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Reprinted with permission from the book by Gwenda Cornell, CRUISING WITH CHILDREN, published by Sheridan House, Inc. It is available for $18.45 from the publisher: Sheridan House, Inc., 145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, New York, 10522, (914) 693-2410.
MAKING THE MOST OF A HOLIDAY CRUISE Part Two (of 2) DIARIES AND LOGBOOKS After participating in sailing the boat, one of the most rewarding things a child can do is to keep a diary or logbook of his cruise. A special book can be bought and its cover decorated with illustrations, photographs or designs, with the title of the cruise in bold letters. Books with both lined and unlined pages are ideal so there is space for both drawings and descriptions. Alternatively a file can be used so that the number of pages can be easily added to and different kinds of paper utilized. A smaller child might use a book that has half a page plain for drawing with a few lines underneath on which he can write about his drawing. As well as drawings, the diary can be illustrated with postcards of places visited ashore, or entrance tickets to museums, even bus tickets. An older child who takes his own photographs could use these to illustrate his diary. For the little ones not yet able to write, the same idea can be followed in a scrap book with big coloured plain pages. They can be helped to paste in postcards, tickets and any other bits and pieces they may have collected ashore. Cutting out the pictures from tourist brochures is another colorful source for illustrating a scrapbook. There are many variations in what can go into such a book, depending on a child's age and interests, from drawing and identifying marine life to the history of places visited. Sometimes my children's diaries were more of a catalogue of what they ate or the games they had devised for their own amusement than the sights they had seen, but those were things that were important for them. A particular harbor might be remembered for the fact that it had a shop on the quay selling delicious ice cream rather than for the castle guarding the entrance. Some older children may prefer to keep their logbooks more in the style of a ship's log, in which they can note the distance traveled, wind speed and weather conditions, lighthouses or buoys passed, or the names of other vessels seen at sea. If the cruise area is rich in history, as many of the European coastlines or the New England coastline of America are, the diary or scrapbook can help to keep the historical sites visited fresh in the children's memory. Cruising guides which give some of this history or other books about the places visited are useful to have on board to stimulate an interest in the area being cruised in. Not only does a child get more out of cruising by keeping such a diary, but it also remains as a treasured memento, something to show to friends when one returns home. My children have kept diaries in various places and always got great enjoyment and much hilarity out of rereading them at a later date. HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Cruising also offers an ideal opportunity for extending a child's special interest or hobby, as well as introducing new pastimes which a child may not have though of before or had the opportunity to pursue. Starry nights in the cockpit with the pair of binoculars that almost all boats possess could well stimulate an interest in astronomy or at least in identifying stars, planets and constellations. A good map of the night sky or a star finder is essential and the easiest way to learn the constellations is to identify one or two of the well known groups, such as Orion or the Great Bear, and then work out other constellations from their position in relation to these. Few navigators nowadays use the stars, and with the advent of satellite navigation probably even fewer will in the future, but the subject may still catch the imagination of a child intrigued by how the sailors of yesteryear found their way across the oceans without the instruments of today. As mentioned earlier, spotting flags of different countries or code flags is another hobby that some children might like to follow. We also had a little book, I Spy at Sea, which gave points for different kinds of ships, buoys, lighthouses and other features that could be spied at sea. If there is more than one child on board, these spotting games can be run a friendly competition. Another idea for this kind of observation game is to collect unusual boat names. Children are often avid collectors and those who already collect stamps, matchbox labels or who press wild flowers will find plenty of opportunities to collect other items too. Beachcombing among the flotsam and jetsam yields all kinds of unlikely items, from glass fishing floats to wood or glass eroded into peculiar shapes by the action of wave and water, as well as a wide variety of natural objects from seaweed and egg cases to shells and pretty pebbles. SHELL COLLECTING One of the most popular hobbies among sailing children is collecting shells, whether scavenged from beaches or collected by swimming underwater. To increase a child's interest it is worth buying a book on shells, so the child can try to identify the specimens he collects or at least classify them into their families. Background information on various shells will also help to make the collection more interesting. The true collector will keep a record not only of the name of the shell, but where it was found, the type of habitat and depth of water. Make sure that shell-gathering is permitted in your cruising area. In the Seychelles it is illegal to collect any shells from specified shell reserves. The shells found on the seashore and even many of those in the sea will be dead and empty, but some collected by diving or in rockpools will still have the owner inside. Cleaning these living shells can be a problem. The simplest method is to gently heat the shells in fresh water, then pry the dead animal out with a pin, bent wire or other suitable utensil, such as one uses for eating shellfish or snails. Unfortunately this method cannot be used on the porcelain-type shells such a cowries or olibes, because heating them makes the shiny glaze go cloudy or crack and so ruins their beauty. For these shells there is no simple solution. I usually waited for them to die by leaving them out of water, then tried to remove as much as possible of the dead animal with a jet of water and various implements. Then I suspended them from the side of the boat in a mesh string bag. Gradually fish and other small creatures devoured the remains. The whole operation can be quite odiferous and a poor sense of smell is a great advantage. This problem of cleaning shells was one of the reasons why we did not take too many of a particular species, although the more attractive shells did make appreciated presents for friends. The main reason, though, is so as not to denude an area, but to leave plenty of shells to create the following generations. For similar reason any stones or slabs that been turned over to look for shells should be turned back again, because minute eggs and other small creatures may be on the underside and will perish if exposed. Shell collecting has become so popular that unfortunately whole areas have been virtually stripped clean by commercial-minded people who have only their own profit in view and not any conservation of the species. Therefore it is very important to teach children not to take more than they need. This is sometimes difficult when a pretty variety is in apparent abundance. In a lagoon in the Society Islands, Doina and Ivan discovered they could track down the long pointed auger shells by following their trail through the sand to where they had buried themselves. The children became so fascinated by the success of their detective work and their free diving prowess, that in the end I had to call a halt to their collection of the species. The only shells that can be harmful are a few species of the cone family, which release a small dart to kill their prey. This dart contains a poisonous substance which has been known to be fatal, particularly from the white and brown blotched conus geographicus. It is prudent to take hold of all cone shells from the back keeping the aperture pointing away, and then any dart is released away from the body. The majority of cone shells are harmless and the cone family is one of the most popular among collectors, as it has such a striking variety of colours, pattern and shapes. It is also prudent never to walk barefoot on a reef and to look very carefully before touching anything or turning over stones, keeping fingers out of open clam shells. A small stick can easily be used to instead for turning over stones or prodding into gloomy corners. MONITORING MARINE MAMMALS There can be few cruising children who do not welcome the company of dolphins and enjoy watching these beautiful animals riding the bow wave or disporting themselves beside the boat. Some children may be interested in taking this diversion a little more seriously by acting as observers for organizations, which are interested in sightings of dolphins and whales. These organizations, usually university research groups, provide forms on which to record the information they require, and they also have available guides to the identification of cetaceans, which is the family name for dolphins and whales. There are a surprisingly large number of species, the common dolphin being only one of some 25 species which have been sighted in the North Atlantic area alone. The most important features to record are the estimated size of the animals, the shape of the head and snout, the size, shape and position of the dorsal fin and, in the case of whales, the size and shape of the blow. Identifying the exact species is not easy, especially in rougher weather, and even experienced observers can have difficulty, so it is far better to record simply 'dolphin species' along with the description of as many features as can be seen, including body color and markings. Other information which is important is the exact location of the sighting (latitude and longitude), the date and GMT time, the number of animals in a group and the presence of any young animals, their direction of travel and behavior, such as jumping or bowriding, as well as any seabirds associated with them. Details of weather conditions, such as wind direction, force, state, of the sea, wave height and visibility, are also important. Even reporting areas of the ocean where no dolphins or whales were seen is of value to scientists evaluating all the data they receive. Concern of the endangered species, such as whales or sea-turtles, has grown over the last few years, spearheaded by organizations such as Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth. Interested children may well enjoy taking part in some of the programs which involve logging marine mammals observed. Whaleforce is one such program, which is aimed specifically at the pleasure boater and sailor. FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM: UK Cetacean Group, Edward Grey Institute, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, England. International Dolphin Watch, Department of Anatomy, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY England. Division of Mammals, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560, USA. College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA. Hubbs Sea World Research Institute, 1700 South Shore Road, San Diego, CA 92109, USA. National Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Center, La Jolla, CA 92058, USA. Whaleforce, Erth Barton, Elm Gate, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 4QY, England and PO Box 484, Cochrane, Alberta, Canada TOL OWO. Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA. Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales Street, NW, Washington DC 20036, USA. Apart from shell collection or dolphin spotting, many children may like to take a more serious interest in any marine life encountered, whether it is identifying a fish caught at the end of the line or seabirds skimming over the waves. Useful additions to the shipboard bookshelf are small reference books on seabirds, fish and other marine life, both that found along the seashore as well as on the high seas. It is amazing how much there is to observe if one does keep one's eyes open-not only seabirds or fish, but brightly-coloured sea snakes wriggling along, turtles lazily basking on the surface or the gauzy blue butterfly wings of the by-the-wind sailor. The keen young naturalist might like to keep a notebook with detailed descriptions and drawings of the wildlife he observes, much in the style of the dolphin sightings. MARINE CONSERVATION As well as taking an interest in helping to preserve endangered species or logging whales and dolphins, many children may be interested in other aspects of preserving the marine environment. A major coordinator of such projects in the USA is the Washington-based Center for Marine Conservation (address above). The Center publishes an ocean activity book for children, The Ocean: Consider the Connections, which contains a wide variety of marine education activities for all ages. As well as ocean wildlife projects, there are several ongoing projects concerning monitoring debris floating in the oceans, the disposal of on-board rubbish, particularly plastics, and children have also been involved in various coastal cleanups. Many children take a lively interest in environmental matters, and as the pollution of our oceans is something that will affect their future sailing, this interest should be actively encouraged. FISHING Fishing is an ideal occupation to pursue while at anchor or with trawls behind the boat while sailing. The latter method can result in some quite large catches when the assistance of an adult may well be required. Small children need careful supervision when using fish hooks because when these become embedded in fingers or hands they can necessitate a hospital visit for their removal. An alternative for the younger enthusiast is to attach a net to a long stick, which can also be used in shallow waters along a beach or for retrieving lost objects. Underwater fishing with a spear gun is better left to older teenagers who can be trusted to operate this equipment safely. All the forms of fishing, from rod and line to nets or spearguns, do provide great satisfaction for children, especially when the catch is suitable and large enough to be eaten. Similarly providing the family dinner by collecting mussels, cockles or other shellfish can be an occasion of pride. SPORTS Many older teenage children who sail become proficient fishermen both above and under the water. Snorkeling and diving are also popular pastimes among these children. Diving with air tanks does require proper training and should never be attempted by an untrained person. If a young person does become interested in sub-aqua diving, there are many clubs and organizations where professional training can be received. However, even a beginner who is just learning to swim can don mask, snorkel and flippers and so discover the beauty of underwater scenery, even if only looking down from the surface. All of this equipment can now be bought in small sizes, and snorkeling might provide just the incentive needed for a youngster to improve his capability in the water. Many of the children I have met who have been cruising in warmer waters for any length of time have been very able free divers, spending as much time exploring underwater as swimming on the surface. All the water-related sports are easily pursued from a boat and many charter companies provide not only scuba gear of flippers, masks and snorkels for their clients but also equip their boats with sailboards. Recently the sport of sailboarding has greatly expanded and many boats now find space on their decks to store a sailboard. Many of the latest boards are not easily handled by a younger person and a certain strength is required of a child before he can pull the sail and wishbone up out of the water, although there are some junior boards on the market. A small sailing dinghy might be more easily managed by the younger members of the crew and has the advantage that more than one child can enjoy themselves in it at the same time, instead of waiting for turns. Finding space to stow a sailing dinghy is one of the biggest problems on all but the largest boats, although some of the smaller-sized dinghies such as the optimist will fit on the foredeck or coachroof and can double as a tender. Some inflatable dinghies can also be rigged to sail and this might be an attractive alternative for family cruising. Children do get great pleasure out of messing about the dinghy, whether they sail or row, especially when this gives them the chance to do some exploring on their own of inlets and other corners of a harbor. Obviously one should be satisfied that the children are capable rowers or can handle the sails before letting the venture too far afield. While a dinghy that can be rigged for sailing or one that rows well is a boon while cruising with children, it then becomes almost essential to have a second dinghy, even if only the smallest inflatable. Otherwise one is likely to find oneself marooned on a boat at anchor when the children have disappeared both out of sight and out of hearing, which I know from experience can be extremely frustrating. In this chapter I have tried to outline some of the ways that children can enjoy themselves while on a cruise, helping to sail the boat, keeping a logbook or diary and pursuing various hobbies or sports. By making the most of their holiday or short cruise they will be well on the way to becoming enthusiastic sailors with enduring memories of their experiences. Bed and Breakfast Inns |
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