Opportunity of a Lifetime
It was late October of my first month living in Vigo and I received a message in our Auxiliar group chat that there was a tall ship giving free tours that day in port. Being that I did not have work until later that evening, and it was a beautiful day, I decided to check it out! When I arrived there were a couple other Spanish families with small children waiting to board The Pelican of London. I soon came to find that out of few crew who were on the ship none of them spoke Spanish. So, while taking a tour for myself, I started to give a few translations to the kids as they ran around. Additionally, being the only English-speaker on the tour I soon came to chatting with the Captain, Ben Swain, who was showing us around. It was then when I learned that the ship actually doubled as a school setting! So, throughout the school year, students, teachers, and crew, sailed all around the world while getting an uniquely priceless education. Unable to hide my excitement and slight jealousy of such a great program, Captain Ben mentioned they were always looking for volunteers — all I needed to know what how “not to burn toast".
The rest was history! A couple emails and a video chat with the CEO, Adrian Ragbuorne, later and my dates for the coming summer were set. While I was extremely nervous to join a tall ship without any previous sailing experience worried me greatly, I was much too excited for this opportunity of a lifetime to turn it down. So, from here on out, here is a recap of my time onboard the Tall Ship Pelican of London. And what better way to begin than a quick slideshow of my adventures along the way!
A Quick Look at the Ship
Vital Statistics:
Length: 43.55m
Beam: 7.04m
Draught: 4m
Air Draught: 29.5m
History:
Built in 1948 in France as an Arctic Trawler
Converted in 1968 to a cargo ship under the name “Cadet”
In the early 2000s, she was brought to the UK and her role changed once again
The Pelican’s first voyage under her current configuration was made in 2007
Rigging:
The Pelican uses a unique rigging system named a “Mainmast Barquentine”
3 Masts = Fore, Main, and Mizzen
10 Sails with a total square area of 550m
The Pelican is unusual because her square yards are rigged to the mainmast instead of the traditional foremast.
A Tour of The Pelican
My Role as Watch Leader
For 37 days of sea service, I sailed with the TS Pelican of London in the role of Watch Leader. During this time my goal was to ensure all trainees had an exciting and safe experience on board. Additionally, while working with the youth development program, Sail Training Ireland, I acted as the essential link between their trainees and crew to inspire self-confidence and acceptance. Along with my role as Watch Leader, I also regularly carrying out other duties in connection with the routine and maintenance of the ship.
Where We Sailed
While we finished and began most of our voyages in either Dublin or Liverpool, as crew I had the chance to visit many other beautiful cities and countries along the way including:
Ireland
Dublin
Belfast
Rosslare
England
Liverpool
Isle of Man
Ramsey
Peal
Whales
Phorthdinllaen
Holyhead
Aberystwyth
Ship’s Log: May 25 - June 2 // Belfast - Liverpool
May 25
My flight from Brussels to Dublin went smoothly besides a little trouble through customs -- apparently explaining a volunteer position on a ship leaving a returning to Ireland multiple times without much paperwork on yourself is a trying subject. Nevertheless, I was luckily able to catch the last spot on a bus up to Belfast. The drive was very pretty and full of green parceled farmlands. I can already tell that I would love to return to Ireland in the future and see more of this country.
Arriving in Belfast, I easily found my ship right in the middle of the Belfast Tall Ship Festival. There were many other ships from all around the world in the harbor as well as other activities, concerts, and special exhibitions taking place. Instead of checking all of that out, I eagerly boarded The Pelican of London -- my home for the coming month -- right away. I met the crew while they were hosting an open ship and I was sent to the Bosun’s cabin to get settled in. The other two Bosun mates whom I was paired with for the time being were named Sam and Will. Sam was from the States while Will was from England. That first day I helped out where I could and began a small bit of my training. Tamsin -- the first mate -- walked me around the ship and gave me a brief introduction of the rules and workings of the crew.
Soon enough it was dinner time and the entire crew got together for a big meal during which I was formally introduced to everyone. I was more than a bit worried that my utter lack of experience would be a problem for them, but they all seemed excited to help me learn. For the rest of the evening I spent my time resting and reviewing more safety guidelines.
May 26
Today I began my day by helping out with the open ship at the festival here in Belfast. Shortly after, our voyage crew boarded. Our group comprised of a group of mentors and at-risk youth who are working together towards building skills and brighter futures.
Later I went through another, more detailed, safety training alongside the voyage crew and tried my hand at some basic bosun duties. I also learned today that I was assigned the position of Assistant Watch Leader. This means that I will help muster our watch for different situations and events and keep a rotating lookout during our post. So far, I can tell we have a very lively crew...it should be an eventful week with this bunch!
May 27
We spent the day in the harbor here in Belfast gain doing open ship duties and more training with the voyage crew. Across the harbor is a huge naval ship from the Mexican Armada. They have an enormous flag and play music all day long -- that helped the open ship time pass quicker!
That evening I was assigned to Harbor Watch, so I had to keep an eye on the ship for 2 hours with a couple of the voyage crew starting at midnight. Nothing special nor really interesting happened, but we just made sure everything was safe and quiet onboard.
May 28
Finally, we are under sail! Conditions were absolutely gorgeous as we left Belfast with plans to head south to Whales. Leaving Belfast, I helped Sam go out onto the bowsprit and release the sail. It was really fun to walk out over the netting and even see hoards of jellyfish below us!
While sailing, the watches are now 4 hours long shifts which we rotate back on every 8 hours. Due to the 24/7 watch, I sleep where I can and when I can, but this type of schedule is going to be hard to get used to.
Unfortunately, I did get a bit seasick today. Being up by the wheelhouse feels the worst because you are elevated above the rest of the ship and are therefore able to see the tilt and dive of the ship more dramatically. But, after tossing up lunch, I felt so much better! No problems after that.
May 29
We arrived in Porthdinllaen in Whales in the early morning and I was given shore leave along with the voyage crew and other volunteer -- Brigida. She is 27 and from Tanzania and we seem to get on very well! It was blundering cold and pouring buckets outside, but I was so happy to go to shore.
We bundled up really warm and had to climb past a very nice golf course to get to the inn on the other side of the bay. Despite the high winds that we all had to brace ourselves against, there were still many true Irishmen and women playing golf! After taking a walk along the beach, Brigida and I stopped to talk with a fisherman. He showed us his large catch of crab and small shark-like fish called Bull Huss which he let me hold. Then we decided to hoof it to the grocery store up the hill and into the village. We ended up thumbing a ride there from a different fisherman and then back from the owner of the Inn. It was a nice, quiet town. Glad I came out!
The crew hauled anchor around 4pm and we started sailing again. After dinner I went right to bed since I had my watch that night from midnight to 4am. It was a very long shift, but we did see some stars through the broken clouds. My watch crew has been...difficult to say the least. They are never on time, leave their positions for random smoke breaks, and are always difficult to rouse out of bed. My main watch leader is moreso leaning on his mentor position rather than one of a watch leader, so as a result I have to learn really fast. However, I do not mind the responsibility and I like to take charge where I can in order to show that I can be a reliable and hard worker to the rest of our permanent crew.
May 30
We dropped anchor around 7am just outside the city of Ramsey on the Isle of Mann! Once again, we were given shore leave. Brigida and I walked around a bit checking out the small locally owned shops. We learned about the interesting symbol of the Isle of Mann -- the Three Legged Man meaning “whichever way you throw me, I will always land on my feet” -- as well as the wild population of wallabies that had escaped from the island’s zoo 40 years ago and now live near the dunes.
We returned to the ship just before lunch with plans to leave this evening after dinner to sail for Liverpool. Prepping for sailing today was very difficult. Just after we hauled anchor -- which I helped stow below deck --, the winds picked up and the waves grew bigger. I had the 8pm to midnight watch and the entire time I was bracing against force 7 winds and rain while sea water splashed over the sides. I was very glad to make it to bed that night, it was a stressful and at times scary night to be honest.
May 31
I had the early shift again today, so after breakfast I began my 8am to noon watch. The weather had broken a bit, but it was a relief to wake up without the dizzying roll of the ship. Once we reached the bay to enter Liverpool we had to pick up a pilot -- someone to guide our ship into the harbor -- and I was able to take the helm and steer the ship all the way into the dock. It was a really demanding and difficult job and consisted of full turns of the wheel, but I was very proud to have been given so much trust by the captain.
Once docked, the voyage crew packed up all of their belongings, cleaned the ship, and then we all shared lunch before departing. I think -- and was told -- that I had one of the most difficult voyage crew members under my watch. However, because of how quickly I had picked things up and was able to “heard all my cats” Tamsin and Ben -- the captain -- told me that I was to be promoted to Watch Leader for the next voyage!
Once the voyage crew had finally departed and we were able to relax for a moment, a bunch of our new food stores arrived so we all worked together to put them below in the cook’s bilge. We cleaned the ship a bit more and prepared to change positions on the dock around 10pm. Coming to the end of my first voyage, I feel so excited to be set free of my trying voyage crew and to explore Liverpool!
Ship’s Log: June 2 - June 7 // Liverpool - Dublin
June 3
We picked up our voyage crew yesterday and today we are back under sail! This time around we have a smaller group of trainees all under 18 years old. Even though this group is considered to be one of our youth voyages in comparison to my first one, they are so far much better behaved than the “adults” from my last watch. That being said, it is my last day here in Liverpool and the city has been so fun!
Besides the Sea Festival and Indian dance troop we hosted on board, so many things have happened in the past three days. I went to The Cavern Club with Brigida where The Beatles got their start, sang at the top of my lungs along with the cover bands, and toured the underground club were so many legends have played; I watched Liverpool FC win the Champions League, had a pint of beer thrown all over me in celebration, and watched the insane victory parade the next day from the ship; and I have grown so much closer to my wonderful crewmates in the process.
Even though we were in port and “on break”, Brigida and I stayed really busy. We both feel exhausted, but we seem to make the most out of every single opportunity we have. We are leaving today for the Isle of Mann -- at least that is the plan at the moment -- and hope to make our final port in Dublin. However, because our voyage crew is so small in numbers -- due to the fact that half did not show up -- we will have to make anchor every night. Hopefully that means more trips ashore, but it also could make for many more chances for me to take a lead and learn more about sailing. Slowly, but surely, I am getting the hang of this. Now that I am the Lead Watch Leader I have a lot more responsibility. Either way you toss it, I have decided to take the Isle of Man’s motto to heart…”I will land on my feet”.
June 5
Yesterday we left Liverpool and, due to poor sailing conditions, anchored for the night in Olms Bay -- not too far from Liverpool itself. That evening was really fun because a few of us crew snuck away from our trainees and watched a movie and treated ourselves to a few chocolate biscuits in the saloon.
So far our trainees are so much better behaved and actually enthusiastic for our journey. Due to the fact that half of our supposed crew mysteriously did not show up, we all feel extremely short-handed. That being said, we scheduled a limited amount of night sailing and I only had 3 people on my watch. It was certainly easier numbers-wise to only herd 3 trainees, but I did have much more on my plate as a Head Watch Leader. So far, so good!
Today’s sailing was amazing. On our way towards Ramsey on the Isle of Mann we got to view an amazing aerial show of England’s elite Royal Air Force Unit and their Red Arrows team. I was so impressed by their coordination and intricate manoverings. Such a special addition to an already spectacular day.
Apart from all that excitement, today was physically challenging as well. We practiced bracing the sails 6 times over and I somehow ended up on the hauling side for most of it! I also learned how to stow a sail today. Elie -- the bosun’s mate who replaced Sam who crazily enough was from Eugene and also went to UO -- took me up the main mast and we climbed to the top and main sails where we had to lean over the yards and pull the sails together so that they may be stowed while at sea. It was all a bit scary to start -- especially leaning my entire body off the rail --, but Elie made it such a fun experience. Oh, and so I don’t forget, we were doing all of this while the ship was rolling beneath us and rain and wind pleated us in our faces -- quite an introduction!
Arriving in Ramsey, the weather greatly improved and we even saw the sun! While our voyage crew made thier way into the city for some shore leave, Elie and I stayed behind and she taught me a few critical Bosun skills including whipping -- needed and thread to hold rope ends from fraying --, splicing -- connecting two ropes together, such as an eyelet --, and mousing -- connecting a shackle to its pin using a wire.
It has been a really long day so far and I have a midnight to 4am shift tonight. I am exhausted and haven’t been sleeping well, but I try and make time for it when I can. It’s good work, but hard work both mentalally as well as physically.
June 7
Today we dropped off our voyage crew here in Dublin! It was actually quite a show because a local TV station came out to film the kids and have them share their experience aboard The Pelican. I’ve come a bit under the weather recently and have a nasty cold, but I am trying my best to take care of myself. I had been fighting off a smaller cold earlier in the week, but waking up today I found myself much worse. I’ve been helping with little jobs here and there, but a lot of small naps are being taken. Being in a dormitory-like environment coupled with lack of sleep and exertion are the reasons, but hopefully -- because our next voyage was canceled --, I will get plenty of rest this coming week and have time to explore Dublin.
Today is also Juley’s -- the cook’s -- birthday! Brigida and I bought her a huge button to wear back in Liverpool and we had a small party on the ship planned for evening. Eric -- our engineer -- bought a cake and some presents for her and our party was set. We finished off the night with even more sweet treats and watched yet another movie to top it off.
Ship’s Log: June 8 - June 15 // Maintenance in Dublin
June 11
Well I was wrong about having a lot of time to explore Dublin...we are super busy now that maintenance has begun. Captain Ben and Tamsin the First Mate are both in high-stress mode as we have a surveyor on board to see if our ship is “up to code”. That being said, Tamsin is really cracking the whip! These past few days we have been working non-stop, 7am to 6pm with lunch and only a 30 minute break in between. So far I have done a full safety check of all of our harnesses, re-organized the life jacket/immersion suit lockers, painted and primed our fire hydrants, sanded some caulk for later painting of the saloon, brought and retrieved the ship’s laundry, went grocery shopping for the ship’s stores, parceled and served a new stay for the poop deck, and even conducted a full on -- water included -- fire drill during the midst of it all.
Thankfully, the surveyor left today and everyone is finally able to relax. After a wonderful spread of lunch and yet another trip to the laundromat, I had a bunch of free time that evening to book my flights back to Vigo and then to Sevilla. Tonight all of us crew also went to the Harbor Master Restaurant for a nice dinner on the boss after a difficult couple of days. We all shared a couple bottles of wine and we all got a delicious steak served on a sizzling hot plate as our main -- delicious! Afterwards, we made our way to a nearby bar and had a couple of drinks to finish off the evening...what else would a bunch of sailors do?
June 14
Hard work never stops! The past few days we have all been very busy and have put in many hours of work on the ship. I returned to the cramped conditions of the cook’s bilge to de-rust and then paint. However, I also had the cool opportunity to climb up to the tippy top of the mizzen mast! It was really high and a bit scary as the ladder rungs could barely hold one of my feet at a time. I went up to check the condition of our navigation lights and to take inventory. It was quite an intimidating climb, but I had tons of fun when I reached the top. Not to mention, alongside my other tasks, I single-handedly finished parceling and serving the eyelet on the stay which we had started earlier in the week which I then helped stow in the bosun’s bilge with Elie.
Finally, after so much hard work, it was time for some fun! Morale this morning and evening was so much better on board with the knowledge that we all had the next day completely off. In the evening the crew headed down to The Ferryman and then slowly made our way to the infamous Temple Bar area where we partied for the remaining of the night.
While there are a lot of politics on the ship as of now -- caused by a strict, but needed, transition of the ship -- this night served as a great opportunity for all of us to come together and relax as friends after a week of very challenging work. I have learned a lot, and worked even harder, but I do see that my efforts just over the course of one week will have so many long term implications that go towards making The Pelican the best she can be.
June 15
As we had the full day off to ourselves here in Dublin, after breakfast Brigida and I walked into the center towards City Hall to catch a free walking tour of the city and its history. During the tour we visited the Dublin Castle -- which truly not much remains --, the oldest church in the city built by the Vikings called Christ Church, and the Dubh Linn Gardens. I found that the most interesting part of the tour was how Dublin (Dubh Linn) actually means “Black Lake” in Gaelic. That being said, Dublin is probably the oldest city in the UK which has ties to the exportation of gold to all corners of the world dating back to around one-thousand years before Christ. While the “Black Lake” which spurred the creation of the city is no longer, the garden we visited symbolized the patch of Earth where the city grew from. Brigida and I had to leave the tour a little early in order to catch lunch back on the ship, but made plans to return afterwards.
That afternoon, Alex -- another volunteer on the ship -- convinced me to go with him to the Guinness Factory. While I was hesitant to go at first, I was actually very surprised by how awesome it was! The tour of the brewery took us up 5 flights of stairs where we learned about the process of making the beer, Guinness’ history as a company, their famous advertising campaigns, the smells and individual tastes that compose the brew, and even how to pour my very own -- and first! -- pint of Guinness. While dublin doesn’t come close to being my favorite city, I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who visits. Since our new voyage crew is joining tomorrow afternoon, I decided to have a quiet night in. Tamsin and I ended up watching a movie together in the saloon to finish off the night.
Ship’s Log: June 16 - June 21 // Dublin - Liverpool
June 19
Our voyage crew joined last Sunday and it is currently day 4 of us sailing together. The weather these past few days has been amazing! We have had calm seas with beautiful skies.
We ended up leaving Dublin on Monday and sailed overnight to the Island of Mann. I was really excited to finally see a different part of the island as we had decided to make port in Peal. The town is very quaint and poses as a typical seafront -- I instantly fell in love!
Yesterday we were given shore leave to explore so Tamsin, Elie, Brigida, Melissa -- our new volunteer deckhand --, and Johnathan -- a volunteer officer --, and I took on the town. On our way in from the birth, we found a beautiful small cove which was covered in tons of large shells which crunched underfoot like frozen snow. Soon after, we made our first stop: Ben’s infamous ice cream parlor called Davison’s. Hands down the best ice cream I have ever had! Jonathan had visited Peal when he was younger and, acting as our guide, took us around. Eventually, our big group broke up and John, Tamsin, Melissa, and I got coffee by the beach.
Spurred by new energy from our coffee, John and I decided to walk around the old castle along the coastline. There, we met up with Elie and Brigida and with blue skies above and green grass under our toes, we all laid in the grass at the back of the castle and enjoyed the sun.
We returned to the ship just before dinner and decided to stay in for the night. However, we did run tino some drama between our trainees as a few of them had a few too many pints at the pub that evening, but thankfully everyone was put safely to bed.
Today, another sunny morning, we left Peal with intentions to sail to Whales where we would anchor for the night. Sailing was really enjoyable and easy. I sat on the deck during my off hours with the crew as they played music. This morning I also had the chance to climb up all the way to the t'gallant yard to help sea stow off of the sails. The view looking into Whales was breathtaking! Tonight I have the midnight to 4am anchor watch, so I spent the rest of my afternoon relaxing and in bed a bit early.
June 20
I was in a really sad mood this morning due to the nature of last night’s anchor watch. On watch, one of my trainees pulled me aside a couple minutes into my shift. He talked to me openly and trustingly for a long time telling me about his trials and struggle with serious depression. I was caught off guard and I did my best to listen and be there for him, but without any training it was really hard to cope with a time like that. Talking to Tamsin that night when we swapped shifts, we decided to debrief with the permanent crew in the morning and figure out ways to better train and support our staff.
Waking up, I found myself still upset by what happened the night before, however all of that soon turned around -- I saw dolphins today! Tens of them were playing up in front of the ship in our waves. They jumped, swam, and I even was able to hear them chatting with one another. They followed us for about an hour making for an enchanting experience. I had been crossing my fingers to see something like that during our voyage, and it could not have come at a better time.
In the afternoon we arrived at our port in Liverpool near the scrapyard. Tomorrow we plan to move into the city center. However, just because we were done sailing, that didn’t mean we were done working! We harbor stowed all of the sails so they looked all nice and beautiful and I went out on the bowsprit to help stow the jibb. As we finished our jobs quite quickly, I spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the netting of the bowsprit while enjoying the sun and good company of my trainees.
We had to keep the trainees entertained so they didn’t “jump ship” on us, so we ended up doing an egg toss and a ship quiz. To finish off the night, Brigida, John, Elie, and I played a couple games of Uno and watched a silly zombie movie. I feel very lucky to have such great support on the ship and even better friends.
June 21
Our voyage crew left this morning which actually ended up being a very emotional affair. While this was easily the most difficult and emotionally draining voyage I had been on, watching them leave I actually felt as though I had made a difference. Additionally, one of my new but really great friends and fellow volunteer, Brigida, left this morning as well. When it was time to change births, she disembarked and we said our goodbyes filled with promises to stay in touch.
We had to go through a series of locks in order to leave the scrapyard which ended up taking up most of our afternoon. Finally, we were able to sail upriver to the Princess Dock just after 8pm. To kick off the evening, Captain Ben took us to one of his favorite bars in Liverpool called the Lion. It was a cosy space filled with big leather couches and they served excellent cider. This type of cider was actually quite unusual and much more mellow than the acidic cider we typically serve at home -- I loved it! Afterwards a group of us went to Eric’s Bar where we met up with Eric to celebrate his last night onboard. We drank and danced the night away only like true sailors could.
Ship’s Log: June 22 - July 1 // Liverpool - Dublin
June 22
Today was a mostly free day as our voyage crew was not set to join until the following day. We spent most of our morning cleaning below in preparation for their arrival before more drills later in the day. As the afternoon approached we held another fire drill, a couple people from Sail Training Ireland -- our partner company for the summer -- came to discuss the next voyage, and two other volunteers from Germany -- Lizzy and Ronja -- joined. Ronja and Lizzy had previously worked on The Pelican as mentors the previous year during Ocean College. Once they arrived, we finished off our busy morning by doing a rescue aloft drill.
In the afternoon I was technically given shore leave to walk across town to pick up a few navigation lights for our stores. So between my chores, I also had time to swing by and visit the Old Cathedral -- also England’s largest cathedral! It was massive, but I still can’t decide as to whether it was more a museum rather than a place of worship. While there beautiful panels of intricate stained glass and a huge altarpiece, the space also functioned as an exhibition hall -- currently it holds a huge globe suspended from the ceiling.
I spent the rest of the sunny afternoon walking around the lesser known parts of Liverpool and finding so many interesting places I would love to visit again in the future. Knowing our voyage crew would join in the morning, I nodded off early with hopes of a good rest.
June 26
Morning! I was able to finally find some free time during my 6am to 8am harbor watch here in Belfast -- a perfect time to catch up. We left Liverpool on the morning of the 24th with our new voyage crew in tow. As there was not much wind, we spent most of that day using our motor to head north towards Belfast. Conditions on the sea are still quite amazing! As the sea was super calm, teaching my trainees how to helm took a lot of stress out of the job. My trainee mentor this week -- Katie -- is a dream! She seems to know exactly how to win our young trainees over and has been quite a help these past few days. Already, we have experienced some major drama aboard The Pelican with this group. Yesterday we had one girl kicked off the ship for having been caught smoking weed -- twice --, and one boy from my watch left as well due to safety concerns. The latter was especially sad because I knew from having him on my watch how much he loved being on The Pelican and how this was a true escape from all of his pressures back home. However, beyond the drama and a few headcases on my watch, I am loving this voyage.
Yesterday all of our trainees and permanent crew were given leave to explore Belfast as a group. We walked by the area where The Titanic was built, saw the set from Game of Thrones -- the *spoiler* burned ruins of Kings Landing --, and we were also given the opportunity to tour the famous WW1 naval war ship, SS Caroline. The ship was the sole survivor of one of the most horrific battles at sea during WW1 called The Battle of Jutland. It was very cool to read about the naval history of the time as well as sobering as I came to understand what life and war was like during those trying times.
We all returned to the ship after dinner and luckily the permanent crew was allowed more time on leave while our trainees stayed behind for games and quizzes. We met at a nearby bar for drinks and a couple rounds of snook -- much like the American game of pool, but played on a smaller table. Ronja and I left a bit early into the night due to our early morning watches and headed off to bed.
Today we set sail again. To where, I have no idea! However, it makes me really sad to think that all of this is going to be over so soon. My only hope is that this will not by my last time on a tall ship.
June 29
Wow, what a couple of amazing days of sailing in the Irish Sea! We had to make a detour on the 27th to Holyhead to kick-off yet another trainee -- this one from my watch --, however the attitude on the ship changed immediately for the better once she was gone. Having lost some hours, after a gorgeous sunset and overnight sail, we arrived in Aberystwyth yesterday afternoon. Once the voyage crew were all ashore, a couple of us permanent crew took the RIB into town on a much needed ice cream run on this incredibly warm day at sea. We all returned before our trainees did to enjoy the peace and quiet. A couple of us seriously considered taking a swim around the ship, however the sudden emergence of hoards of apparently “harmless” jellyfish kept us on semi-solid ground. No way was I going to take that chance! We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in the sun before pulling up anchor before dinnertime.
Again we sailed overnight, however we ended up in Rosslare, Ireland, to the north. Today was much like the last -- more ice cream runs and relaxing on the ship. While the good weather was left behind in Whales, our spirits could always be moved by the promise of an icy treat! Tonight I am on my final midnight to 4am watch. While one of the worst watches sleep-wise, I look forward to the quiet and starry night.
June 30
Wish granted! Last night’s watch was blissfully filled with countless stars filling up the sky. Even though two people have left my watch -- and one simply refuses to participate -- the rest of my team are amazing. I really do hope the best for each of them.
Today we sailed into the bay of Dún Laoghaire -- Dunleary --, just outside of Dublin to anchor for a while. For the first time, we offered up the chance for our trainees to receive their Monkey Certificates as well. So, for the following two hours I hung out on the t'gallant platform freezing my butt off as our crew did a full up-and-over to the top of the main mast and down the opposite side. Finally, after everyone else completed their mission, it was my turn! Previously I had only had the chance to reach the top of the mizzen mast, so now was my chance -- mission accomplished.
Luckily, while the trainees were being entertained onboard by their mentors, some of us permanent crew got the night off. Ronja, Lizzy, John, and I, headed out first to The Ferryman and then went onto another pub to meet up with the others. Including myself, this was one of the final nights we were all going to share together as a crew. So, we finished the night by returning to The Ferryman for more pints, a couple tears, and heartfelt goodbyes. A great night to say the least!
Ship’s Log: July 1 - July 7 // Saying Goodbye
July 1
It’s my last day on The Pelican and I don’t want it to end. Our trainees and voyage crew left this morning with overwhelmingly emotional goodbyes. It is strange to say how happy I felt to see them in tears as they disembarked. To have a response like that from our trainees means that we did our jobs by creating an escape for them and allowing for a space where friendships and trust can flourish.
That being said, just because our voyage crew got off and others from our permanent crew were scheduled to leave today as well, that didn’t mean it was time to pause. Captain Ben left in the morning and Tamsin later in the afternoon. As new trainees and permanent crew boarded for a volunteer voyage to Plymouth, John and I set out to explore Dublin. We went to the National Museum of Ireland, got a nice Italian coffees, and walked around to some interesting parts of Dublin I never had the chance to see during our previous time here. John left that afternoon to catch his flight back to Manchester, however that evening the rest of us -- old and new crew -- went out for a final hoorah. The new captain -- also named Ben -- happened to be the very same guy I met and who gave me a tour of The Pelican all of those months ago back in Vigo. The idea of coming full circle was pretty incredible. I would absolutely love to return to The Pelican one day and sail with him -- much to his same excitement. It was a big day, but it’s not over yet.
July 2
And just like that, after more than a month of sailing, it was time for my adventure with The Pelican of London to come to an end. I packed my bags and helped with preparations around the ship as they prepared to leave. When it was time for them to go, I tossed my bags alongside on the dock, let off their mooring lines, and watched them sail away out of Dublin. It was a sad goodbye, but I have made so many great friendships and connections along the way. I do have to say how queer of a feeling it was to watch them leave me on the dock.
Katie, the mentor who was on my watch from the previous voyage, happened to live just outside of Dublin offered to let me stay with her family that night so I wouldn’t have to spend it in the airport. She picked me up shortly after and about 45 minutes later we arrived at her beautiful home in the countryside. Surrounded by huge gardens, I instantly fell in love with the place. I didn’t think I had ever considered living in Ireland prior to that moment, but that seemed to change pretty quickly.
Later that afternoon, Katie and her mom took me on a long tour in their car and drove me around to the many historical and ancient sites around their home -- Drogheda. Following the River Boyne to begin, they recounted the famous Battle of the Boyne against the British. Next, we visited the ancient -- 3,200 BC to be exact -- sites of Newgrange, Dowth, and Knowth. I would love to return in the future to explore more! We also drove up to Slane Castle and Distillery, and last but not least, we headed to the peaceful ruins of Mellifont Abbey and Monasterboice.
I was especially grateful for the tour and for her family to have taken me in for the night. Ireland is truly a special place out in the countryside. Although Dublin wasn’t really my cup of tea, I would definitely return to the green beauty.
July 7
Well it’s been one busy week -- “ to be sure, to be sure”. Katie kindly drove me to the airport on the 3rd and after a long day of travel I found myself back in Vigo! Emily and Thomas were still in town and they allowed me to stay with them until the 5th. Back in Vigo, we spent time catching up, relaxing, and repacking. Not the mention, we also had a mini 4th of July barbeque to celebrate. It was a pretty quiet couple of days, but I was so happy to spend time with them before we all parted ways for the final time.
I got up early on the 5th and took a train to Santiago de Compostela to later catch my flight to Sevilla! Now, two days later, my new au pair family is wonderful. The two boys -- 3-years-old and 16 months -- are adorable and love to play. I have enjoyed the small walks we have taken around the neighborhood and their apartment is very close to the center. Within 15 minutes I can wonder at the spectacular Cathedral or be in Plaza España. I technically begin work tomorrow, that being Monday, and I am still a little nervous as to what to expect. Either way, I am so excited to begin life here in Sevilla. Here’s to an exciting and beautiful start to yet another great year!
My Impression of a Life at Sea
When I reflect on my time with The Pelican of London, the experience seems almost surreal. How often can someone have an experience like this? Before joining the ship, I really had no idea of what to expect. I knew I would have to work to earn my keep, but I definitely wasn’t prepared for the many mental challenges each day brought. I believe I wrote earlier that although the work is physically and mentally demanding, I can say proudly that I felt as though it made a difference. Working as a Watch Leader and part mentor for the Pelican and their partnering company Sail Training Ireland, I had the chance to get to know so many young people facing terrible things that I thankfully have never encountered before in my life. While that brought challenges of its own, simply being able to talk with these trainees and listen to them while on watch at the helm or between our free hours helped me realize that there is so much I have to be thankful for. Not only that, but to be able to build these lines of trust as a person for them to talk to and to be able to show them that there are so many other possibilities out there was I think the most important thing I could do.
During my time on the ship, I also had the chance to learn many valuable sailing skills that could easily carry me if I am able to find another opportunity like this in the future. The permanent crew took time to teach me how to navigate using charts, how to helm, the functions of the different sails and how to handle them, and how to maintain certain parts of the rigging. I can easily say that I was nowhere near proficient in these activities, but I felt so lucky to have their time and patience to help me learn. However, the little I do know has set me up wonderfully for the future.
Beyond sailing and mentoring skills, the friendships I made along the way were by far the most valuable thing about my time on The Pelican. The permanent crew always had my back and best interests in mind -- even when we did not agree. Even months after departing, I still keep in good touch with many crew members and a few select trainees, and I hope to continue upholding these special friendships. Now, as the crew is currently sailing for Ocean College and are preparing their journey across the Atlantic, we check in with each other as they passed through Vigo and around Spain. Not to mention, Elie has told me that if I am interested in sailing back home, she has many contacts on the West Coast to keep me involved with the tall ship culture. It is hard to say when -- even if -- I will have the chance to return to The Pelican or find myself on another tall ship one day. My experience was something that I never imagined myself having the chance to do, and I do have to say how thankful for my time and people I met along the way. That is exactly where the feeling of surrealness comes into play. I can talk for a very long time about my experience sailing in the Irish Sea with my wonderful crew, but even now the memory feels so far removed from my daily life. I can only hope that one day I will be able to capture that once again.
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