Teacher Aboard

As Pride II and her crew enjoyed a festive Thanksgiving dinner, we were especially thankful for the safe return of the crew and this great ship. Tied up to a dock several miles south of Baltimore, the crew took advantage of a small window of time before the official Homecoming to slap on a coat of paint and polish the brass.

While the crew scurried about make things ready, Tina prepared our Thanksgiving dinner. After six months at sea, her enthusiasm was still strong for laying out an elegant feast including turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, and a huge spread of pies.

Chris Flansberg did the honor of carving the turkey for the crowd of nearly thirty people who joined the ship for this festive moment. As the crew waited patiently to go home after 26,000 miles and 355 days at sea, this Thanksgiving held a special significance.

HOMECOMING

It seems that Mother Nature had special plans for Pride II's long awaited Homecoming. With a brilliant sun and a stiff breeze, she declared this to be a beautiful day. Long gone were the days of motoring in a dead calm. Instead a chilly brisk wind out the northwest demanded a constant effort of tacking (changing course) to reach Baltimore. Turning to Captain Miles, I said, "You're going to have to work for this one!" No one seemed to mind the extra effort, and the flurry of activity gave the crew a chance to show the city of Baltimore a demonstration of Pride II's strong sailing spirit.

As for Captain Miles, he enjoyed the thrill of sailing Pride II like a dinghy (small boat) to the delight of spectators aboard and ashore. Fortunately, some of the outbound crew had joined us, as well as Captain Parrott who thoroughly enjoyed laying a hand to a line and assisting Gunner John Hope in firing thirty rounds of cannon fire.

We had aboard the proud winners of our banner contest. Representative teachers and students from Deerfield Elementary School in Harford County and Grantsville Elementary in Garrett County had an "on deck" view of all the activity. No doubt this will be a day long remembered by all of them. It was also captured on film and in print as helicopters, TV cameramen, and reporters joined as passengers or filmed us from the air or a press boat to document this historic Homecoming.

Waving crowds lined the dock and balconies of HarborPlace as Pride II charged into view with cannons blazing.

Then, as Captain Miles gently nestled her up to the dock, the cheers of onlookers mingled with the familiar sounds of Chinese dragon dancers from Grace and St. Peter's Chinese Language School. They were just like those that had greeted us so often in ports half a world away!

It was an emotional moment to witness the outpouring of this warm welcome from the thousands of people in Baltimore who love their ship. It was truly an honor to serve as their ambassador and to carry their spirit of friendship to the far corners of the world. Thank you, Baltimore.

To Pride II, her captains, her crew, and the unsung heroes in the home office, "The best reward for a job well done is having done it." Congratulations!

When men come face to face, their differences vanish." Chinese Proverb

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. The Chinese are very superstitious about luck. There are lucky numbers, lucky dragons, and many customs centered around good luck activities. List several things we do in America to "give us good luck."
2. Instructions for making a modified sextant:

   Cut out a half circle to fit over a protractor. Use it to rewrite the numbers placing "0" at the center and "90" at the two straight ends. Mark off in tens the distance from "0" to each of the "90s." Tape a string with a weight (paper clip) from a center point along the straight edge. Tape a straw along the straight edge. Holding the curved side down, sight an object through the straw. Note where the string crosses the numbers to determine its angle above you. Try using it to sight bright stars. (Do NOT use it sight the sun as this could permanently damage your eyes.)

3. Use a map to determine the coordinates (latitude and longitude) of:
   1. Bermuda,
   2. Panama,
   3. Hong Kong,
   4. Tokyo.
4. Of all the places Pride II visited, which was your favorite and why?
5. How do your impressions (ideas) of Asia compare with what you thought before you read the stories of Pride II's journey?
6. Make a list of what should be included if you wanted to tell the "Story of Maryland" to students in Asia.
7. Draw a picture of your favorite part of this journey. Tell why you chose this event, place, or person.
8. A Chinese Proverb says, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." How is this similar to the learning process in education.
9. Read these Asian proverbs. then write one of your own.

   "The wise man doesn't tell what he does, and never does what cannot be told." Chinese proverb

   "Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand." Chinese proverb

   "Thought unassisted by learning is perilous (dangerous)." Chinese proverb

   "Travel ripens a man." Persian proverb

   "Write like the learned (well educated), speak like the masses (common people)." Hindu proverb

   "Your good will toward others returns to yourself in the end." Japanese proverb

Return to the first part of the November 28, 1998 log.

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