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HM Bark Endeavour

Personally waaaaaaaaay offline. For the past five days I've been on an exact replica of the mid-18th century ship, HM Bark Endeavour -- http://www.greenwichuk.com/endeavour/ -- no Internet, no laptops, no faxes. OK, I had a cell phone which I used for less than 2 minutes a day. There was no time for chit-chat, as there was so much work on board to get done. It was great being offline and on the open seas. The original version of this three mast, square-rigged 109 foot (132 if you include the spritsail which serves as fourth mast) ship was used by Captain James Cook on his first of three landmark global explorations. With a complement of scientists and botanists on board, his mission charted much in Canada and the Pacific that heretofore the British had not known, including the recording of tens of thousands of species and plants. While Cook and his ship were English, this replica and many of her soulful crew are Australian, with a healthy complement of Brits as well.

The HM Bark Endeavour is on a three-year voyage around the world. Midway through its voyage, the ship is hopping up the Eastern coast of the U.S. now. It will go up to Halifax, then down to Bermuda, through the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, to the Galapagos Islands, up the Western coast of the U.S. to Anchorage and beyond, until it comes back to Australia in April of 2000. If you're as attracted to such things as I am, you owe it to yourself to check this out. You can visit it as a floating museum in its ports of call, or serve as crew. The latter privilege, and it is a distinct privilege in my book, costs you $850 U.S. Each voyage is between five and ten days. Know that it is as physically challenging as you can imagine. You sleep in a hammock. You keep watch at all different hours. I spotted a whale at 02:00 hours, and yes, we all did say, "Thar she blows!"

Listening to my Captain A'tops Richard Warnott explain compass navigation with his uniquely charming English humor, whilst I was tending the wheel at the helm at 02:30 hours, was another highlight. "This compass navigation is just like driving in your car to the pub, which is over there at 020 degrees, while where you're heading now is at 010 degrees. You've got to move over 10 degrees if you're gonna make that pub," he deadpans. Sounds pretty nifty, ay? In short, it was a life's adventure, the sort of which I'll be embellishing on for years, though it really isn't even necessary. Thinking back on the only ill weather, a squall came over us and things were pretty hairy as we tried to get the sails down in time whilst hail and wind pounded down upon us relentlessly. The lightening lit up the skies with an eerie electric blue color. So bright was it, you could see it clearly through the dense wet winds swirling round the ship. "PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT MR. CHASE." "EASE ON THE PORTSIDE HALYARDS, CLUES AND BUNTS." "BRACING STATIONS!" "HAUL AWAY ON THAT T'GALLENT SHEET."

You worked cheek by jowl with your crew, each depending on one another and the crew at large. The crews of 10 to 12 are arranged by Mast, Mizzen, Main, and Foremast. I was Foremast. You feel yourself drifting into the elements around you, the wind, the sea, the temperature, the ship, you. It was a serene night, that. The ship rocking gently from stem to stern. No moon. Countless stars.

Yes, you work your arse off, and laugh that much harder at the funny stuff. Another tall ship comes up port-side and fires a blank cannon at us in salute. We fire back one big fat sucker, the sound of which reverberates around the landscape for over ten seconds. "Kabang... kabang... kabang... kabang..." So loud is it, you must cover your ears. The supposed munitions man loads the cannon, lights the fuse in the little hole atop the cannon and screams "FIRE IN THE HOOOOOLE." We cover our ears and... POW! The sound pressure of the blast is so great you feel it in all the deck boards underneath you and in the air pressing up against your entire body. They applaud and fire back. We applaud and cheer back, with smoke everywhere, then each goes on their merry way.

Coming and going into ports is always fun too. All boats sound their horns. Big tugs, luxury crafts, police boats, little dinghies with pip-squeak aerosol horns, all sound off. Bagpipers wail. Bells ring. TV helicopters whir above. Through this cascading cacophony, the captain puts extra husk and heft into his orders to the crew aloft working the sails.

Heading into Newport, we passed under the Jamestown bridge with only ten feet to spare between our tallest mast and the bridge itself. You couldn't tell that from staring up, as many on deck were. My hands were on the wheel at this time. We were one spoke to starboard for part of the crossing, then dead-on at midships the rest of the way. It was one of the most keenly felt experiences I've ever had.

Unbelievably, there are berths still available (berth meaning a hammock you string up every night). No, I'm not getting any $$$ to say all this. I do it because she's a good ship and carries some of the finest people I'll ever meet. It is as close to transporting yourself back to 1769 as you'll ever get. Make no mistake, you have to be made of pretty stern stuff to pull this off. There were 18 year olds who were part of my team as well as two around 70. It's not an age thing. If you do decide to take a voyage, please tell them where you heard about it.

Prior to my taking this voyage, many asked me what possessed me to take the journey and challenge. I couldn't verbalize an answer then. I can now. When you complete such an "endeavour," you honor yourself in a way you never have before. One can only imagine the self-esteem mustered by the permanent crew of this fine vessel. Countless American ships saluted this Aussie ship with three "Hip Hip Hoorays." We lads and lasses salute back, and I say now, OZZIE OZZIE OZZIE, Oy, Oy, Oy! BTW, you'll be relieved to know I didn't use the seats of ease located on the bow's port and starboard sides :). If you want to call them, the phone number is 703-519-4556.