FAQs Archive - Ocean College

The ships

The project ships of Ocean College are the “Pelican of London”, the “Fridtjof Nansen” and the “Regina Maris”. The “Pelican of London” is the only “Mainmast Barquentine” in the world and is specially built and equipped for worldwide sailing with young people. The “Fridtjof Nansen” is a three-masted tall ship schooner with a broad jib and has been undergoing an extensive refit since summer 2022 to meet the requirements of Ocean College and Seas Your Future. The “Regina Maris” was the first ship Ocean College ever sailed with and the crew has a lot of experience with the route. The ships are almost the same in type so that each can offer the same program and guarantee the same standards.

The ships of Ocean College are certified by law for so called “worldwide sailing”. Besides the strict regulations regarding the qualification of the crew, this includes especially the safety equipment of the ships with:

Life rafts
Life jackets
Watermaker system
reserve water tank
safety equipment for the moving watch for hooking on deck
Fire alarm
Four bulkheads in the ship
Echo sounder
Radar
Satellite connection via telephone
Onboard pharmacy

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Equipment

Each student will receive a detailed packing list sufficiently in advance. This list must be followed, as the storage space on board is limited. No suitcases can be brought on board, only travel bags or duffle bags. The oilskins (sailing clothes) and the teamwear are included in the price of the trip.

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Can the ships be reached in an emergency?

The ships are equipped with modern communication technologies and can be reached via satellite telephone even on the high seas, as well as being precisely located by various services. For this purpose we use the software “Yellowbrick”, which is also integrated in the homepage. Near the coast the ships can also be found with “Vesselfinder”.

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How are the participants accommodated on board?

Accommodation is in multi-bed chambers with a maximum of six bunks. Girls and boys are accommodated in separate chambers. The ships’ sanitary facilities include flush toilets and showers. The showers can be used sparingly on the high seas due to water consumption. A washing machine and dryer are available in calm seas.

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How are the participants accommodated during the country excursions?

During the land excursions the participants are accommodated in guesthouses/hostels, with host families or in tents.

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What about seasickness?

Seasickness is part of seafaring. Even experienced seafarers can get seasick every now and then. Seasickness refers to symptoms such as fatigue, headache, nausea and vomiting. This illness results from a temporary disturbance of the sense of balance caused by the swaying ship. However, seasickness is not a permanent condition. Nevertheless, there are some rules that can be followed when suffering from seasickness: One should not have a completely empty stomach, but should not eat nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes, as well as no coffee, but should consume plenty of vitamin C.

Warm clothing and a hat are just as helpful as not going below deck. If you are looking for a remedy against seasickness, we recommend Nausyn® from Weleda. It is all-natural and has no dangerous side effects. However, it should only be the last choice, because a medication mainly fights the symptoms, but not the causes.

Medication may only be taken on board with the knowledge of the ship’s doctor.

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What about the subjects that are not taught?

Ocean College also encourages students to learn independently. Especially on the return journey, learning times are set aside in which the young people can work independently in learning communities and with the help of the teachers on the content of the subjects that are not taught at Ocean College. Very good students and the watch leaders can be used as leaders in the learning community.

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Who is responsible for the school leave?

Participating students must be granted leave of absence by their parents in consultation with their home schools for the duration of the trip. A confirmation of participation will be gladly issued after a successful application.

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Certificate

Each student will receive the following certificates at the end of the trip:

A project report card from Ocean College outlining personal and academic growth.
A grade sheet which, after prior consultation with the home school, allows the student to finish the class as planned, with year-end grades made by the home school.
A subject report card with a detailed description of the content realized and the various sub-grades.

The curriculum is carried out at grammar school level in order to be able to accept students from any type of school.

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Disciplinary measures

Prior to the voyage, the project team, in close coordination with the ship’s crew, establishes clear rules for behavior on board and for dealing with each other, and communicates them to the students. These general rules for living together are for the most part signed together with the contract before the trip. The students elect a representative who has a valid vote in the ship’s council (consisting of the captain, the project leader and one representative each from the crew and the teachers) and can also represent the students’ wishes regarding the rules on board. In addition to the class book and log book, there is a log book in which entries are made for gross misconduct, among other things. If three entries are made, a participant will be excluded from the trip. Ocean College will not cover the cost of any transportation home in the event of exclusion from the trip.

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