By Linda K. Foster
If you’ve never experienced sailing on a tall ship, I strongly recommend giving it a try. I was recently invited by friends to join them in an evening sail aboard the Irving Johnson, one of the new square-rigged Twin Brigantines berthed in the San Pedro Harbor, Los Angeles. Growing up, I spent a great deal of time deep sea fishing with my Dad and, as an adult, I have taken several cruises. So, it seems I have always had an affinity for being at sea. I have to admit, though, that I was a bit apprehensive about going on a sailing vessel. I envisioned it being fairly small and not very sea-worthy and the thought of capsizing was not appealing to me. Needless to say, when we arrived at the harbor I was astonished to see not a tiny sail boat, but a beautiful 110 foot wooden ship. Even with the sails furled, the site of this exquisite ship resting alongside the dock was simply spectacular.
There were about 20 people onboard for this particular sail; some with prior sailing experience and some like me, who were somewhat in awe of what the evening may portend. We were greeted by a small crew ranging in age from about 10 years old to approximately mid-20’s and by Captain Jim, who we learned has upwards of 32 years of teaching science and sailing experience. This fact alone, immediately instilled in me a great deal of confidence in him.
Before leaving the harbor, we were given a basic, but thorough, lesson in ship safety including where the life vests were stored, how to properly utilize them and what to do in the unlikely event that a person or personal item took an unscheduled night swim. We were also told that the most important thing we could do to make the experience safe and pleasurable was to follow all instructions from the Captain and crew. Finally, we were told that the Irving Johnson is a “working ship” meaning it takes more than just the crew to perform the duties necessary to complete the sail. We were encouraged to engage in the hands-on experience of raising and lowering the sails and other essential tasks, but we were also told that “working” was completely voluntary and we could choose to simply just sit back, relax and enjoy the sail.
Honestly, my first thought was to do the latter. However, once we left the harbor, there was what seemed to be an instant camaraderie among the guests and I, along with the majority of them, rose to the occasion, an experience I do not regret. I’m sure the crew would have fared just as well even without my help, but being able to contributed in even a small way to the success of my first sailing venture was exhilarating. Along with being impressed by the passenger participation, I was extremely impressed by the interaction between crew members. Regardless of age or experience, crew members treated each other with mutual respect. Experienced crew members explained about and assisted less experienced crew members with duties without hesitation and without condescension. This behavior is rarely witnessed these days and it, alone, made this trip worthwhile.
Once the sails were unfurled, we cruised through the harbor into the open sea and, for at least a short period of time, I left all of my onshore concerns behind and took in the beauty of the sunset on the unobstructed horizon and engaged in some enjoyable conversation with my fellow shipmates. Several of the other passengers were homeschool parents, and the conversation naturally drifted in that direction. It soon became evident that our adventure on the sea would be also an excellent learning experience for homeschoolers. This conversation led me to some interesting research once our voyage ended.
As any homeschool family knows, school is where the kids are. Sailing on a tall ship such as the Irving Johnson provides students with real-life challenges that develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to live healthy, productive lives. Think of a tall ship as a floating lab where each onboard activity is a lesson plan. Navigation teaches the basics of geometry, sail trim teaches the physics of air foils and lift, and raising sails with a block and tackle creates an opportunity to learn mechanical advantage. Students develop their language skills through communication with the ship’s crew. Hearing, understanding, giving and following commands are essential communication elements. Onboard, students are presented with real problems which require real solutions in real time and are provided with immediate feedback, not simply theory. Leadership and teamwork help them work towards a common goal. Imagine — all of these educational opportunities are disguised as an adventure at sea.
The Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI) (https://lamitopsail.org/) offers the TopSail Youth Program designed to bring education, adventure and experience aboard the Institute’s sailing vessels. LAMI is a tax-exempt public-benefit corporation and volunteer organization that maintains and operates the Irving Johnson and other ships. Program vessels can accommodate up to 28 participants on overnight voyages and up to 35 participants on day sail. The Program is neither gender nor age-specific, welcoming anyone with a desire to learn basic sailing and, perhaps, move on to more a more advanced degree. TopSail uses the unique environment of the 90’ Brigantines, Exy Johnson and Irving Johnson and 70’ Topsail Schooner Swift of Ispwich as a training ground for youth, giving them real-life experience in problem-solving, decision-making, planning, self-reliance and leadership. The Program fosters positive attitudes regarding patience, persistence, endurance, courage and caution, all qualities that homeschoolers and other student groups strive for. Classes from the LAUSD as well as many private schools have taken advantage of the opportunities afforded to them through LAMI and it seems logical that homeschoolers could benefit at least equally from such an experience.
Through LAMI and other organizations available throughout the country, sailing offers a rich experience for homeschoolers that is hard to duplicate through any other source. While I cannot vouch for the other organizations, I can vouch for the exciting and invigorating experience I had on my LAMI sail. I personally plan to undertake another sail in the near future and encourage everyone, homeschoolers, homeschool parents and anyone else interested in this unique experience to contact either LAMI (www.lamitopsail.org) or whatever group local group is available for additional information. You definitely will not regret that you did. Even if you aren’t interested in a personal sailing experience, consider that LAMI and many of the other groups operate on limited funds from minimal fees and private donations. Without these funds, these groups will not be able to continue to offer quality programs such as TopSail. Donating to these organizations will help assure the availability of an education at sea for homeschoolers, other youth groups and, frankly, adults needing an evening of escape. LKF
