It has been over a week since I waved goodbye to the HMS Bountyin Belfast. As she sailed off the dock and joined the Parade of Sail, I couldn’t help but wish I was on deck too, watching the city recede behind us as we sail off to the next port of call. Instead I wandered aimlessly through the streets of Belfast, missing my new friends and feeling out of touch with the people rushing about the city. I found I was eager to get back to work. At least then, ensconced in the planning for the Great Lakes United 2010 TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Race Series, I would be able to talk to people who understood what it was like to be at sea for 22 days and how scary it is the first time you climb up to the royal yard while underway.
My tall ship experience began on July 20th, the day of the Parade of Sail out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was a stunningly gorgeous, windy day and a welcome change from the rainy, foggy weather that had settled over the city for the past few days. Not that the weather did anything to deter the crowds from coming down to the waterfront – if you live in Halifax, you learn to live with the fog.
It was thrilling to finally be a part of a Parade of Sail and to know that I wouldn’t be getting off the ship and hopping on a plane home that night. There was nervous anticipation all over the deck. I looked around, not knowing the first thing about what I should or shouldn’t be doing, and thought to myself, “Can I live with these people that I just met this morning for the next three weeks? Is the weather going to be rough? And, most importantly, will I get seasick?” Read the rest of this entry »
Following a crew party Wednesday night at the Dinghy Club in St. George that was filled with barbeque and great music (including bluegrass from the talented crew of Pride of Baltimore IIand a sing-along from Rona II), a Thursday morning parade of ships made their way from St. George to Hamilton, Bermuda.
It wasn’t until we caught the Mahi at the end of my watch on board the HMS Bountyon the first day that I really felt as though we were out at sea. The sun was setting as we pulled the fish from the line we had been dragging behind us and, while we were likely within a hundred miles of the shore, it felt like we were in the middle of the ocean. Read the rest of this entry »
The ASTA Race Team is down in Jacksonville, Florida for a TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE(r) 2009 event. Here is the schedule and the ships that will be participating in the festival along the Jacksonville Riverfront…
Friday, May 30 – Festival Hours 10am-10pm
Ship Tours 4-7pm
Saturday, May 30 – Festival Hours 10am-10pm
Ship Tours 10am-5:30pm
Fireworks 9:45pm
Sunday, May 31 – Festival Hours 11am-6pm
Ship Tours 11am-5:30pm
Between the port events during the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE(r), the American Sail Training Association organizes races for the vessels. These races are a great way for the crews to show off their sail handling skills and encourages a little friendly competition out on the water.
Watch the below video to see how the LYNX crew deals with their lack of wind during their race from San Francisco to Oxnard, California against the EAGLE. Alas, no amount of supplicating to Odin (a Norse god associated with wisdom, war, battle, death, victory, and the hunt) was able to pull them out of these doldrums-the previously undefeated LYNX lost to the Coast Guard vessel.
Sailors are a very superstitious lot. When out on the deep, formidable ocean, exposed to the elements and at the mercy of the weather, having rituals help a sailor maintain a semblance of control. Superstitions are a way to respect the ocean, your ship, and to always remind us that, while at sea, we are there because of the benevolence of Mother Nature.
The following video is of the Bosun on board the USCG Barque EAGLE. He tells us about his favorite nautical expression, “Between the Devil and the deep blue sea”, and why you should never let an albatross land on your ship deck.
And, because it is almost Friday, click here for Stevie Wonder performing a classic.
Often, a phrase makes it’s way into regular conversation and we don’t give it a passing thought. Once again, the ASTA interns were on hand this summer to educate and enlighten others by interviewing captain’s and crew about their favorite nautical sayings that have made their way into our everyday expressions.
In this video, the bosun on the sail training vessel Kaisei channels his inner Beastie Boy and gives us his definition of Brass Monkey.
For more theories on the definition of Brass Monkey click here
Even though their song is about the drink, click here to watch a fun video of the Beastie Boys performing “Brass Monkey”
The San Diego Festival of Sail was a grand finale to an overall wonderful summer race series. The visiting ships were nestled in amongst San Diego harbor’s already impressive fleet creating a cozy mass of flags and masts that could be seen for miles.This combined with the wide array of vendors and friendly, enthusiastic volunteers made the entire event a success.
This summer, the interns asked some of the captains and crew members for their favorite nautical terminology or superstitions. The results were both surprising and interesting.
And, as a bonus, since it is Friday and many people will be out socializing this weekend, here is some good fodder for dazzling conversation, courtesy of LCDR James of the HMCS ORIOLE and the Canadian Navy.
