Selkie - Rostock

Early morning we entered Rostock on Saturday. We tied up on the outer wall, and then we were asked by the marina to join the other ARC boats, which meant our first mooring on pilings since Jolly Harbor on Antigua over a year ago. It could have gone better, but it is hard to do with only me to run about trying to lasso. We put the pilings on slips, which won’t be done again because we hardly had enough line. We do however prefer bow in and will continue to do so. We also lost power with our bow thrusters. Nick has tended to it and fixed the problem since. I also made friends with Suzanne, who promises to share her double-handed techniques.

We were exhausted from our high traffic crossing from Copenhagen, so we rested up and then took the kids ashore to stretch their legs. In the park, the playground pirate ship was spotted, and we learned it was a sort of day camp, and since then, we have not really seen our children. They are loving it. They have all met kids their own age. They are swimming, doing crafts, playing games, socializing, and looking after each other.

Yesterday morning, I got a little lost for fun across the bay for an hour, but mostly things were closed due to Sunday morning. Nick and I had a nice lunch alone, which is really rare, then we got to work hooking up our Watt&Sea and sending in this year’s schoolwork for authentication by Ohio teachers.

I would like to take a moment to address the fact that our children our boatschooled. We were drilled a lot yesterday by other sailors. Some conversations were enjoyable (especially with Suzanne and Jenny) and others were not. In our hometown, we live in the historic district. These are beautiful Victorian homes surrounded by poverty. The public school is not in good shape. The principal told us not to send our children there, so in Toledo, we sent them to a private Montessori school, which was not close by and not cheap. My teacher checks, which were not pretty, would disappear. So if we were at home, I would homeschool there as well. I know that our children our getting the best life possible. They are happy, educated, socialized, and adventurous. I am happy to talk about education with anyone. We have no worries or fears for our children’s futures.

The walkabout tour was interesting. I like simply being led through a town and experiencing the houses and families living their lives. The flowers about town were beautiful.

Today, we have visitors coming to help us with small boat problems, and I will cross the bay to provision.

Maggie


--
Maggie
Magdalena Hirt

"Writing is a process, a journey
into memory and the soul."
-Isabel Allende