Friday 18 December 2009

STUDY ABOARD AND ABROAD

I like Christmas cards. I like getting them and sending them. This week they are starting to come in both by ordinary mail but also by email. I am delighted to receive either form as it invariably has communication updating us on everyone's activities.


A family in Canada have a son who spending a year of his high school on a tall ship. He is currently aboard the S.V. Concordia, a barquentine which is affiliated with the non-profit education program Class Afloat out of Nova Scotia.*

The arrangement is that for one full academic year Grade 11 and Grade 12 students in Canada and the U.S. CAN take a year of education aboard.

There is a comprehensive website e.g. programmes, fees and photos here. All the photos and commentaries are glowing: glowing young people, glowing sunsets, blue skies and azure seas, glowing commentaries on the videos and glowing typed reports.


However, what have we here? This photo, and the one below, are on the internet, e.g. Flickr** and show Concordia visiting the west coast of British Columbia, i.e. Steveston, near Richmond area, south of Vancouver.

Oops! Anyone who sails knows just how these things happen (and accepts it as all part of life's rich experience!)

The Richmond Review newspaper report "Concordia Runs Aground ..." of August 5, 2004 (here) states:

"The incident occurred as low tide was approaching.... Concordia had left Britannia Heritage Shipyard at 8 a.m. Friday for a day tour..... The ship, captained by Andrew Straburzynski, had a professional crew of about a dozen on board, as well as a Canadian officer with knowledge of the local waterways.

Officials felt that since the ship left three hours before low tide at Sandheads ... there was lots of water for her to manoeuvre.

Taking the incident in stride, the passengers reacted with a sense of humour, saying they were expecting a unique experience, but not one quite like they got. "

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* home port is Bridgetown, Barbados.

** Photos: Flickr here.

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