Life aboard the Clementia II

The most commonly asked question of me in the last two months is “What’s next?”

Sadly I am not headed back to Antarctica as I had previously hoped. I have still heard nothing from PAE, one of the subcontractors, about the roughly 15 positions I applied for. So, I have opted for another adventure that would allow my boyfriend, Jon, and I to live together.

A little history… Jon and I met in Antarctica and started dating around Christmas time. We traveled together for two and half weeks after our contracts were up. Jon then returned to his normal job for the US Forest Service in Alaska and I returned to Sea Base for my usual scuba instructor position. I had some time off between seasons at Sea Base and visited Jon in Ketchikan in early May and then saw my parents in Vermont. I applied for about 20 different positions in Antarctica for two subcontractors. I interviewed for 2 positions with Gana A Yoo, which I was not hired for either. PAE still hasn’t contacted me, which has disappointed me greatly. Jon has been hired two positions and we talked for a long time about what to do. Should Jon go back to the Ice without me, how long should I wait to hear from PAE, should we wait and reapply next year in hopes of going back together. We decided wait to go back together.

So we started looking at options for employment and places to live. I had been working my second summer on the Schooner Conch Pearl with Captains Holley and Denny when they approached me and told me about the crew Denny runs in the fall and early winter repairing the docks at the Galleon Marina in downtown Key West. After several phone calls with Jon we agreed to work, Jon as Dock Maintenance and myself as a painter. Now the issue of where to live! Key West is an expensive little city. Again, Holley and Denny to the rescue! They suggested I contact a friend and Sea Base captain that had a boat, the Clementia II, that was sitting unused. So after checking the boat out and coming up with an agreement for living on the boat we were set up! 

Two weeks ago friends of mine, Laura and her boyfriend Capt Luke, helped me sail the Clementia II from Islamorada down to Key West. It took us about 13 hours of time underway. As part of the agreement to work on the docks we get free dockage, which in this town is huge! We will have to move for two big events, Fantasy Fest and Super Boat International Races that happen here in Key West in the fall, but Holley and Denny have very kindly offered their mooring which is about a mile away. So things are falling into place!

 

 

Clementia II

Clementia II is a 32 foot West Sail built in 1974. And yes it is for sale! It has sleeping space for 4(a large bed in the v-berth and two single beds in the salon), a head(toilet!) and a galley with refrigeration and a propane stove.

V-berth. Wooden insert connects the two sides to make one big sleeping space

The Head

The Head

Storage- Little closet and lots of drawers

Main Salon looking aft

Main Salon looking forward

Galley Port side

Galley Starboard side

Storage in the main salon

Fridge!

 The only real issue with the boat was the fridge wasn’t working but Denny came over and got it running and we are in the process of getting a new thermostat.

Clementia II at the dock in Key West

More pictures from the Islamorada to Key West trip and of the boat can be found at… https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.828450836169.2164256.44801562&type=1&l=069850d1ac

Half way there!

The middle of last week was the half way point in the summer for us aboard the Conch Pearl. So far we have had great crews! I am very much looking forward to lobstering! The last Wednesday and Thursday of July is lobster mini season. We will probably lobster for part of one of the two days. I enjoy the hunt! The sad part is that because so many other people enjoy the hunt and become possessed that several people are killed over the week that includes mini season. A sad but true reality.
Last year we had some great catches! 

We were chased off the reef again this afternoon due to thunder and lightning. I hope this isn't going to be a trend for the rest of the summer. It's getting old very quickly.
For those of you who may be wondering I haven't heard anything back from my applications with PAE to go back to Antarctica. I am still holding out hope that I will get a call or email from them. Jon and I want to go back again. In the mean time I'm enjoying every beautiful sunset I can!

It's that time of year again!

So I'm back at the Florida Sea Base again and I will be headed out on the Schooner Conch Pearl later this week. As with last year, I am trying to give the scouts and adults that will be on the boat with me as much information to make sure they can "Be Prepared." I am sending out my letter and packing list to all the adult leaders today and will be posting more information and updates as the summer goes on.

To my usual readers- I promise I will post something soon about what I've been up to and my trip to Alaska to see Jon and to Vermont to see my family. 

Hello Adult Leaders-

My name is Megan Ware. I will likely be one of your Sea Base Staff members for when you and your crew will be here on your scuba liveaboard trip.

Your crew number should be SLS####12A. Those numbers should be the two digit month and day of your arrival. This indicates you arrive for the Scuba Liveaboard program on a Saturday. If you received this email and are scheduled to arrive on a Friday or Tuesday(SLF####12A or SLT####12A), the information contained here is for a different boat.

Please read this closely and pass along info to the youth and parents.

There are some things that I feel you need to be aware of to help orient your scouts before they arrive here.

First, if you can arrange to arrive at Sea Base closer to 1pm that would be ideal as we have several hours of prep to do Saturday afternoon/evening so we can leave Sunday morning. I know for many of you your flights or transportation can't be changed at this point but if at all possible please work toward an earlier arrival time. Please let me know when you expect to arrive at Sea Base. Keep in mind it takes about 2 hours to drive from Fort Lauderdale Airport, and 1½ hours from Miami Airport. If you are delayed please call the Program Office at 305-664-5627.

You and your crew are expected to be able to tie some basic knots. These are: cleat hitch, clove hitch, bowline, and how to coil a line/rope. Please practice with your scouts and other adults! Everyone will work as deck crew and need to be able to tie these. This is also how we secure our dive gear so you will need to be able to tie a clove hitch over and over again. I will have lengths of rope and cleats to practice with because Capt Denny WILL be testing everyone!

Also, everyone will be working in the galley preparing and cleaning up from our meals. Capt Holley tries to ensure that we are sanitary because we are in a small space and germs travel quickly. So, please show your scouts (or ask your wife or mother) how to wash dishes in a sink with a dish drying rack and kitchen towel. They will be expected to wash dishes at every meal and if it isn't done well enough it will fall to the adult leaders. A scout in clean, thus this should be a vital skill to have in life.

Every buddy pair is expected to have a dive watch. To elaborate this is a waterproof watch that has some sort of timer (either stopwatch or bezel style) that is a vital piece of dive equipment whether at Sea Base or any other dive operation. This does not need to be a $100 item, a basic model from a Wal-Mart style store for about $20 that is rated to 60 ft+ will suit the needs of this adventure.

Finally we will need a youth crew leader and assistant youth crew leader. Please speak to the scouts about this and have 2 people designated for these by your arrival. It works better if these are experienced leaders.

The packing list provided for you by Sea Base likely has many things on it you don’t need as it is an umbrella list for many programs. Based on recommendations from previous crews I have put together this list…

First if you can pack in a soft sided bag because the locker(no lock provided, bring your own) to leave your suitcases in while on the boat isn't huge.
Sea Base provides everyone with a zippered bag to use for the week of their adventure.

As far as what to pack in that Sea Base bag...
2 pair of swim trunks
Towel
Sunscreen (not the spray kind) Atleast 8oz per person
Sea sickness pills (Sea Base recommends Bonine brand)
Hat, sunglasses with a strap to keep them on your head, maybe a buff or bandanna
Shorts and t shirt to sleep in and another set or to wear on land
A couple t shirts(or fishing shirts with built in UV protection) to wear on deck to keep the sun off or wear during the dive
Toiletries including shampoo/camp soap(we have fresh water on board), toothpaste, tooth brush, deodorant, Gold Bond, any medications you may take, etc
A headlamp/small flash light is nice for anchor/night watch
A book to read- we have some cards and board games on board.
A dive watch or dive computer with a time keeping function-atleast one per buddy pair
Log Book, Certification card, and some spending money for an ice cream or soda



All of the above items will go in a bag provided by Sea Base. The items below can be separate:
 
Sleeping stuff- I personally recommend bringing a pillow, sleeping mat/pad, light weight sleeping bag(or blanket) and a flat sheet. This will be enough to give you flexibility between sleeping on deck and below deck on the bunks. This can be separate from the bag of clothing.
Any dive or snorkel gear you may have is welcome and will be packed separate from the personal gear. I recommend purchasing a mask fin snorkel set on your own that fits well. Sea Base provides all of the equipment but it is the most basic model and some times it isn't the most comfortable or best fit. Any personal gear is used at your own risk, if it breaks we are not authorized to repair it. As well, if it is unsafe for you to use we will provide you with Sea Base equipment. Bring mask defog and any replacement clips or straps for your own personal gear incase something breaks. If you are going to use Sea Base fins, bring a spare pair of socks to wear with the fins to avoid blisters. We will issue you a mesh equipment bag for storing your dive gear on deck. Please don’t plan on using your own bag on the boat unless it is exactly like ours. There is limited space on deck.
Uniforms: According to tour permits you and the entire crew should be traveling in their Class A uniform. When you arrive we will have a crew photo taken in those uniforms. For the rest of the week the crew can attend flags in a matching Class B shirt, or on the Luau night a tropical shirt. The Class A shirts can be left at Sea Base while we are on the boat.
Spending money: This is up to you and the parents to decide on. The Sea Base Ship Store has many souvenir items as well as if a toiletry item is forgotten. One evening we will go back to the dock where we boarded the boat. We have provisions for that night to be able to eat on the boat BUT there is the option if the WHOLE crew wants to go out for dinner on their own dollar they can. Also we usually go on a walk to a nearby convenience store for ice creams and sodas again on the scouts’ dollar. Please communicate this to all the parents.
Electronics: The official Sea Base policy is no personal electronic devices. I agree with this policy while at Sea Base except in the case of adult leaders that need to get in touch with work or the emergency contacts(bring a list of these phone numbers). We have had several scouts onboard accidentally do entire dives with ipods, cell phones, and wallets in their swim shorts! There is a single outlet always on for all of us to share. I recommend once you arrive at Sea Base that the scouts power down everything and pack it away.
Cameras, both underwater and regular, are encouraged, just remember to recharge batteries we have to share the outlets.

If anyone has any dietary variations such as Kosher, vegan, peanut allergy, etc. please let us know ASAP!

For more info and pictures about the boat check out the website for the boat at schoonerconchpearl.com. There is a dedicated scouting page Captains Denny and Holley put together that is for Sea Base Participants. That website is: http://schoonerconchpearl.com/?page_id=48.

Last year I put together some information videos and links on my personal blog. That can be found at gonediving99.blogspot.com, search for: Adult Leader Info, Conch Pearl, Florida, and/or Sea Base. I may add more as the summer goes on.

Please reply by email to confirm receipt of this message. Please include the time you expect to arrive at Sea Base as well as your arrival date.

I look forward to meeting you all!

Megan Ware

The purpose of this email is to provide a little pre-trip information that is not in the ‘Official Florida Sea Base Participant’s Guide’ or information that may need clarification or correction. It is not a replacement for the official ‘Florida Sea Base Participant’s Guide’. It is a supplement. Please read the ‘Florida Sea Base Participant’s Guide’ thoroughly. The information contained here has been put together from input provided by crews that have been here before and is continually edited and updated. Additionally, there will be a detailed orientation on the evening of your arrival and another when you arrive at the boat.

How to Use a Marine Head

The Next Chapter!

So much to catch up on!

I had an amazing summer aboard the Schooner Conch Pearl sailing the waters of the Florida Keys. Capts Holley and Denny made my life easier and my belly happy! Thanks again for all the snacks and listening to me rant. And a special thanks to my "boyfriend" Hermes for spending quality time with me lounging on the deck.

After the last group left my mom arrived and I got to spend two nights on the Pearl before we headed north. We had planned to take the Amtrak car train but due to Hurricane Irene the train was canceled so we ended up just driving... and driving more. We had to alter our route to avoid the damaging path that Irene had taken. Due to the storm my dad was stuck in Chicago and was able to get a flight into Albany. We picked him up and did some rearranging and made it to Vermont.

I got my own storage unit and got myself arranged there. Dive gear maintenance completed.

My next adventure was driving with my mom and aunt to Madison, WI to watch my brother do an Ironman Triathlon. Two long days later we arrived. Saturday we spent shopping and enjoying the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Sunday was race day. This was a long day for us spectators but even longer for Ben. I think he was up at about 3 am after we got back from dinner at about 10 pm the night before. Then he did a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and finally a marathon, 26.2 mile run. 13 hours and 2 minutes later Ben crossed the finish line. We packed things up so we could drive back the next morning. Monday night we spent in London, Ontario and then on to Niagara Falls where we rode on the Maid of the Mist. We returned to Vermont on Wednesday and I headed off for two nights of babysitting. 

Now I have time to pack and get my things together for my next adventure... Antarctica. I have my tickets booked and training arranged in Colorado. I will be posting here about my Antarctic adventures. Check back to read on!

Troop 31 from PA Luau Rap!

Video Tour of the Conch Pearl Below Deck

Scuba Liveaboard FAQ

Q: Do we get dive computers?
A: Dive computers are not provided. The standard setup is a regulator set with depth gauge, pressure gauge, and compass. Most groups have their tables but because our dives are generally less than 30 ft for an hour or less no calculation of surface time is necessary. I would bring your table with your logbook.
Q: Part of out crew can arrive earlier than the rest. Would you advise them to do so since you ask us to arrive around 2?
A: I would actually recommend they not come early. We dont have any activities they can do. Its easier to do everyone at once.
Q: Do we need wetsuits?
A: The water temp as of June 19th is about 82-83 degrees. We haven't worn wetsuits yet this summer. A rash guard or dive skin might make your dives more comfortable.
Keep the questions coming!
Megan aboard the Conch Pearl

Liveaboard Photos

Thanks to Mark Rist, Adult leader from 2 weeks ago please follow this link to his photos of their adventure...
http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/2XCSwIvC/1/5156376

Florida Sea Base Scuba Liveaboard Packing List

Hello again adult leaders-

The current crew says the packing list that they were given isn't the most accurate list. So in light of that I have put together this list.

First if you can pack in a soft sided bag because the locker(no lock provided bring your own) to leave your suitcases in while on the boat isn't huge.

As far as what to pack in that bag...

2 pair of swim trunks
Towel
Sunscreen (not the spray kind)
Sea sickness pills (Bonine)
Hat, sunglasses, maybe a buff or bandanna
Shorts and t shirt to sleep in and wear on land for shore leave day
A couple t shirts(or fishing shirts with built in UV protection) to wear on deck to keep the sun off or wear during the dive
Toiletries including shampoo/camp soap(we have fresh water on board), toothpaste, tooth brush, deodorant, etc
A headlamp is nice for anchor/night watch.
A book to read- we have some cards and board games on board.

A dive watch or dive computer with a time keeping function-atleast one per buddy pair
All of the above items will go in a bag provided by Sea Base.

Sleeping stuff- light sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow and a flat sheet. This will give you flexibility to sleep on deck or down below on the mattresses. This can be separate from the bag of clothing.

The crew needs a first aid kit that will come on the boat. Also maybe a bottle of bug spray to share amongst the crew because some nights there isn't a breeze to carry the mosquitoes away.

Any dive or snorkel gear you may have is welcome and will be packed separate from the personal gear. I recommend purchasing a mask fin snorkel set on your own that fits well. Sea Base provides all of the equipment but it is the most basic model and some times it isn't the most comfortable or best fit.

Feel free to look at the Conch Pearl website. There is a special page for Scouts. It can be found at schoonerconchpearl.com

I plan to post all the info I have emailed and more on my personal blog which can be found at gonediving99.blogspot.com

See you all soon!


NOTE: I failed to included that a water bottle (Nalgene style) with a clip or carabiner. and to clarify the lock only needs to be one per crew.

Florida Sea Base Scuba Liveaboard Info

Hello Adult Leaders-

My name is Megan Ware. I will most likely be one of your Sea Base
Staff members for when you and your crew will be here on your scuba
liveaboard trip.
First off I believe Capt Denny has emailed you all. If you have
additional questions please feel free to ask me as well.

There are some things that I feel you need to be aware of or help
orient your scouts before they arrive here.

The first is if you can arrange to arrive at Sea Base closer to 1pm
than 4 pm that would be ideal as we have several hours of prep to do
Saturday afternoon/evening so we can leave Sunday morning. I know for
many of you your flights or transportation can't be changed at this
point but if at all possible please work toward an earlier arrival
time.

Your crew is expected to be able to tie some basic knots. Examples are
cleat hitch, bowline, sheet bend, and how to coil a line/rope. Please
practice with your scouts! Everyone will work as deck crew and need to
be able to tie these. I will have lengths of rope and cleats to
practice with because Capt Denny WILL be testing everyone!

Also, everyone will be working in the galley preparing and cleaning up
from our meals. Capt Holley tries to ensure that we are sanitary
because we are in a small space and germs travel quickly. So, please
show your scouts (or ask your wife or mother) how to wash dishes in a
sink with a dish rack and kitchen towel. They will be expected to wash
dishes at every meal and if it isn't done well enough it will fall to
the adult leaders. A scout in clean, thus this should be a vital skill
to have in life.

Every buddy pair is expected to have a dive watch. To elaborate this
is a waterproof watch that has some sort of timer (either stopwatch or
bezel style) that is a vital piece of dive equipment whether at Sea
Base or any other dive operation. This does not need to be a $100
item. A basic model from a Wal-Mart style store for about $15 that is
rated to 60 ft+.

I personally recommend bringing a pillow, sleeping mat, light weight
sleeping bag and a flat sheet. This will be enough to give you
flexibility between sleeping on deck and below deck on the bunks.

Finally we will need a youth crew leader and assistant youth crew
leader. Please speak to the scouts about this and have 2 people
designated for these by your arrival.

I plan to call each of you and confirm your have received this email.
I look forward to meeting you all!