Indeed, dawn has come for millions of people hoping to emerge from the darkness of the pandemic. For Call of the Sea, it was one year ago that schooner Seaward’s Mexico voyage was cut short, our Spring educational sailing season was cancelled, and brigantine Matthew Turner was held at the dock unable to complete on-the-water Coast Guard tests.
In the depths of the virus, hope was essential. In the summer, as public health guidelines allowed, we provided essential youth day camps, after school programs, “Aloft” confidence building programs, and, YES, Matthew Turner finally received Coast Guard certification and participated actively in our educational programs. Call of the Sea was the only educational tall ship organization operating on the Pacific Coast. Our creative crew, agile staff, students and financial support from many individuals and grantors made it possible for Call of the Sea to persevere. Hope was not our strategy but it was essential for our survival in 2020.
Let’s not dwell on last year. Dawn has come for an exciting new year. We will begin sailing on Earth Day, April 22, and every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the Spring, Summer and Fall. All of our educator/crew members will have been vaccinated.
Our sailing calendar will be posted early next week. Look for it! Please forward it to your friends. Just think how wonderful it will be to be on the deck of Seaward or Matthew Turner, breathing the fresh air, experiencing our maritime heritage at its best, and learning more about the Bay and coastal waters that nourish our souls.
And for those of you who share our concern that many people from nearby communities have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, please be generous and make a donation so that we can provide scholarship support for them to experience and learn more about the wonders of our maritime world.
“Night never had the last word. The dawn is always invincible.” -Hugh B. Brown
May the dawn find you healthy and, yes, feeling invincible.
Steven Woodside