S/Y Argo and S/Y Ocean Star have both completed thier Fall voyages and as the students make thier way home each crew's final newsletter is now posted online. Please surf over to the 'Blogs' page on the Sea|mester website to view the final volumes of the Telltale and view the log entires for respective voyages.
Last month, 14 students from the Schooner Ocean Star proudly conducted three Reef Check surveys in Soufriere, St Lucia. This semester began in the British Virgin Islands on 20th September 2008, where most of the students took their first breaths underwater. After a month of Marine Biology and Oceanography classes, accompanied by many underwater adventures, they were all ready and excited to begin surveying. Read more on the Reef Check website here...
The Phuket King's Cup Regatta is Asia's biggest and most popular regatta. Inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the King of Thailand, the event has been held every year since during the first week of December.
With the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King's Cup Regatta Organising Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket.
The Phuket King’s Cup is the jewel in the crown of the Asian Yachting Circuit, a circuit of the leading regattas in Asia including the Raja Muda International Regatta, the Singapore Straits Regatta and the China Sea Race.
Argo last competed in 2006, taking second place in her class, the classic devision, and winning the special trophy for "Most Classic Yacht".
Link to the Kings Cup website for more information and photos from this year's races. www.kingscup.com
Word From the Editor: We’re back and nearly half way
finished with our semester, the crew of
Ocean Star has gone on some more
interesting journeys. We were in
Pirates of the Caribbean territory,
hiked the pitons, went to botanical
gardens, went to an active volcano,
and completed Reef Check surveys.
Once again, we hope you enjoy
reading about what we are doing and
are as excited to learn about them as
we are about sharing them.
Your Editor,
Caroline
Word from the Editors: Hello again! Since the last Telltale,
your sons and daughters have been
initiated by King Neptune, received
celebrity treatment at a ten-star
resort, and gotten up close and
personal with orangutans deep in the
jungles of Borneo. Over the last
month, we truly have experienced the
broadest range of adventures. We
hope this Telltale will paint a picture of
the variety of fortunes that have
befallen us. This month was marked
by many special occasions: we
completed Argo's circumnavigation of
the globe, crossed the equator, and
celebrated a new president-elect, just
to name a few highlights. The
following tales should bring you aboard
to experience the daily excitement that
takes place on Argo.
Editors,
Tor Low, Sam Higgins, and Molly
Ashkenas
This time of year a lot of students start to have a rethink about their second semester. Perhaps their school was not all that it was cracked up to be or maybe it’s just time to take a break. If this sounds like you, and you are looking for a change of place and a different pace, we only have a few berths remaining for this spring starting in January. Ocean Star will continue to ply the Caribbean waters while Argo will cross the Indian Ocean, ending in Greece!
If sailing aboard with us this spring is something that you are considering, do not wait too long. Application procedure usually take about two weeks to complete and we wouldn't want to leave you standing on the dock!
After almost two years to the day - and well over 25,000 sea miles - S/Y Argo crossed her own wake off the coast of Singapore to complete her first circumnavigation of the globe. Since her launch in Thailand in 2006 S/Y Argo has seen nearly 200 students come aboard and have the opportunity to take her helm.
The current crew will enjoy a short stay in Singapore before continuing northwest via Malaysia en route to Phuket where they will have the privilege to once again take part in the Kings Cup, a yearly regatta held in celebration of the King of Thailand.
Visit our Logs and Blogs pages for up to the minute news...
Sea|mester has been nominated for the American Sail Training Association Sea Education Program of the year award. This is annually awarded to a program offered by a current ASTA member which significantly contributes to the educational credibility of program under sail.
Qualified programs...
Must be offered in conjunction with a school, school system, school group or other recognized educational institution.
Must have a clear curriculum of educational goals which are compatible with curriculum goals of traditional schools.
Must have qualified instructors on a certified vessel.
Awards will be presented at the Sail Training Awards Banquet during the 36th Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships in November.
If you are an alumni and would like to vote for Sea|mester to be awarded with this nomination, please send an email to lori@sailtraining.org explaining that you are an alumni of th eprogram and tell her a little about your experience and why you feel that Sea|mester shoudl win this award!
The crew of the Fall Global Sea|mester has arrived in the port of Darwin in Northern Australia after visiting the Aboriginal communities of the Tiwi Islands. Visit their BLOG to read more on the adventures of Argo and her crew... GO
S/Y Argo and her student crew had a very quick transit of the Panama Canal and will now continue west to the Galapagos Islands where they will visit the famous Charles Darwin Reasearch Center. The crew will spend a week or so in the islands and should get a chance to tour, SCUBA dive and do some community service before continuing west to the Marquesas Islands and eventually finsihing up in Tahiti.
