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Ernestina Logbook Page

Date: Monday, June 3, 2002
Dighton Middle School

Clear blue skies and light NW winds greeted the Ernestina as she motored out of her slip this morning with 59 students and chaperones from Dighton Middle school aboard.  The following wind guided the ship out as the students weighed in on setting the fore and jumbo sails.  A lot of eager hands crowded in and hauled away then busied themselves with coiling down lines.

Once everything was ship shape the student split into their groups to try their hand at a variety of stations.  Cap'n Willi took his chances with students navigating, steering, and standing bow watch, while others learned about plankton, simple machines, and the history of the Ernestina.  Willi's risk paid off as the students did a fantastic job of guiding Ernestina around Buzzards bay (with only a little help from the crew).

Conveniently, after lunch the students had a fifteen minute quiet, contemplative sail in which they wrote in their fuzzy notebooks about the experience on board such an historic vessel.  On our return sail home the students covered the last few stations and soaked in as much as they could on this beautiful sunny day.

Once back inside the hurricane barrier the everyone took care of the last few responsibilities on board and Cap'n Willi deftly maneuvered our ship back alongside the New Bedford State Pier.  The students of Dighton Middle School departed with smiles and, whether they realize it or not, a sense of a different life.  

Captain: Willi Bank
Program Coordinator: MaryHelen Gunn

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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