Tall Ship Intersession Meeting

What: Mandatory meeting for Parents, Guardians and students involved with the Tall Ship Intersession
When: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 6:30pm
Where:  The Library at the Bay School
Why?  To go over logistics of the trip, sign forms and plan meals!

Please contact Nettie or Nic if you have any questions.

TSI Sailing Area

Bill of Rights Information

The Bill of Rights is a gaff-rigged tops'l schooner operated by the American Tall Ship Institute of Oxnard, CA.  It was built in Bristol, ME in 1971 by Harvey Gamage.

The vessel itself is registered with the US Coast Guard and certified as a passenger vessel.  The Coast Guard maintains rigorous standards for safety features both built into the vessel (radios, lifelines etc) and required to be on the vessel (like lifejackets and lifeboats).  The Coast Guard certification also specifies the number and experience required of the crew of the vessel.  There are two licenses Captains on board the Bill of Rights during our voyage as well as several experienced crew members.

Contacting the Bill of Rights:

Please know that you will NOT have contact with your student while they are aboard the Bill.

If you have an emergency at home and must contact your student, please use these options, in this order:

1. Call or email Nate Gilman, Education Officer on Board the Bill, (805) 901-0585, education@americantallship.org
2. Captain Stephen Taylor (805) 320-7447 stephan@americantallship.org   
3. Channel Islands Harbor Patrol  (805) 382-3000.  They answer this number 24 hours a day and can contact us by radio.
4. Only in an  EXTREME emergency, contact US Coast Guard and tell them you are trying to reach the sailing vessel Bill of Rights currently under sail in the Channel Islands.  They will radio us and we can communicate through them.
   

FAQs

How safe is it to sail on a tall ship?

Although any outdoor adventure has within it some inherent risks, safety is built in to all levels of sailing aboard a tall ship.  

• The vessel itself is registered with the US Coast Guard and certified as a sail training vessel.  The Coast Guard maintains rigorous standards for safety features both built into the vessel (radios, lifelines etc) and required to be on the vessel (like lifejackets and lifeboats).  The Coast Guard certification also specifies the number and experience required of the crew of the vessel.  There are two licenses Captains on board the Bill of Rights during our voyage as well as several experienced crew members.
• We are constantly monitoring the weather, both visually and via radio reports.  Our first concern is always safety, and we make decisions about the trip based on the safety of the environment.   
• Students join the vessel as part of the working crew and as such will be given specific instructions on how to live safely aboard the vessel.  They are required to take a role and participate in emergency drills such as man overboard and abandon ship drills.
• On this trip, we will be within about 30 miles of the California Coast at all times. In cases of acute emergency illness or vessel distress, the Coast Guard is in easy reach of our ship at all times.

Do I have to know how to sail?

No! There is absolutely no sailing experience necessary.  

Where do we sleep?

The Bill has one large cabin at the front of the boat with bunks that line both sides.  You will have your own bunk and are expected to sleep in your bunk.  Privacy is at a minimum on board so be prepared for this, and be respectful of others in this space.

Are there bathrooms?

Yes!  Toilets on boats are called "heads" and the Bill of Rights has several heads.  These toilets do not work quite the way your toilet at home works, but they serve the same function.

Are there showers?

No, the Bill of Rights does not have showers.  Although you may not feel as clean as you do at home, there are simple ways to keep yourself hygienic.  Bring a facecloth and use the sink to keep your face etc clean.  Bring babywipes (sailors call these "showers-in-a-box").  We also plan to swim in the ocean, so that will give you a full body wash!

Will I get seasick?

Seasickness is a very individual thing -- its possible you will get sick, and possible you won't.  A few things to remember are that the healthier you are, the less likely you are to succumb to seasickness.  So, be sure to stay hydrated, use sunscreen to avoid sunburn, keep simple foods in your stomach and get plenty of fresh air.  

There are a variety of seasickness remedies on the market from acupressure wrist bands to aromatherapy oils to medications.  If you are welcome to bring any of these with you, but PLEASE be sure to tell your watch leader if you take any of these medications.

Does the Bill of Rights have electricity?

Like most sailing vessels, the Bill does produce electricity when running its engine or a generator and stores the electricity in batteries.  Items like digital cameras can only be charged during times when the engine/generator is running.  As a sailing vessel, we try to run the engine as little as possible, so the windows when you can charge cameras is very limited.  For this reason, please do not bring any additional electronics (besides cameras) that would need charging.

What electronics devices can I bring?

Please limit electronics to a digital camera.  Do NOT bring phones, cameras, laptops, ipods, ipads, hairdryers or electric toothbrushes.

What kind of food will be on the boat?

Three meals a day plus snacks are provided aboard the boat.  We will be planning the food before we leave for the trip, and students will be in charge of cooking it so we have quite a bit of say!   Most "mainstream" dietary restrictions can be accommodated if we know about them in advance.  

We ask that you do NOT bring your own supply of food on the boat.  If you do bring something, please make sure that it is stored in the galley (kitchen) and that there is enough for everyone!

What type of clothing do I need to bring?  How cold will it be?

The temperature on the water can vary quite a bit. A comprehensive gear list is included on this website.  

Can we bring digital cameras?

Yes.  Be careful with them though because salt water and electronics do not mix well!  And charing times are limited (see above).

Can students call home?  

Students will NOT have their cell phones with them on this trip and so will not be able to call home during the trip.  On Friday, as we get back to land and start our drive back to San Francisco, students will be able to call home to let you know when they plan to arrive.

In an emergency, how could a parent/guardian reach someone on the boat?

In an emergency, parents can contact the vessel using the contact numbers listed on the Bill of Rights Information entry on this blog. 

A Day in the LIfe of the Tall Ship Intersession

For people aboard ships, life at sea is organized into "watch systems".  Three watches (student groups) are established each with an adult watch leader.  While underway, the ship works 24 hours a day and each watch takes four hour shifts throughout the day and night (length of watches can vary depending on the ship).  Watches are filled with the challenges of sailing the vessel, as well as chores to keep the vessel safe, clean and fed.

• All Hands Meeting:  After lunch (usually 1300), there is an "All Hands Meeting" which is when ALL members of the crew meet together.  These meetings are run by the Captain and each watch will present a report about the ship.  They also may include a lesson or other event. 
• Meals:  Meals are prepared and served by students as part of their watch duties.  Meals are eaten around watch changes, and for that reason are eaten in two shifts.  The first shift is the oncoming watch and "idlers" (those who are not assigned to a watch like the Captain).  The second shift is served after the watch change and consists of the offcoming watch and the off watch.

The table below provides an example of a watch schedule and duties in the watch:

Time	Watch Name	Activities
0400-0800	Dawn Watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel Soles and bowls (cleaning floors and "heads" (aka bathrooms)) Breakfast Prep Breakfast wake-ups for sleeping crewmembers  Preparation of report for All Hands Meeting
0800-1200	Morning Watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel Breakfast cleanup Deck wash (cleaning decks, bulkheads and neatening lines) Lunch Prep Preparation of report for All Hands Meeting
1200-1600 1300 All Hands Meeting	Noon Watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel Lunch cleanup Wake ups for "All Hands Meeting"
1600-2000	Dinner Watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel  Dinner Prep Dinner Cleanup
2000-0000	Night Watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel Learning the stars!
0000-0400	Mid-watch	Sailing and navigating the vessel

At Anchor

There will be days when we will be anchoring during the night.  During these times, a modified watch schedule is employed so that someone is always awake throughout the night to make sure the anchor stays put, and the weather does not bring us any surprises.  

Overview Of the Tall Ship Intersession

• Intersession is a week of "school without walls" and this year is on the week of April 8th, 2012.
• This is the first Tall Ship Intersession (TSI) sponsored by the Bay School of San Francisco.  Nettie Kelly and Nic Fiszman are the faculty guides for this experience.
• Students aboard the TSI will learn the skills of sailing, navigation and teamwork to become the working crew of the vessel.
• The 2012 trip is all boys in the 10th, 11th or 12th grades.
• We will sail aboard the wooden schooner Bill of Rights.  The Bill is owned and operated by the American Tall Ship Institute based in Oxnard, CA. 
• We will be sailing in and around the Channel Islands, off the coast of Southern California.
• We will depart on Sunday April 8 (Easter) at 11am by van, and drive to Oxnard to meet the Bill.  We will sleep and live aboard the ship for the next five nights as we sail in the Channel Islands.  We will return to Oxnard early Friday morning (April 13) and drive back to San Francisco.  We should arrive at the Bay School by 6pm on Friday.
• One of the philosophical tenets of this trip is for students to live in the moment, and disconnect from the outside world.  Although the ship maintains communication with the mainland, students are not allowed to bring cell phones with them on the trip.