Sailing Day 5

The sailing trip had a long but productive final day. After a last morning swim and snorkel at Christmas Cove, we sailed back to Frenchtown and moored at the harbor where our trip began. The students cleaned and packed the boats, said goodbye to Captain Meg and Captain Mike, and proceeded to the airport. The group boarded on time but had a long wait on the runway before takeoff. We landed at Logan Airport at 7:30, picked up the NYC Fashion group at South Station, and were back on campus around 10:30PM. The group had a final meeting on Saturday morning to exchange photos and memories and to prepare for the Project Symposium.

Thanks to Mr. Schwab, Captain Meg, and Captain Mike for an unforgettable week!

Sailing Days 3 and 4

Students on the sailing trip have had two more extraordinary days! On Wednesday, we sailed from Buck Island to Honeymoon Beach on St. John, where the students enjoyed some beach time and another chance to snorkel. There were also a number of visits from the local wildlife, everything from sea turtles to bats to tarpin (fish). Today we sailed from Honeymoon Beach to Christmas Cove and enjoyed a delicious dinner from Pizza Pie, the pizza boat! The students are steadily growing their technical skills, learning how to tack and jibe, how to drive the boats, how to do an engine check before beginning the day's sailing, and also how to cook meals and clean up after themselves. The growth in the group, both in terms of technical skill and team feeling, has been wonderful to watch!

Sailing Day 2

Today began with a navigation lesson led by Captain Meg. After the lesson, we did our first real sailing! Over the course of the several miles between St. Thomas and Buck Island, the students learned to handle the helm of a 40-foot catamaran, to work the sails, and to pick up a mooring. They also took turns swabbing the decks and cooking meals. We snorkeled off Buck Island and spotted several sea turtles, a sting ray, and many many fish! To close the day, we celebrated Miss Brown's birthday with cupcakes and s'mores.

Arrival in St. Thomas!

The group has had a long, busy, exciting first day! We left campus at 3:45 AM and flew into St. Thomas right around 2PM. After a long wait for our shuttle bus to the harbor, we finally arrived and met Captain Meg (of the Inconceivable) and Captain Mike (of Wanderlust). After settling into the boats, the students learned the basic rules of safety on the water, then devoured a tasty and filling cookout dinner. Everyone is exhausted and a little motion sick, so the Dramamine has been handed out generously. The group is looking forward to tomorrow morning, when we will leave the harbor and raise the sails for the first time!

Ready for Takeoff!

Students in the "Knot Your Average Sailing Trip" project are excited to depart campus early Monday morning! Our day of travel will take us from campus (leaving at 3:45 AM) to Logan Airport, where we will board a direct flight to St. Thomas. We will arrive around 2PM and head directly to the two catamarans where we will be spending our week.

The group is feeling optimistic, eager for blue water and blue skies, and VERY VERY VERY VERY grateful to still be going on the adventure of a lifetime!

Project Week 2020 is one week away!

In just one week, New Hampton School students will be embarking on a week-long experiential learning journey. 

The purpose of Project Week is to provide all students and faculty time for an extended and vigorous investigation of an essential question

through outstanding educational opportunities that are not possible in the standard classroom setting. Students engage in self-directed learning with appropriate adult guidance, and they self-reflect about the process, experience, and outcomes of their project throughout the week. Students will demonstrate the competencies they have learned during project week and reflect on their experience.

Project Week also allows us to dynamically pursue the New Hampton School mission of cultivating lifelong learners who will serve as active global citizens using project-based and experiential learning methods.

Sailing day 5

Today we woke up in Christmas Cove. We made pancakes and had to start packing to leave in the afternoon. After we got everything tied down and ready to go, we sailed back to St.Thomas. When we got back, we had to fuel up the catamaran. After that we then sailed the last bit back to Frenchtown Marina. When we got back on land we got some popsicles and got some snacks for the flight. We then took the taxi back to the airport where we waited for our flight.We first flew to Puerto Rico where we had a quick layover, and then flew back to Boston. When we got back we got picked up by the New Hampton bus and took quick stop at McDonalds for dinner. 

Sailing Day 4

We woke up early because we had an exciting day ahead of us: we were going to Cruz Bay to go shopping and sightseeing. We visited different shops and helped out the local economy by buying souvenirs to bring back home. We saw a lot of wild chickens, dogs, and iguanas. After this adventure we went back to the boats via the dinghies and sailed to Christmas Cove, our last destination of the trip. There were light rain showers but it did not dampen our mood at all. We threw Lukas overboard and everyone was laughing and having a great time. We got to Christmas Cove and learned about jibbing and how dangerous it can be. The group plotted our course over the trip and planned out our final sail the following morning. We then jumped in to snorkel around Christmas Cove. Our dinner was pizza from the boat called "Pizza Pi" and we also had a great sunset to watch.. 

Sailing day 3

Today we woke up in Buck Island and went snorkeling in Turtle Cove. We saw sea turtles, sting rays, and needle fish. After snorkeling we made lunch.We then Sailed to St. John in Caneel Bay. We tied up the boats to the moorings and went snorkeling again. The snorkeling and beaches were nicer because there weren't as many rocks and they were sandy. We then learned more about the charts and navigation, specifically the symbols sailors use. To end the day, the boys played a crazy game of "banana split".

Sailing Day 2

In the morning, we woke up and went snorkeling. After we dried off, we learned some more about basic navigation and how to read and use a map. We learned what a compass was and the best way to use it. Other things that we learned were basic words for when you are on a boat. Port means left and starboard means right.  We split up into crews with a mix of guys and girls. We set sail to Buck Island and the sail over was quite rough with gusts up to 25 knots and 10 foot swells. The chaperones got seasick..... When we got to Buck Island we tied up on the mooring and then went snorkeling. We made dinner which was jerk chicken and it was excellent. The cleaning crews cleaned up and then we wrote in our journals and went to bed.

Sailing day 1

Today we traveled from New Hampton to Boston Logan airport. Our flight was delayed about an hour. When we got off the plane in the Virgin Islands, the warm weather was extremely nice. We then took a taxi from the airport to the Frenchtown Marina where we met the captains, and had good food waiting for us.

Very Cold Sailors Seek Warmer Waters

Knot Your Average Sailing Trip participants are ready to go! Can't wait for that fresh warm air!

Day 4, Knot Your Average Sailing Trip

Thursday March 8, 

Today the morning started off very relaxed with breakfast. After breakfast we got the opportunity to snorkel and a few of us did. While snorkeling some people saw a couple eagle rays.

After snorkeling we sailed from St. Croix back over to St. Thomas. We split up, half the group on SV Calico and the other have on SV Inconceivable.  Throughout the sail we saw lots of debris, but no dolphins or whales this time around. We did however see two species of a

bird called Long Tail Tropic birds that aren't very common in the USVI.

SV Calico started out as smooth sailing. There was a little trouble raising the sail but it was situated quickly. One of the reefing lines wrapped around the boom causing the sail to get stuck while going up. Once we got the sail up, we were moving quickly. Soon lunch came and everyone started to make lunch. During lunch, everyone on Calico started feeling a little sea sick. Luckily, everyone was able to get some air and we all felt better at the end.

Aboard the SV Inconceivable, crew took turns at the helm and with the lines. We sailed three quarters of the way across until we lost wind and needed to use power to supplement.  The day's sail was almost 5 hours.

Once we arrived on St Thomas we pulled up to Christmas Cove to wind down the day. Once we moored we had the opportunity to snorkel.  Dinner this evening was from a pizza boat called Pizza Pi! We got pizzas and ice cream. 

After dinner we played cards.  Captain Meg hung a light overboard which attracted little organisms, which attracted little fish, which attracted larger fish.  There was a tarpon or two circling below for  most of the three hours Brummer and others were out there watching. 

The very last thing we did before bed was chart our course on a nautical chart.  Captain Meg showed us how people used to navigate before the age of the gps, which is also how she learned to navigate.

Overall the day was lots of fun and the sail on our boat (inconceivable) was relaxing.