Friday, May 29, 2009

May 29, 2009

The second to last week of school started on a Tuesday after a four day weekend. Everyone seemed to be tired after their long weekend. It was supposed to be our final week of boat construction because the last week was reserved for priming and painting. We got a lot done on the boat. We finished making the thwarts (seats) and cleats (which hold the boat together at the corners). We primed the inside and outside of the boat and most everything is ready to paint. We just had a few minor things left to construct. The boat is looking pretty good and the girls are anxious to get it in the water! We spent our last day with GGNRA watering the native plants we worked so hard to preserve in previous weeks. We all received different animal temporary tattoos for our hard work! Friday was spent at San Francisco State University working on our final projects for history and oceanography. It was Iris' birthday so we had a little cake after school to celebrate. The girls have all been working together as a team and have definitely become a lot closer since the beginning of the semester.

Friday, May 8, 2009

May 8, 2009

After coming back from our break, things still felt shaky for all of us girls. We still felt like we should be on the boat, or go back to the boat. There’s still apart of us that feels crazy that were back. We’ve been on the boat for six weeks going from island to island, and to be back home where the same thing happens over and over again.

Coming back we had our first day in the boat shop. We learned the safety rules, where every tool goes, and how to use some of the power tools. It felt different meeting the new people when I was used to the crew on the boat. It reminded me when we first meet the crew on the boat. Well after we learned the safety stuff and all that we started working on the boat that same day. We broke up into groups, most of us volunteered for the stuff we wanted to do, than the people who didn’t volunteer for anything just got put to jobs. They were just as good though. After we went to lunch, we came back to do what we had to finish in the shop.

On Thursday we went to a classroom and it felt really different because for the last six weeks we had class it was on the deck of the boat, it felt different being stuck in a classroom. I felt like I couldn’t sit still because I was use to the wind, the moving of the boat the crew yelling and the deckhands running around. This added to the feeling that this couldn’t be happing I couldn’t be back already.
I know it is going to be hard getting use to being back. Especially when I miss that boat, and I know most of the girls do too. The teachers said this would be the hardest part of the whole program but I didn’t know it would be this hard. It is like I’m glad to be home but I feel the need to be back on the boat, mostly when the girls start to talk about the memories we had on that boat.

Veronica Olimpiada.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

April 29, 2009

Arriving in Fernindina Beach, Florida once again was a bittersweet feeling. The sailing was over. No longer more did we have to lift the anchor burton, haul up the sails and get ready to proceed on our next adventure. And for someone who had a hard time adjusting to life as a sailor, I wasn't sure I was ready to leave my home of six weeks. I learned to enjoy the different hues of the blue sea, watching the stars & meteors at night and just living with everyone. No longer would we all be together at meals joking or Julia coming to wake me up saying, "Ro po pope, get up up up!!".

On our last day being on the ship we all did quick chores, ate a bowl of cereal and finished packing. It was sad to say goodbye to all the crew. Some of the girls and I cried as we hugged our shipmates for the last time. Reaching the airport and boarding the plane was not so joyful as I had expected it to be.

We arrived in SFO airport later on that night. We couldn't believe we had made it this far and the realization hit us hard that we were back home. We got off the airplane, took a quick restroom break and anxiously headed to the gates. In the crammed airport we all searched for our loved ones making our group size decrease. It was weird when I turned to see my mom and brother standing there waiting for me. I ran into their arms as my dad and other brother came to hug me too. We laughed, talked a lot and they thoughtfully gave me the gifts of a bag of hot cheetos w/ lime and a starbucks coffee.

Driving into the city and reaching home felt like a whole other place. My home had changed. Rooms were painted and mine had been redecorated. It was overwhelming being back and sort of gloomy when my own dog wouldn't come to me anymore. Instead he barked & growled at me but eventually he came around. Even taking a shower added to my new sensitive sadness. We weren't on the ship anymore!

I can see why Molly had us all meet on the Alma the following afternoon. Being together again felt normal except for a couple of girls who unfortunately couldn't make it. It was my birthday so we celebrated by sailing the Alma on the murky San Francisco Bay and having cupcakes & hot cheetos. It was very relaxing & calming to hang out with the girls and Ann & Molly. The crew was nice as well to have us accompany them. The girls all talked about how even at home we would wake up and stress that we were late for anchor watch or that we were using sailor vocabulary.

After having that get together, everything seemed to settle. Yes we weren't on the ship any more and would have to adjust being back home, but we knew things would be fine. The time spent in the Caribbean was a journey that was done but we still had our memories to hold onto.

Sara Rovai-Cortes

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

April 28th, 2009

Our last night of our adventure was a day filled with many tasks and old memeories. We started the day by rasing our anchor and saying goodbye to our friends from the Harvey Gammage as we motored back to Fernandina Beach. After lowering the anchor (again) and eating breakfast, we chnaged into our dirtiest clothes and prepared for our last Field Day on Sprit. Although there was plenty of work to be done, things got finished faster because instead of organizing our bunks, we would be shoving our smelly adventure clothes and gifts for our loved ones into our duffel bags. The group managed to get so many things done in a much shorter time than our previous field day. We all felt both tired and accomplished.
After cleaning, Molly and Ann were kind enough to purchase the group some shower time in the Marina shower ashore. We were also allowed to have one outfit for the plane ride home to be washed. The group was so glad that we would be squeaky clean for the strangers we would sit next to on the plane and for our families at home. After showering, we had the chance to walk around Fernandina and reflect on our our departure the next morning felt so unreal.
The end of our last day was espacially nice. After eating our last dinner prepared by Lizzie, all the hands mustered and had a final ceremony celebrating our accomplishments. All of the girls, plus Molly and Ann recieved our Ocean Classroom Certificates (one of the many forms of physical proof that we went through this). Captain Smith gave some very kind "last words" and Mr. Bailey recited a poem about returning home that was written by a former student. Afterwards the group recieved personalized paper plate awards that recognized each one of our different skills and qualities.
Before our last anchor watch we said personailized goodbyes to the ship, reminisced about good and bad memories and took pictures with our mates and deckhands. Although thinking about leaving in the morning was sad, we all fell asleep in our bunks or on deck in a very good mood.

Julia Brooks

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

April 27th, 2009

Today was really fun. Half of us went on a short hike and the other half went on a long hike with students from another boat named, Harvey Gamage. I went on the small hike and I really enjoyed it. We got to see private residences and the Dungeness House that belonged to the Carnegie family and there were wild horses! We walked all the way to the beach and played football (2 hand touch) and my team won! Woo Hoo! It was Iris, Kayla, Gwen and me. After we played, we went to the beach and got wet and were having so much fun. We also got to tan and talk amongst each other. We were supposed to meet up with the other group but the radio seemed to not be working so we did not know where they were at so we spend the rest of the time laying on our towels in the beach. I was so happy we got to take a fresh water shower. Even though the water was freezing cold, it felt so good to at least rinse myself with fresh water. The hard part of today was that we had our oceanography test so everybody was freaking out. I bet we all did well.

Celina Lopez

April 26th, 2009

We woke up this morning to distant Fernandina Beach! It was finally in sight! We arrived to our final destination two days early. Harvey Gamage, another Ocean Classroom Tall Ship, was here to greet us. While we waited to clear customs, we explored the other ship and gave the grand tour of ours. After we provisioned for the next few days, we took off to Cumberland Island in Georgia right behind Harvey Gamage.
Later on, students from both ships met on land for a barbeque on a local camp ground. We shared stories of all our adventures and listened to theirs. It was so wonderful to see some new faces and talk to new people that can relate to everything we’re doing. One of the students from Harvey Gamage faced our worst fear and ate a cockroach. However, the best part of the whole day was ICE CREAM!!! Many students took their ice cream and walked down to the beach. The sand was so soft like white powder. A few girls took a dip in the ocean when it got dark. The water was cool and so refreshing. After a great day, we had an excellent walk back to the dock. We walked down a path in the woods that was lit up with hundreds of fireflies. A few of the girls saw armadillos and lizards. We were singing familiar tunes and had smiles on our faces, for we only had two days left.

Kayla Altobelli- Libercent