A Day Aboard the Mystic

 by Capt Chris German

She is not ours yet, and for that matter not even opened up for the season yet, but with the clocks springing forward and the first few peeks of green poking up out of the quickly melting snow, we thought a sorti into tomorrow land would be fun and lay out a little of the vision for what a day aboard the Mystic will look like when she flies the CCB flag. 

0600: Sunrise.

The Morning watch is well underway with the Deck Crew manning the helm and  the rails as we round Middleground Light. They have been briefed about the fast currents and long history of groundings at Stratford Shoals, located half way between Long Island and Bridgeport. The sleep they have been deprived is quickly forgotten as the Post Jefferson Ferry lays out a courtesy blast greeting the new day and the building winds. The Watch Officer orders the helm to maintain course until we negotiate the Ferry and the 35-foot Lighthouse. He orders the rest of the crew to lay aloft to douse the Topsail. His aim is to head up and make way for Bridgeport Harbor today as that is where we will practice maneuvers aboard our fleet of the newly acquired JY-15s we carry aboard.

The horn blast also woke the Galley Crew who are just coming on duty. The Ship's cook has a mind to make this morning's breakfast a special one after learning that Tamara James is turning 16 today. Tamara is a bright young lady who excels in School normally, but has had some tough times as of late since her mother lost her job. Her guidance councilor thought The Mystic might be good for her to get away for a few days, refocus on her personal goals. Last week she had a fight with her teacher over a missed homework assignment and it came out that Tamara was very worried that they might loose their home and was thinking of quitting school to get a job to make up for the lost income. Her Guidance Councilor seeing the talent Tamara possess couldn't argue with her logic, but really wants to see her go on to bigger and better things if only she could have a few days to think about it. That is why he called the Mystic and asked if they had an open spot.  when Tamara walks into the galley. The last of the blueberries are being washed and the smell of bacon hangs in the air. Mr. Wajorski (The Ships Cook also known as just "W" to the crew), has been at work since 0500 preparing for the Galley Crew to wake and come on duty to make breakfast. Galley Duty is one of the worst aboard the Mystic. You have to eat alone, do the dishes when the crew is finished eating and run up and down the ladder to galley about 100 times. The good news is, you usually only have to do galley duty once a day, and everyone has to take a turn, so its not so bad.

But "W" has a plan today. 

Last night during evening watch, a time to reflect on the Day's events and enjoy the peace of watching the moon rise under sail, "W" got a chance to talk to Tamara. He learned that Tamara loves Blueberry pancakes and that today was her birthday.  He also got to hear about her concerns. She said she didn’t want to quit school, but wasn't sure how else they would survive at home. "W" explained to her that while she would make some money if she quit school, it would probably only be minimum wage. She'd work 35 hours a week, without benefits, and likely get even further into financial trouble. She will graduate with honors next year if she stays at it and once in school, her room and board will be covered but scholarships so her mother can focus a little more on keeping the lights on.

With Tamara's grades and extra curricular activities, she is hoping to go to Roger Williams. She heard about a Maritime Law degree that sounded really cool to her Freshman year of highs school, but without the funds she isn't sure that is a reality anymore. She'll probably start out at Fairfield U as she gets a tuition waiver if she goes there.  No doubt there are tough times ahead for this young woman, but for a week she has at least gotten a chance to reflect without the stress of school, cell phones, peer pressure or home work. And yesterday, Tamara climbed all the way to the top of the Main Mast, steered a 171-foot schooner and touched a dog fish for the first time. All in all, not a bad day at sea. Maybe things wont seem to hard when she gets back to school next week. W' is going to have the whole crew to sing to her during breakfast today. 

0900: Colors.

It is a long time-honored tradition at CCB that we start the day with a song and raise the Nation's Flag. It was a great way to start the day at the Landfill with 50 screaming kids and parents. Any chance you get to have everyone pointing in one direction in silence is a gift. But the song also puts everyone on the same page, brightens the spirits a bit and well, its really kind of fun. When we started the Mystic program, there was some discussion over what elements of the former junior program we would bring aboard and its was pretty clear that was one that should stay with us. 

During colors, no one moves, unless Ship's duties mandate your attention. All stand at attention and face the flag halyard at the center of the ship. The Captain comes on Deck and asks for everyone's attention as we play the National Anthem. He then suggests "God Bless America" will be the song for the day. The National Anthem blares out over the water as we are the only ship for miles except for one oysterman who clearly doesn't want to show that he cares in the slightest what we are doing.

The crew stands at attention, with their hands on the their heart, as the we raise the Flag. Then once she is aloft, the Captain belts out with as much gusto as he can muster his rendition of the "God Bless America". As misery loves Company and it is her birthday, Tamara must stand with the Captain and sing with him with equal gusto. If she shirks this duty in any way, the Captain has suggested we have methods to make her sing. (No one has ever tested the Captain on this, but it is a well know fact that the last kid who protested singing is still swimming somewhere off Falkner Island). Tamara does her job with great pride and gusto as required. 

The Second Dog Watch

From there the day has a solid structure. Deck crews will change to Education where they will go fishing, go sailing, discuss sail theory, weather, marine science and navigation. The lesson plan for the day changes based on a variety of factors, not least of which is tide, wind and weather. But today's forecast calls for 10-15 out of the North and the Mystic is heading for the lee of Pleasure Beach where they can launch the JY's and spend the morning working on tacking drills. 

At Lunch, they crews will switch once again, with the dog watch now standing ready to serve tacos. Meals are a key to keeping every crew happy and high schoolers are twice as food motivated as an ordinary crew of salty dogs. When they finish lunch service, they will spend the afternoon sailing in the JY's while the morning education crew gets ready to serve dinner. The rotation could be maddening if it lasted a lifetime, but this is one week. A week where we don’t have cell phones, no one checks their Facebook page and we all sing like crazy people every day at 0900. 

At night, we settle in to evening watches where the deck crew stands ready to guide our ship to morning. The rest enjoy a period of games, or reading or talking or playing music, but their are no radios so they must make do with the ship's guitar and a rusty harmonica. It doesn't have to sound good to be fun. 

And so it goes, day in, day out. Until Saturday when we disembark this crew and get ready to bring the next crew aboard in New Haven, or Stamford or New London or Groton. You never know what the next morning tide will bring, or what the sun will look like when it creeps up over the horizon. You don't know what you'll eat or where you will go. But you do know, you’re safe, far away from the noise and static of life on shore. Away from the streets, the sidewalks and the houses. And out here, all you really have to do, is sail. and sail. and sail. 

 O to sail to sea in a ship!

To leave this steady unendurable land,
To leave the tiresome sameness of the streets, the sidewalks and the
houses,
To leave you O you solid motionless land, and entering a ship,
To sail and sail and sail!

-Walt Whitman