Norfolk to Bermuda Ocean Training Cruise, May 26-June 2, 2013

CELESTIAL, our IP 440 departed Vinings Landing on Tuesday May 28, 2013 at 0600 after two preparation days. The crew members are: Captain Jack Morton (Florida), First Mate David Gifford (Pennsylvania), and student crew members George Steinmetz (Pennsylvania), Richart Conti (New Jersey), John Hontz (Virginia) and Michael Christakos (New Jersey). CELESTIAL will make the passage to Bermuda via a non-stop ocean route. The cruise has an estimated distance of 650 miles, and will take approximately 6 days, sailing both day and night.  We will discuss the route, weather and actual progress here on our blog as it happens, so please join us! To follow the discussion, see the comments to this blog post. To follow their actual progress on Google Earth, click HERE.

Northbound Ocean Crew Departs; St Thomas USVI - Norfolk, VA

CELESTIAL, our IP 440 departed Crown Bay Marina, St Thomas USVI at 1000 on May 7, 2013 after two days of preparation. The crew members are: Captain Jochen Hoffmann (Florida),  First Mate Steve Runals (Virginia) and student crew members Skip Stebbins (Illinois), Adrian Gnyra (Alberta), and Joseph Pazourek (Oklahoma).  A fourth crew member Richard Westrick participated in pre-departure preparations. CELESTIAL will make the passage to Norfolk via a non-stop ocean route. The cruise has an estimated distance of 1500 miles, and will take 11-13 days, sailing both day and night.  Initially, watch the schedule will be as follows:

12-4... Joe Pazoureck and Skip Stebbins

4-8... First Mate Steve Runals alone with auto pilot

8-4... Captain Jochen and Adrian Gnvra

Captain Tursi will be monitoring progress of the cruise and will be in contact with CELESTIAL's crew via a Skymate satellite system. We'll receive reports from the crew approximately every other day and Captain Tursi will supply the crew with detailed weather analysis.

More discussion on this soon, as well as weather updates, communication from the crew, and actual progress (see comments below), so please join us! To follow their actual progress on Google Earth, click here. For more information on The Maryland School, please visit our website.