Life certinly offers interesting opportunities sometimes!

[Solange]

I'm so excited, I just have to tell you what happened today! :)

I work part time as a teacher at a maritime school, and this week I teach a high school class maritime engineering. Next week they are going on a boat trip with one of the school's sailing vessels, and today my boss came to me and begged me to join them, they need one more teacher! :) I will teach some more, and help them sail the boat to Aaland!

If they are begging, then I'm certinly not going to pass on sailing this beauty for a week!

http://www.sweref.se/fartygsbilder/18.jpg

I was going to have next week off and rest after this week, it's a little too much right now, but hey, I can rest when I retire! :D

[dhama]

Go for it Solange, if we don't take oportunities when they present themselves, they may never bother us again. ;)

[staticon]

Good for you. That sounds like heaven. http://forums.eidosgames.com/images/icons/icon14.gif :)

[CatSuit&Ponytail]

http://forums.eidosgames.com/images/icons/icon14.gif Luck is knowing when to say yes, in some cases. ;) Lucky girl! :D

Pretty little boat, nice boat, what a cute little boat! :D

[Solange]

I'm so looking forward to this! When they asked me, I immediately started calling my other work places to see if I can be free from the few assignments I have next week, and it was decided within 10 minutes that I could go! :D

Staticon, it truly will be heaven! The sun, the blue sky, the sea.

I've loved this boat since I was a student and I sailed on it for two days. Last year I worked for two months on a very similar boat, also a schooner, but made in wood. (This one is steel) They sail so well!

CS&P & Nerevar, I do feel lucky! :)

[LARAMANIAC]

Good for you Solange! She really is a beauty!! WOW - the sea breeze in your face, the beautiful fresh air, and all that open space!!!! Absoluuuuute heaven! Work hard and play hard!!! Take good care - we'll miss you!!! ;)
http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/angel09.gif

[Solange]

Thanks dear! :) But I'll only be gone for 5 days, I'm sure you'll survive! :D

Some hard work, yes, but I plan to spend my "off duty time" lying on my back watching the clouds & the sun! :) I'm hoping I'll gain a few more freckles on my nose as an extra bonus!

I'll try to borrow a camera so I can post some pictures when I get back!

[LARAMANIAC]

Piccys will be greatly appreciated, the rest of us can drool at them!!! :D If its freckles you need, I have tons, I will email you some!!! ;)
http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/angel09.gif

[Deekman]

Since I can't actually whistle at that beauty online,
Howzabout I just post a pic of the appropriate instrument?
http://www.stanleylondon.com/bosuncase2th.jpg

[Solange]

Very appropriate DEEKMAN! :D

Tomorrow, early in the morning, I'm leaving. My bags are packed, with ALL the clothes I own, it snowed yesterday! :eek: So I'm prepared to be cold! :D

I'll see you all again Saturday, unless I'm frozen solid! :D Wish me luck! I might just need it...

[Solange]

Hi everyone!

I'm back from my trip! It was eventful... :D I hope my pictures turn out good, I'll post some as soon as they are developed, if they are ok. I'm a lousy photographer!

We departed Tuesday around 11 AM from the harbour in northern Stockholm. It rained. And it was cold. I was lucky, I could work under deck teaching the problems with reducing toxic exhausts from diesel engines and how to adjust the valves and other interesting things. The students are in third grade high school, 18-19 years old, and it's wonderful to see how dedicated they are to their studies, and how much they want to learn. That is so rewarding!

We spent the night on an island in the southern outer archipelago, and the following day we set sails and sailed north, out to the open sea. The day was bright and sunny, so beautiful! But windy! A stubborn gale blow, and the waves were high. After a while we had to take turns holding the kids as they hang over the rail and sacrificed to Neptune. I felt so sorry for them!

We all wore orange floating overalls, it was so cold. For some reason I looked very funny, they all laughed when I came up on deck, and said I looked like South Park Kenny... Maybe I did, with one exception! I survived. He he!

I almost fell over board that day! I lay on the roof and looked at the sky and the sun when suddenly the boat heeled over (I hope that's the proper word!) and I flew. It happened so fast, I didn't have a chance to hold on to something! I remember thinking midair: I hope I land on the inside of the rail! When I realized the shrouds would catch me, my next thought was: I hope I won't break my neck! I didn't! I landed in a heap in the scupper. (Again, I hope that word is correct, my dictionary has limitations! :D ) Without so much as a scratch! The water temperature is 4 degrees C, so I'm glad I didn't have to swim!

The following day we sailed over to Aaland. The wind was still hard, but the waves were smaller, so it all went well. But it rained again. Rain close to snow. But it was worth it. We had a great time there. We went on board this ship:

http://www.pommern.aland.fi/pommernvidkaj.jpg

I'm glad I wasn't a sailor back then, even if the ship is beautiful!

On our way back home the visibility dropped to almost nothing! And there was no wind. The horizon melted away in the mist. It was so beautiful! When I looked out in the grey emptiness and felt how small we were, I felt so happy I almost cried. Two small birds followed us from Aaland, and one of them nearly landed on my hand in his search for a place to sit. He then sat down on the rail, ½ meter away from me, stared at me, and then started polishing his feathers and beak!

Around sunset the sun cut through the fog and spread gold over the sea! And then disappeared again. And the fog thickened. We met ferries, and we couldn't see them until they were less than 200 meters away. And our horn sounded every 2 minutes, and the other ships answered. It was fantastic!

On the boats I usually work, we just cruise around in Stockholm for a few hours, so I'm so glad I had a chance to go out and see the open sea!

Now I have to make peace with one angry kitty, she is so angry now that I've been away for so long! :)