By Maija Niemisto, Director of Shipboard Education
On September 15th and 16th Clearwater welcomed a terrific group of middle school students from the Princeton Montessori School, onboard the sloop for two full days of exciting weather, fishing, sailing and songs.
It is a unique and wonderful treat for the crew to sail with the same group of students for days in a row. We watched these sixth, seventh and eighth graders brave the rainy weather on the first day to be rewarded with a sunny morning full of wind on the second.
On the first day, the 25 students got to know the crew and the boat and had extended learning stations. They studied the local fish and geology, spent time sailing the boat, ate lunch onboard with the crew, and studied their knots. They were mesmerized by onboard educator,Jocelyn’s “skit and apprentice competition” that sent crew high into the rigging, splashing into the brine barrel, and had them literally tied up in knots.
That evening, Montessori students and teachers pitched their tents below the shadow of the Palisade cliffs and ate a hot meal with the crew as the sun sunk low. Everyone gathered in the warmth of the historic Kearney House and sat together before the crackling hearth while Linda Richards led them in song and story. Their voices rose together under the very same roof that sloop sailors sat under two hundred years ago on similar chilly fall evenings on the Hudson.
After a night under the stars, the students and teachers were up early and excitedly returned to the sloop for another fine day on the river. The students showed how much they had learned about teamwork on the first day by raising the sail in a record 7 minutes and 31 seconds. They also competed in a trivia contest and amazed the Clearwater crew with their knowledge of the historic ship, and of the Hudson River watershed. Each student received extended lessons on sail physics, shipboard life, and song writing that very few other passengers get to experience.
By the end of their time aboard Clearwater, every student had helped write new verses to “This Land is Your Land” which they sang in fine harmony. We were sad to see this wonderful group of students leave, but we look forward to when they all return to be volunteers and crew someday.
The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater offers three-hour Sailing Classroom Programs, but is always excited to offer extended programs for schools and camps that want their students to engage in a more in-depth educational experience.
Click here for more information about Clearwater’s many educational programs or contact Maija Niemisto, Director of Shipboard programs at 845 265 8080, ext. 7115, or email Maija at educator@clearwater.org.
