Teacher Aboard

Log For October 4, 1998, Part 2

 As with any group of young people, there are several devoted movie hounds among the crew. While in port, they sought out the theaters and video rental establishments for an evening of fun. There is nothing like a good movie to pass the time after hours on Pride II .

One last note, for those of you who would like to peer into the real world of the stars, here's a Web sitethat provides a glimpse of the Beverly Hills Mansions of some your favorites stars. This is the glitter of Hollywood fame as its best.

LA BREA TAR PITS

In our modern world, we have paved over so much of the past that when it jumps up in the middle of a city, it is almost shocking. As I peered through the fence that surrounds the La Brea tar pits, I could see a statue of a large woolly mammoth in a struggling pose as it appeared to be sinking into the tar. As contrived (man made) as this scene was, had I been standing here 10,000 to 40,000 years ago, it would have undoubtedly been real. At that time, this area was held in the frozen grip of an Ice Age. Saber-toothed cats, giant sloths, and mammoths roamed the Los Angeles basin. The deadly tar pits gave the appearance of watering holes.
Once these animals foolishly wandered in, their feet were held fast. Over time, a large collection of ice age animals were buried in the tar pits which have since been excavated for display at the museum. While the imaginary world of Lost World is reconstructed in a nearby parking lot, the real world of former giant mammals (furry animals) was unfolding 40,000 years ago just a few miles away. With closer inspection, it becomes obvious that the real world of science is just as spectacular as Hollywood.

THE EARTH MOVES

As solid as the crust of the Earth may seem, it is quite literally "on the move". When I was in Japan, I remember freezing as I felt a twenty story building shake beneath me. Like Japan, California rests on the Pacific rim which is known for its high earthquake activity and volcanoes. The San Andreas fault (crack in the earth's crust) runs through the Baja Peninsula of Mexico, tracks just east of Los Angeles, and exits into the Pacific Ocean at San Francisco.

Over millions of years, the movement has created depressions like San Francisco Bay, and produced a crack along the ground. A visit to the fault area reveals places where former movement has misaligned streams, fences, and roads. As continued movements in the molten (melted) rocks pull on the crust from below, this sliver of land is gradually being dragged northwest along the edge of North America. Although the rate of movement is only a few centimeters a year, the rocks do not slip easily and tension builds. When it suddenly releases, earthquakes occur. Presently the rocks are "bent" along the fault and are expected to move within the next 30 years. The stress is so great that scientists expect the resulting earthquake to be a "big one".

GRANDSTANDING

One of the many obligations (roles) Pride of Baltimore II fulfills on her port visits is to provide an entertaining show for the public on the day of arrival. Typically the port has spent months of preparation (getting ready) for this one brief moment. Political figures, dignitaries, and port officials have taken time from their busy schedules to make speeches to welcome her. Sometimes bands and flag drill teams have been prepared to grace the occasion with a special sense of importance.

Newspaper and television crews eagerly wait on the dock for that classic photograph or a few insightful words from the captain or crew. Since an announcement of Pride II's upcoming visit has often been posted in the news, a crowd of admirers usually gathers to join the list of official guests. With all these onlookers watching the horizon for a first glimpse of the ship, it is understandable that this would be an appropriate (good) moment to demonstrate the true grace and beauty of her sailing abilities. Among the crew, this bit of showmanship is called "grandstanding."

Grandstanding is a true test of the ability of the captain and crew to handle the ship. The ultimate (best) show is to sail past the waiting crowd and fire a round of cannons (if allowed). If the wind is favorable (easy to use) and the harbor large enough, the captain will "throw in a few tacks" (turns) to give everyone a sense of Pride II's graceful performance under sail. Since harbors can be narrow and the winds disturbed by nearby buildings, the captain has to carefully plan his course and react quickly to changing circumstances (conditions). Meanwhile the crew has to perform their duties flawlessly (without mistakes) since a small harbor may not allow room for error.

One of Pride II's stops in the LA area was Marina Del Ray, a picturesque, but small yacht harbor. Unfortunately the wind was light but this gave Captain Parrott a chance to carry sail into the harbor as far a possible. To see an 1812-era ship sailing up close in a small harbor can be quite thrilling! Here in the entertainment capitol of the West and without the magic of Hollywood, Pride II can still please a crowd by simply doing what she does best - sailing!

Just a brief word about Marina Del Ray - dock space is at a premium (hard to get) so Pride II needed to move a few times to accommodate (give way to) ships that regularly dock here. In one instance, she had to move to allow a dinner cruise yacht to use the pier. For the inconvenience (extra trouble), the dinner cruise line offered the crew free tickets. The crew dressed in flowered shirts to enjoy their evening meal cruising the harbor in the style of real American tourists.

DUTY DAY

 As with any vessel, Pride of Baltimore II needs her daily dose of tender loving care. With twelve plus people living aboard, the day to day routine of keeping her tidy and clean is a necessary part of business. Each day, the responsibility rotates through the crew with each person taking a day to keep her looking her best. The cabin sole (floor) must be swept and mopped, the heads (restrooms) wiped down, and the trash emptied. At sea, the trash is sorted into biodegradable (will decompose in water) and plastics. Only the biodegradable is tossed over the side if the ship is at least 3 miles from shore. A log (record) is kept of the items dumped.

In port, the duty person attends to the raising and lowering of flags, and must stay aboard even if the crew is invited to special events. They must also record weather data once a day and send it to NOAA, the national weather network. Bigger projects, like wiping down the walls and ceiling, polishing the brass, cleaning around the floor boards, and rinsing the trash cans are carried out only once a week. The duty person also does the dinner dishes and helps the cook with other dishes if there is full load of passengers. In port, this makes for a full day, but at sea it can be quite exhausting. Basically, you stand both of your four hour watches and fit this cleanup routine into spare minutes while Pride II heels (leans over) and pitches up and down. Mopping the floors on a moving ship can be challenging. I must say that despite the extra work, I have seldom seen a crew member disgruntled (unhappy) about the duty. Everyone has their turn and sometimes it makes for a break in the monotony (boredom) of long passages. Like it or not, it sure keeps Pride of Baltimore II looking her best - even at sea!

Speaking of boats, Pride II's next destination is San Diego where a large fleet of naval vessels are docked. San Diego is also home to our nation's largest zoo! As the flavor of Mexico begins to leave traces on the landscape, this will be yet another exciting place to explore.

Following the California gray whales south,
Leslie Bridgett

PHOTO CREDIT: Special thanks to the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau for images of Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Marina del Ray.

YOUR THOUGHTS

  1. If you lived in warm sunny California, what new outdoor sport or activity would you learn? Why did you choose this activity?
  2. Compare a beach in Los Angeles to Ocean City. Use the web page links to learn more about Venice Beach and San Monica Beach.
  3. What is your favorite movie? Why?
  4. Pretend you are a Hollywood set designer for a movie about pirates. Draw a set showing the deck of a ship, or an island scene for burying treasure.
  5. Write a short imaginary Hollywood script (story) about your experience being captured by pirates or about a pirate ship which is attacked by sea monsters.
  6. Why would the La Brea tar pits of 10,000 years ago have been an exciting place?
  7. Write a short script about a baby elephant's close encounter (almost died) at a tar pit.
  8. Why is California expecting a "big one" (earthquake)?
  9. What are some of the challenges facing the captain and crew when they sail Pride of Baltimore II into a small harbor?
  10. Do you know how to eat a Maryland hard shelled steamed crab? List the steps as if you were teaching someone from California

Return to the first part of the October 4, 1998 log.

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