Ships Log | World Ocean School

The Ship's Log

March 5: Whales, Chemistry, and Another Week at Sea

Logged on Saturday March 6, 2010

John Woodson Junior High School had another fantastic week out on the water despite the hot, windless, weather. Of note was a humback whale seen off the port rail and then again off the starboard rail. We also saw lots of turtles.

At the end of the week we welcomed students from Central High School’s chemistry classes aboard for lessons in chemistry at sea. We also had a group of students ages 8-15 sponsored by Speak the Word Ministries.

Another great week at sea!

February 26: TGIFF

Logged on Friday February 26, 2010

TGIFF: Thanks Goodness It’s February and Friday! We like February because it’s full of kids and sailing. But let’s be honest, we like Friday too, especially after a long week of three sails a day, hot weather, and almost no wind. We’re not complaining of course–any day at sea aboard Roseway is better than none at all. This week we hosted fifty students from Arthur Richards Junior High School on St. Croix’s far west end and Elena Christian Junior High School in nearby Christiansted. Different schools and different kids, but all loved being aboard Roseway. Are we super satisfied with a great week of fantastic programs and kids? You bet! Are we super tired and ready for a Saturday? Oh yeah!

And when Monday rolls around and we get to jump in again, it will be March. How times flies when you’re having fun and changing lives!

February 11: Back At It

Logged on Thursday February 11, 2010

After a long break, the Roseway crew is back in full swing – teaching kids in the morning and sailing in the evening. Today was Dock Day. We stayed at the dock and talked about trust and teamwork with the kids. We did trust leans, learned about buoyancy, practiced with heaving lines, and the all-time favorite – climbing the rig. After the second school group left, we quickly scrambled to get ready for the sunset cruise. The Captain steered towards Buck Island while crew and passengers hoped to spot whales migrating from the North Atlantic. Though we didn’t see any whales, it was a very nice sail. The day ended with good conversation over one of the crew’s favorite meals, shrimp scampi!

January 12: Drop In Center Hits the High Seas

Logged on Wednesday January 13, 2010

We had some wind which is more than we can say for others days this month. Nineteen students from the drop in center in Christiansted joined us for a morning sail and it was a gorgeous day. They got out on the bow sprit and spotted dolphins, learned a few knots, took a turn at the wheel and generally enjoyed a different pace on an otherwise regular Tuesday. These students are working hard to get their GEDs and work at local jobs (s0me are caring for kids as well)–way to go guys! We enjoyed the trip as much as they did.

Janaury 1: Kicking off the New Year With President Carter

Logged on Saturday January 2, 2010

Yes, it’s true. Roseway’s crew began 2010 not only by painting the decks but by welcoming former President Jimmy Carter, his wife Rosalynn and 25 of the Carter family (and four secret service) on board for a sunset sail. And what a sail it was–blue skies, high winds, and comfortable seas. Mr Carter had a grand time thanks to the excellent service and entertainment provided by Roseway’s crew. A pretty great way to start off the year!

December 24: Sprucing Up The Ol’ Girl

Logged on Friday December 25, 2009

crew-at-work With the students on Christmas break the Roseway crew sets to work painting, varnishing and keeping the Roseway looking and sailing her best. Tanner and Chis are hard at work painting the hull, Christine is painting the decks while Emily and Eden are varnishing anything they can tack down.

The winds have been light and out of the south this week. And that makes for great turtle viewing on our sunset sails.
What with the long days and Christmas just around the corner the crew is eagerly looking forward to the 25th where the only work to be done is to splice the main brace.

Happy holidays for all of us!

December 8: Who Ripped That Jib?

Logged on Tuesday December 8, 2009

Well it does happen: sails rip, especially when they get used as much as we use ours. These days, we’re sailing three times a day in a good 15-20 knot breeze and a hot baking sun. Our jib has been holding on for dear life so we knew this day was not far away. Heading out from Christiansted Harbor this evening with a stiff breeze pulling us along at about 8 knots, our jib blew out. Thanks to our trusty seafaring deckhands, Tanner, Christine, and Chris, it was handled beautifully and furled right out there in the big seas.

Now for the most difficult task of all: who mends sails here in St. Croix? Not too many people. Thankfully we are clever and resourceful folks…..more on that soon. Meanwhile–we keep sailing!

November 30: Expanding the Roseway Fleet?

Logged on Monday November 30, 2009

pb250016 Okay so we’re not really expanding the fleet but we did just receive a very generous gift from the Leinbach Family for our upcoming auction fundrasier on Janaury 23rd: A 30-foot center-consul sloop! She’s in good shape, especially since our crew has been getting her prettied up. Yesterday everyone donned mask and snorkel and spent the afternoon scraping her hull which had several years worth of growth on it, including what appeared to be an entire mussel farm. But she’s clean now and soon we’ll be taking her for a test sail!

It’s been a great project for the crew and hopefully they’ll get to test her out a bit before she get’s passed on to a new home. We’re so grateful for this gift not only because it’s a fun one, but because it’s a great way to benefit the World Ocean School and all the super kids we serve!

November 22: Students and Sailing and Learning, Oh My!

Logged on Sunday November 22, 2009

poetry_lesson1 It’s the end of November and we’ve already wrapped up two weeks of high adventure education for roughly 50 seventh-grade students here in St. Croix. Our super education coordinator, Eden (standing left), has been fine-tuning our curriculum and demanding a high return from our crew on the frontlines. And the crew is delivering a solid product. Despite the lack of wind and the high heat, kids have been responding enthusiastically to their lessons in navigation, how boats work, ocean optics, natural history, peotry of the sea, knots, physics of sail, and various teambuilding activities like climbing the rig.

Thanksgiving is coming and team Roseway has a lot to be thankful for!

November 12: St. Croix Sunrise on a New Season

Logged on Thursday November 12, 2009

pb120014 At 6am this morning from Roseway’s deck, Gallows Bay was sitting still underneath puffy clouds lit by a warm lazy sunrise and crowned with a rainbow. It’s not every morning you wake up to such a dramatic picture but this is life in St. Croix these days.

We arrived here on Friday and have been nose to the grindstone ever since. We’re knee deep in crew training, cleaning out the boat from transit, general maintenance, and of course, teaching. 25 students greeted us excitedly on Monday morning for our first week of programming here. It’s hot as an over down here and the weather has been less than cooperative, sending us driving rain and lightning right before we want to sail each day and then breaking out into windless clear skies. We’re eagerly awaiting the Christmas winds which come in December and howl through the winter, sometimes into February. In the meantime we’re all acclimatizing and getting our feet wet!

World Ocean School