Impressions from First Time Trainee

by Derek Davis

When I arrived Sunday April 7, the weather was cool and rainy. I found the Rose crew working diligently to win the two 1200 pound anchors dropped earlier in the week. Instantly I volunteered to man a bar at the capstan for the next 2 hours. In those first few hours, I learned that the crew of the Rose was a close knit group of individals who all share the love of sailing. The next morning at high tide the ship was warped out into deeper water and preparations were made to depart.

All of the trainees (of which I was one) were assigned a crew member to instruct them for the week. I had the luck to be assigned to Alix, a very experienced sailor. Within the first hour, she had me "stepping on" the Port Foretopsail yard to ungasket the Topsail. The wind, as any sailor knows, never seems to stay favorable and, as excepted, it came round and blew on our nose. We anchored near the Conn. river and spent the night. The next morning, we made for Newport RI. and ducted in just as a gail began to blow. The next day showed 10 inched of snow and unseasonably cool temeratures. Despite the weather, I had a great time in Newport. I used this time to get to know the rest of the crew. The weather was pleasant for the rest of the trip and I learned a tremendous amount about sailing a tall ship. I'm 32 years old, a manufacturing executive, and I've been racing yachts for 15 years. Sailing and being at sea are things I truly love. I wish I would have discovered the Rose a year ago, then, instead of preparing my house for its summer renovations, I would be in Boston, preparing to depart for the Atlantic Crossing and the European Campaign.

Take some good advice and reward yourself for a lifetime.

Sail on the "HMS ROSE"