Captain's Log

May 11, 2006

0400 Thurs. morning and the harbor in Zihuatanejo is very calm and quiet except for the Golden Bear preparing to get underway.  The last students and staff boarded on the midnight boat and the deck crew hoisted all of the boats and secured them for sea, while the engineering department prepared the engines for departure. 

0342 and the engine order telegraph was placed on Stand by engine for which a quick response was received from the engine room.  All was ready.  The Starboard anchor had been engaged and the bow detail was ready to heave away.  On the handy talky comes the order, heave up the starboard anchor.  With 3 shots, (270 ft) in the water, the lifting of the anchor would take about 12 minutes.  At  0754, the anchor is reported aweigh and the engines are rung to slow ahead and the ship begins to slip silently out of the harbor. 

By 0400 we are clear of the Harbor and the engines are on full ahead and the vessel takes it's departure from Zihuatanejo in route to Panama.  The short stop in Panama is for fuel only, as the price of fuel was lower in Panama than in San Francisco or Los Angeles. 

In order to make time for the fueling, the ships speed has been increased to 18 kts.  We are awaiting our exact ETA and berthing time for Panama, but do not want to miss our time at the fuel dock and have to wait at anchor for several days. 

As the vessel proceeds south, the sea turns flat calm, no wind and a moderate haze engulfs the ship.  By noon, we are zooming past Acapulco, and by evening, we are entering the famous Gulf of Tehuantepec.  The weather here is either flat calm or extremely rough.  Our good fortune is that today it is calm.  It is clear and a good night for Star observations . 

The Golden Bear anchored in Zihuatanejo Bay.