Here we sit at the end of three exciting days at Sail Bremerhaven 2000. We've readied the boat for our last Parade of Sail (a procession with the entire fleet of tall ships) which will be viewed by the Chancellor of Germany. All of the ships must be taken through three locks, so we're sure this will take most of the day! For now we wait, and as I sip my tea, I can look back over the trip from Amsterdam, my first noteworthy sail aboard Pride of Baltimore II.

My Cabin - and the North Sea

Let's start with my place on this boat. I have the lower bunk in the midship's starboard cabin. (starboard = right, port = left). The cabins are just large enough to stow some gear and lay down. For the moment, the top bunk is not being used, so I can store my photography gear as well as some of the items I need for my school visits. Sometimes, when I use my laptop, I'll sit on my bunk to stay out of the way of the crew. Otherwise, I type at the saloon table.

My main boat duty is to stand watch. I stood my first watch tonight from 8pm to midnight. "Sinker," my watch captain, had me take the helm (steering wheel) for a short time. Steering a ship is a very new experience, so it took a bit of practice before I had the "feel of the wheel." The captain reminded me to watch the horizon, not the compass. However, I was trying so hard to do a good job that I was "oversteering." Like everything else on this boat, it will take lots of time before I feel comfortable.

Close to sunset, six members of the crew had to go aloft (up the mast and into the rigging) to work on one of the sails. This is one of my favorite shots of the crew at work!

Sunrise and sunset have always been my favorite times of day, and aboard a boat they are even more dramatic. This is a disappearing line of ships, as the weather started to pick up.

During the day, Andy (the cook) spotted several huge jellyfish and snapped this great picture. We wondered how widespread jellyfish are and about their relationship with jellyfish in other waters.

The second night I'd slept about five hours, when I was awakened and told, "Lee, can you give us a hand? Put on your foulies (foul weather clothes). It's raining, it's cold, and we have to take down the sails." So much for sleeping in. Not even this boat is fun in the rain!

Arriving at Bremerhaven, Germany

The Bremerhaven approach was interesting. We entered a lock that emptied into a small basin with a very sharp bend around which the larger tall ships had to be maneuvered by tugboats. I smiled to see a tug with the same name as one of my students - Blumenthal.

As we made our way into the canal, we realized that we'd be right in the middle of all the excitement. The canal was surrounded by a large carnival with an assortment of gift stands, and, more importantly, food stands! I think that we must have eaten 50 Bratwurst during our stay! We tied up at the foremost end of the canal and tidied up the boat. A city liaison met us and provided local maps, crew handbooks, and general information such as where we would find phones, a post office, and a bank to exchange money. I set out in search of Internet access to send my logs and pictures of Amsterdam, and to buy my first Bratwurst! Yum!

Speaking of phones and Internet access, let's talk about staying in contact with loved ones when aboard a ship that's often at sea. The crew's mail is sent to the home office in Baltimore and then either mailed in the next box that's shipped to Pride II, or carried in the luggage of a company staff member who comes to meet the ship. (If you would like to send mail to the crew or me, address it to "Lee Vogtman," Europe With Pride, c/o Pride of Baltimore, Inc., 401 E. Pratt Street, Suite 222, Baltimore, MD 21202) Like soldiers abroad, the crew is always thrilled when they receive mail. However, it seems never to come often enough. Letters from family, girlfriends, and boyfriends are read and re-read off in a quiet spot somewhere on the ship. When the boat comes into port, the telephone booth becomes very popular and is often occupied for a half-hour or more at a time while the crew calls home. Communication from home of any kind can warm the heart and help keep the loneliness and isolation at bay. If you have a few moments, send a letter to the crew to let them know you're thinking of them. You'll bring a smile to their faces for sure! After all, they sail as ambassadors for all of Maryland.

Immigration from Germany - Bremerhaven's "Baltimore Pier"

Today was a big day for Pride II and its crew. We met Oberburgermeister (Mayor) Jorg Schulz for the dedication of the "Baltimore Pier," a section in the original harbor that was first visited by the American ship, Draper, out of Baltimore, Maryland, on Sep 12, 1830. Thus began a long-standing relationship during a time of immigration that found many Germans seeking a new home in Maryland. For this reason, the pier was renamed and dedicated to the exchange between the two cities.

The highlight came when Captain Miles and the Oberburgermeister unveiled the plaque that will be a permanent reminder of the bond between Bremerhaven, Germany and Baltimore, Maryland.

After the ceremony, I left the crew and went up into the radar tower that looks over the harbor and city. There I learned that Bremerhaven is only approximately two kilometers wide, but twenty kilometers long! (How far is that in miles?) The tower offered a great view of the area and was the perfect place to take pictures of all of the activity. If you look closely, you can see the masts of the tall ships lining the canal.

On the way back to the boat, I wandered through the carnival looking at the various displays of wood carving, cloth painting, and food stands. I glanced up to see the first of many hot air balloons rising. They're very popular in Germany and come in all sorts of shapes, as you can see from these pictures! Some 250,000 people were watching as the balloons soared up and away.

Back at the boat, things were in full swing as hundreds of people were trying to get aboard Pride II for the Open House. One of the crew went up in the rig before most of the crowd appeared and took this picture of the area from above.

I spent the rest of the afternoon on a computer sending my logs and pictures to the office in Baltimore to be edited and posted on the Internet for you. I went to bed early knowing that I had a big day ahead of me: my first visit to a German school.

Gymnasium Bremen!

This morning I left the boat at 08:20 for a train ride to the city of Bremen, about fifty miles away. I arrived at the Gymnasium Bremen school and was met by Ms. Christa Bauerschmidt, an English teacher, who promptly took me to meet the headmaster (principal), Herr Mester. The school is a typical old German building with architecture dating back to the 1800's.

Christa gave me a schedule of the four classes I would visit, then we sat with Herr Mester for a bit to discuss his interest in forming an "austauschen" (exchange) program with a school in Maryland. I shared a wonderful photo album from Perry Hall Middle School with each of the classes I visited. I told them about Pride II, its mission, and how the ship and I were on "ambassador duty" as we visited each city on our journey through Europe. I found the students to be just like American students with similar interests and questions - just in a different language! They are excited to become "Internet pen pals" with students at Perry Hall Middle School and hope an exchange program can be started.

I visited the computer lab and watched Christa help her students set up passwords and access the Internet to see my home school and the Pride II website. Christa, the staff, and the students were friendly, helpful, and excited to establish contact with their American peers. What a wonderful visit!

Crew Doings

While I was gone, several of the crew had entered a shooting contest against the crews from all the other tall ships. We were all pleased to see that Sinker had taken third in the individual contest, and Ellen, Paul, and "Supertough" won 6th in the team effort! Way to go, Pride crew!

Below decks, John (the engineer) and Ellen were "cooking up" a concoction that consisted of gunpowder and flour for the cannons. John explained that the gunpowder is a less volatile (explosive) powder, so the flour is what makes the smoke when the cannon are fired. I'm continually amazed at the wide variety of skills had by the crew!

The evening had somewhat of a somber mood, for the crew had to say goodbye to one of their own. Jon "Supertough" was going home and moving on with his life. Even for the short amount of time I knew him, I realized what a nice guy and great crew member he was. Looking at the faces around the saloon table, I could see that the crew would miss him. But they did not lack their sense of humor as they surrounded him and threw him overboard into the canal! Jon had his revenge when he went into every cabin (even mine!) at 0400hrs the next morning to wake everybody up, one last time, to say goodbye! He'll be missed aboard Pride II.

I took one last walk around the town of Bremerhaven early the next morning, as we were slated to leave by noon. I took a picture of the lovely church in the center of town. Thousands of similar churches can be found across Germany; a tribute to great architecture and times long past. And so I say a fond farewell to Bremerhaven, a wonderful town and gracious host.

Your Teacher Aboard,
Lee Vogtman

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. Measurement: how many miles are in a kilometer? How many pounds are in a kilo?
2. At one time it was said that America would adopt the metric system. Why do you think that did not happen? Do you think we should change over to the metric system? Why/why not?
3. Thousands of German immigrants came to America. Is there a large German influence in Maryland? Do you have any German heritage in your family? How far back can you trace your family tree?

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