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Ernestina Logbook Page

Date: Monday, August 26, 2002

Greens Farms Academy
Day 2 of a Weeklong Voyage

 
The second day of the voyage began with an early rising at our anchorage off Peddocks Island in the Boston Harbor Islands. We headed out Nantasket Roads in light and variable air. You can see the track for the day (in green) out to the edge of Stellwagen Bank where whales are often to be seen.

We spent much of the morning reviewing safety procedures and conducting man overboard and fire and emergency drills.  The engine was finally turned off as we approached the northern tip of Stellwagen Bank where we saw a few sea birds but no whales.  The SE breeze filled in for a gentle downwind run into Gloucester Harbor where we anchored for the night. A summary of the day's activities.

~Today's Schedule~
0600 Wakeups
0630 Breakfast-all hands
0700 Chores
0800 All hands muster
Weigh anchor
Raise sail
Get underway
0930 All hands muster for safety drills: fire drill, person overboard drill
1140 C watch takes the deck
A+B watch-Goals for the trip, shipping articles with MaryHelen & chaperone Kristin Lay
Lunch and break time
1300 A watch takes the deck
1330 C watch-Goals & shipping articles
B watch-Navigation 101 with Eric Varney
1500 B watch and C watch-4 lives of a schooner with Traudi Coli
1600-1730 Pin chase practice: off watches team-learned and team-taught each other several basic lines - halyards, downhauls, vangs, and more - to 'chase' where the line is made off, trace it to the work it does, and describe what the line does. During our Goals for the Trip talks, students expressed interest in climbing the rig, racing the sailboats, steering the boat, and other activities that will require them to master certain knowledge and skills about sailing, the schooner, and seamanship in general.

Before we began our evening program, two students gave a log report to the rest of the company about the paths and anchorages of the other two boats. Sunset was stunning over Gloucester Harbor. Just after we anchored, just before dinner, the newer Essex-built schooner Thomas E. Lannon sailed by to the east of us and gave us a cannon salute! Familiar greetings were exchanged between friends on each boat's crews, and the Lannon sailed off on the rest of its Harbor charter sail.

For the evening program, the students read the excerpt in their logbooks about Howard Blackburn's trevails on Burgeo Banks in 1883 and produced a skit, enacted in Ernestina's own dories. Trina played Howard Blackburn, outfitted in foul weather gear and adequately doused by the Heavy Seas, played by Rob. Griff played the ill-fated dorymate Tom Welch, and other members of the GFA/ship's company narrated the show, pulled together costumes (oilskins, gloves, mitts, hast, etc) and props, directed, and managed the lighting and staging of the production. By the time we launched the show (2100 'curtain time'), and struck the sets (re-stowed all gear and props etc.) all hands were very ready to climb into bunks for a good night's sleep (interrupted only by the one-hour anchor watch under the moonlight).

Program Coordinator: MaryHelen Gunn
Captain: Amanda Madeira

We would like to thank Lotus and IBM for donation of software, hardware and funding to enable regular electronic updates from the ship.

NOAA Chart is provided courtesy of Maptech using Cruising Navigator 4.3 and grabbing the image using Grabit Pro 6.02.

 
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Copyright 1997-2002
Schooner Ernestina
89 North Water Street, P.O. Box 2010, New Bedford, MA 02741-2010
phone 508.992.4900 -- fax 508.984.7719
www.ernestina.org

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