Thursday, May 03, 2007
Hayley on the Brig Pilgrim
Hayley is spending the night, as part of a 5th grade school program, on the
Brig Pilgrim in Dana Point Harbor. To prepare for this trip, the class reads Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana. The book describes Dana's experience as a sailor on the Pilgrim as it sailed from Boston to California and back.
The kids get to experience life as members of the crew. They are split into groups that have to do a job ranging from line handlers to hide gatherers to galley crew. There were no women, so they are all "men" for this trip. One member of each group is a "mate" and is addressed as "Mr. xxx" (substituting their last name for xxx). Other sailors are just addressed by their last name.
The officers include the Captain and the First Mate. There is also a cook on board. As in historical times, the Captain is stern and quick to give out punishments as needed (no beatings, but swabbing the deck, eating an onion, stuff like that). Each group is assigned a 2 hour shift of standing watch on deck during the night too. They will be very tired tomorrow and, fortunately, don't have to go to school!
Andrew and Bethany both did the Pilgrim overnight trip when they were in 5th grade and had a very memorable time. I tried to sign up as an adult participant this time, but my name was not picked. Celeste got to do it with Drew. Adults are the "tall sailors" and also get chores, punishments as needed, etc. Lots of funny stories come back from this trip.
Labels: Hayley, Photo, Pilgrim, School
# posted by - Rob @ 11:25 AM 
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We were asked to write a letter to our kids as if it were 1834/1835. They gave us a number of suggestions including referencing historical ("current") events.
They also emphasized that ONLY men were allowed to sail in those days. We had to write to our "son" at sea.
With Drew and Bethany, I wrote detailed letters referencing a number of interesting events. Hayley is not as much of a reader, so I kept it shorter with her.
Here is the letter that we sent to Hayley on the Brig Pilgrim:
October 16, 1835
Hayley George
The Brig Pilgrim
Dear Son,
Since today is your birthday, your Mother and I were thinking of you and wanted to write you this letter. We hope that it will find you somewhere in California. The overland route for mail is very unreliable, but we can still hope!
You are taking such an adventurous trip around Cape Horn to get there. I hear that sailors who make it past the horn follow a tradition of wearing a gold loop earring in the left ear and are allowed to dine with one foot on the table. Just don’t try that at home with your mother around!
Things are well at home. Your brother, Andrew, has given up schooling and started a farm way out west in Missouri. Your sister, Bethany, has been gladly doing your chores around here while you are away. She eagerly awaits your return to hear about your adventures at sea.
I’m sure that you’ve learned to do as the Captain says to avoid those harsh punishments that we have heard about. Be safe, son. Your family misses you very much.
With Love,
Mom and Dad
They also emphasized that ONLY men were allowed to sail in those days. We had to write to our "son" at sea.
With Drew and Bethany, I wrote detailed letters referencing a number of interesting events. Hayley is not as much of a reader, so I kept it shorter with her.
Here is the letter that we sent to Hayley on the Brig Pilgrim:
October 16, 1835
Hayley George
The Brig Pilgrim
Dear Son,
Since today is your birthday, your Mother and I were thinking of you and wanted to write you this letter. We hope that it will find you somewhere in California. The overland route for mail is very unreliable, but we can still hope!
You are taking such an adventurous trip around Cape Horn to get there. I hear that sailors who make it past the horn follow a tradition of wearing a gold loop earring in the left ear and are allowed to dine with one foot on the table. Just don’t try that at home with your mother around!
Things are well at home. Your brother, Andrew, has given up schooling and started a farm way out west in Missouri. Your sister, Bethany, has been gladly doing your chores around here while you are away. She eagerly awaits your return to hear about your adventures at sea.
I’m sure that you’ve learned to do as the Captain says to avoid those harsh punishments that we have heard about. Be safe, son. Your family misses you very much.
With Love,
Mom and Dad
I was wondering if they could install hyralics to make it rock?
Sounds like a great experience. One of those 'bring history alive'
Sounds like a great experience. One of those 'bring history alive'
Gol. All I ever got to do from Dana Point harbor is sail on the Fury II for a day. The worst thing that happened is you could eat a live sardine. The rest of the day was doing oceanographic-type stuff.
This sounds like a lot more fun!
Here in Oregon, the kids all do the Oregon Trail & have wagons & stuff - good role playing. Trevor came home one day and said, "My wife died." I asked how it happened. He said, "She got bit by a snake 3 days ago and I didn't do anything about it." Beware, Trevor's future wife!!!
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This sounds like a lot more fun!
Here in Oregon, the kids all do the Oregon Trail & have wagons & stuff - good role playing. Trevor came home one day and said, "My wife died." I asked how it happened. He said, "She got bit by a snake 3 days ago and I didn't do anything about it." Beware, Trevor's future wife!!!
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