SST: May 31, 2009
31 May 2009
This morning we set sail. Everyone enjoyed the Azores, but this is a training cruise, not a vacation, so it was time to go. Many of the cadets, however, observed the custom of walking under the middle city gate before departure in order to insure their eventual return. Both cadets and crew had a curfew of 2400 hours the night before. Unfortunately, not everyone made the curfew (all cadets did, however two of our staff were a bit late), but all returned before the night was out and were onboard. Now we’re headed for the Mediterranean Sea for exercises off-shore. Then we will dock at Gibraltar toward the end of the week.
This was not the first time Maritime has docked at Ponta Delgada. In 1909 the training ship Newport came to Sao Miguel. The ship’s log reports that a cadet rented a horse, fell into a ravine, and broke his arm. The horse had to be destroyed. My friend, Dr. Dick Burke, believes this was the genesis of our policy never to allow students to rent vehicles while in port.
Things are returning to normal on board. Some cadets looked tired at muster, but generally spirits are high and minds are focused on the learning process. No one celebrated a birthday today and the movies tonight are The Dark Knight and WALL-E. Cadet Caleb Friedan has organized a Saturday Torah study for Jewish cadets, and I plan on attending that this evening.
And finally, I promised Cadet Troy Jacobellis I would tell Laura he loves her. I pointed out to Troy that was the name of a 1950s song, something he hadn’t known. That made me feel old, but love to Laura in any case!
Fr. John Farrell
Chaplain
