. But Dan and I are pretty sure this language relates more to the big commercial vessels than it does to a smaller visiting sail vessel like PRIDE.

I look forward to having my days to myself. I am due to return to command of PRIDE near the third week of July for the long transit back across the North Pacific to Seattle. I look forward to writing to all of you again as we head east toward the States -- a 4,500 plus mile voyage.

Cheers,
Captain Miles