Ocean College

From the Blog

Happy (disappointment)

Posted Under: Reiseblog 18/19 No Comments

Date: 16.11.2018

Author: Ronja

Position: Santa Cruz

Geographical Position: 28º27,8 N 16º14.6 W

Etmal: 0 NM (total: 1964 NM)


Ahoy! I was looking forward for this daily report a lot, as I was excited to tell you about our departure from Tenerife. But well – that didn´t happen. Due to technical problems with the communication system we`re still in harbour. Being disappointed at first, it turned out to be quite a good day anyway.

After breakfast and tidying the whole ship I went to China Town with our happy second officer Anousch and Nele to buy a fascinating collection of gloves, funnels, Christmas lights, anti-fly spray, sanding paper, zip-lock bags, anti-slide stickers and plastic boxes. The adventurous part of this trip was not finding everything in the huge store (seriously I think I might have walked kilooooometers in that store!) but paying.

Paying 150€ with coins. 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins.

I really have no idea how the poor cashier was able to grin and bear our long-drawn-out counting; but she did!

Not departing after lunch also gave us time for Kiris presentation about the history of radio and television as well as the differences between them, and for watching the first videos produced by the media pathway. And seriously, they were astonishingly professional and caused several laughters!

My highlight of the day was our neighbourly visit on the Santa Maria, or, properly speaking, on the reconstruction of Columbus` flagship. Having been on the caravel reconstructions of the Santa Maria, Pinta and Niña in Huelva some years ago I was quite excited about the chance to visit the ship.

And how happy I was to return to our wonderful Pelican with its luxury of showering every three days (instead of salt water buckets only) and a maximum of 6 people in one cabin (instead of 15!). Unbelievable that on these 28 meters of ship 45 men had to eat, sleep and live for the months of crossing the Atlantic Ocean! Not to mention the lack of privacy, hygiene and sanitary conditions in 1492!!

In the late afternoon I even found time for the long-missed pleasure of reading and singing along with Elisa and Helena playing the guitar.

Now I`m enjoying a good cup of tea and some awesome turron chocolate (generously sponsored by Theresa) before heading to bed – harbour watch from 6 a`clock… I never thought I would say so, but I`d actually prefer to be awoken at 3.30 in the morning for my watch, because that would mean we are on sea again… Anyway, good night everyone!

P.S.: Thanks mom for your good advice of taking my thermo tea mug to the Teide. Having a tea before starting the hike at 5 am made it a lot more bearable! 

P.P.S.: HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY to Eva from Marlen!

Hiker’s Song

Posted Under: Reiseblog 18/19 No Comments

Date: 14.11.2018

Author: Nils

Position: Santa Cruz

Geographical Position: 28°27,8 N 16°14.6 W

Etmal: 0NM (total: 1964NM)


The story of a group on their way up the mountain

starts way in the morning on a plaza with a fountain

on the pier lay a tall ship named „The Pelican“

which was home to a group of young sailorsmen

they stood up early to catch their bus

but this was not managed without a fuss

the sailorsmen were stocked up with supplies and food

and were hyped to climb the Teide, until at the mountain foot they stood

900 meters up above their heads

were the Pico el Teide’s volcano beds

fearless and energized they started their hike

up to the mountains highest spike

it was planned that they made a stop in a mountain house

where at night it was to cold for even a mouse

under the blistering sun they fought their way up the mountain side

until at the very end the sun would hide

as it hid the world turned quiet and soundless

as where the sailorsmen covered in their journeys dust and debris

the dinner warmed up their bodies so good

that at last happily in their rooms they stood

a 14 bed dorm was pretty unusual

and sleep in this room was rare, but crucial

too late at last they closed their eyes

thinking about the next day that’s what everybody tries

when sleep took the best of them and their dreams took them far

each of the sailorsmen would pray to a different star.

Feeding of the lions

Posted Under: Reiseblog 18/19 No Comments

Date: 12.11.2018

Author: Rene

Position: Santa Cruz

Georaphical Position: 28º27,8 N 16º14.6 W

Etmal: 0 NM (total: 1964 NM)


My day began with a: „Rene! Get up, you are galley duty!

As I was late, all there was left to do was doing the dishes from breakfast with Nele and Nick. After preparing baked potatoes with cheese for lunch, we needed to buy food, snacks, and fruits for the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. 

At 10 am we where driving to the “Makro” market and saw very beautiful rainbows, that would not even be possible in Germany.

After we arrived in that huge store, the four of us went around to gather all the food you need to feed the lions (that is very hungry teenagers) for three weeks: enormous amounts of vegetables and fruits, rice, pasta, mayonnaise and other sauces and of course canned food.

We had to stock up the tuck shop as well, and after five hours of shopping we had spent 100€ on sweets and snacks alone, and much more on the real food. We actually needed a small truck in order to get all the stuff back to the Pelican.

After we arrived at the ship, all the food had to be taken down to the dry store. We opened the hatch down to the corridor below deck where a bunch of the other students were already waiting, and passed them the food. All of them were very eager to help and fought about who was to catch the next piece. It was like feeding a pack of lions.

The rest of the day I spent in afternoon class and preparing dinner. In the evening we got our mobile phones and were allowed to go to the city. 

I did not go again because I had everything I need for the next leg of the trip. Moreover, I needed to do some work for my pathway presentation. After finishing that, I called my parents and some friends because we won’t have many more opportunities to have our mobiles in Europe.

When everybody was back at the ship, we had a meeting about our tour to the Teide and what we need to take with us. Apparently it is very cold up there – there may even be snow – so we need to bring many warm clothes on that adventure!

Ps. Greeting to Elsa ~Rene