SST: May 29 - 30, 2008
29/ 30 May 2009
We’ve now spend over two full days in Ponta Delgada in the Azores and our cadets have explored both the city and the island on their shore leave. To enhance their stay, Captain Smith, and his assistant Anderson were able to arrange a number of activities for them, including:
Deep Sea Diving led by Cadet Marc Navy, the ten members of the Maritime Scuba Club dove off Sao Miguel. The highlight of their day was exploring a sunken World War II Liberty ship.
Hiking twenty-five cadets, including most of the football players on board led by Captain Robby Johnson, went on a 15 kilometer hike around Lagoa do Fogo, then swam the lake’s crystal waters. They were accompanied by Col. Mike Stroud and Prof. Anthony Palmiotti.
Deep Sea Fishing a dozen cadets, led by Cadet Andrew Marlin, relived the days of Captain Ahab and stalked big tuna, barracuda, and marlin in the world’s most fecund waters. Sailing the yacht Shanghai and two of her sister ships, their catch was going to be prepared onboard by Chartwell’s famous maitre d’cuisine Henry. Alas, only one boat caught four barracuda but the others came back with huge stories.
Tours of the Island almost two hundred fifty cadets, crew, and officers went on two separate tours of the island, offered each day. The first explored the western end of the island including a visit to Sete Cidades, a famed volcanic crater with twin lakes, and then a local pineapple plantation where we tasted an exquisite pineapple liqueur. The second tour was longer and focused on the eastern part of the island. In the morning we stopped at a tea plantation and engaged in a civilized tea tasting. Later we stopped for lunch where we sampled the famous “hallow’s meat course,” a mixed grill cooked underground in volcanic fumaroles. After lunch, everyone went swimming in a pool fed by volcanic waters.
Besides the arranged activities, many cadets went surfing, whale watching, sightseeing, dancing, dining, and girl-watching. I enjoyed getting to know our cadets a little better in more social settings. I had some good conversation on the tour bus yesterday sitting next to Cadet Jackie McCarron. Over the two days in port I was able to discuss things as diverse as opera with Cadet James Speer, history with Matthew Morgan, and theology with Ross Mansfield.
Last night I got an update on Charlotte, NC, from Cadet Andrew Macintyre. Charlotte is near Andrew’s hometown and is the city where I went to college. I had never met Cadet Macintyre before, but as soon as he spoke, I knew where he was from. He was out relaxing in a café with Patrick O’Connor, Scott Cromwell, and Wes Yarnall, when I joined them for a half hour.
Later, I ran into a group of older cadets – Jon Merzlak, Matthew Padden, and Ross Mansfield – who invited me to dinner. I ordered a “stone steak” which came sizzling on a volcanic stone with condiments on the side. I then cooked my own steak at the table. Dinner was fun with good talk. I’m blessed with good students and good colleagues on a ship run by good officers!
Fr. John Farrell
Chaplain
