I AM DONE WITH COLLEGE
AHHHHHHHHHHH!
I had a great time celebrating with the literature and writing department, who have adopted me as one of their own. The students and professors are all awesome, and over the past few semesters they’ve showed me how much fun literature and writing (because English is elitist, yo) can be.
Today was fantastic for sailing! At first it seemed like there wasn’t going to be any wind at all. I (as the youngest person on board) had to resort to doing the “wind dance” and even went so far as to whistle. It didn’t seem to be taking any effect, but once we were clear of Point Loma the breeze picked up, and we were ripping along at ten knots! Obviously, it was all thanks to me. The video shows how loose the leeward shrouds were in that wind.
I spent the morning doing various little repair tasks on the Californian—fixing lashings and spot-serving. Most of it was taken up looking for the right size seine twine and some parcelling, which were remarkably difficult to find.
Query: Should I go to my graduation ceremony?
Pros: It’s, well, my graduation ceremony.
Cons: It’s on a Saturday that I’m scheduled to sail. All of my friends are in the lit. and writing department (I sort of abandoned history even though it’s still my major), and I won’t be able to sit with them. I’d have to buy stuff (cap/gown, &c.).
Further info:
Sailing means more sea days, which puts me that much closer to getting licenses and thus my current career goal.
There’s already going to be a grad party with the lit. and writing department that I’ll be going to.
My parents don’t care either way.
Should I just have some sort of reception/party thing?
I finished my blog! You should check it out, it’s got photos and videos! And words, of course.
(Source: katherinealoft.com)
Homeward bound for San Diego. Will write a full blog post sometime within the next three weeks.
Check my twitter for frequent updates on my whereabouts and doings!
I am excite.
Looking at boating forecasts, I’m going from wind variable less than 10 kt here to…
N WINDS 30 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 KT. SEAS 12 TO 17 FT…SUBSIDING TO 10 TO 15 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN A CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. VSBY 1 TO 3 NM IN THE MORNING.
On Thursday.
It’s happening! I’m going sailing on the Eagle from New London, CT to Savannah, GA. I don’t think it’s sunk in, even now that I’m leaving tomorrow night. Once I got the official word that I’d been accepted, it was a mad rush getting plane tickets while dealing with school. Of course it’s midterm season, so every class has an essay or midterm due in the next couple weeks. I’ll have to take two midterms and write an essay the week I get back, and I’m still working on an essay to turn in before I leave. But, my professors have been very accommodating and understanding, which I do appreciate.
I’ll be flying into Boston (with a two-hour layover in DC) Thursday morning and then taking the train down to New London where I’ll join the ship. It’s my first time travelling alone, yet I’m not nervous. I keep telling myself that I should be nervous, but, again, I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I’m going to be updating my Twitter while I’m travelling, but once the ship is underway I doubt I’ll have any cell service. We’ll be making port in Savannah on the fifteenth, and I’ll be flying back home the next evening.
I’m excited to be sailing offshore again. Summer seems like so long ago, but I really feel like this is what I want to do with my life. After a couple of months ashore, I almost start to lose the feeling of living aboard a ship. I remember it fondly, but the atmosphere begins to fade. I can’t wait to get that feeling back, and on a (mostly) unfamiliar ship! Though I do remember what it’s like to set foot on land again, afterward. It feels sort of useless. I wonder what the point to all this (mainly school) is when living on a ship is so fulfilling. Don’t get me wrong, I like land well enough. I have some fun classes at school, I enjoy seeing my lubberly friends (that’s right, I called you guys lubbers), I like some television and the internet, and long hot showers are very nice, but I always feel like a part of me is missing in the days after leaving a ship. I’m brought back to my favourite quote: “It isn’t that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” (Sir Francis Drake) I like my life ashore, but when I’m sailing on a tall ship with a good captain and crew and a clear horizon all around, I can’t help but feel like I’m home.
Anyway. I’ll post a new entry when I get back (which may not be for a few weeks after that, with all the schoolwork I’ll have to catch up on).
(Source: katherinealoft.com)
Hello, there! My name's Katherine. I work at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, where I get to sail some lovely ships.
Here I post about my adventures aboard Star of India, Surprise, and Californian, as well as an array of other nautical things. Enjoy!
