Tabor Boy Arrives in Bermuda

While most of us were enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends and taking advantage of some time off, the crew of the S.S.V. Tabor Boy successfully completed the first leg of their journey, arriving at the island country of Bermuda on the morning of November 26.

Four mornings prior, on November 22, Tabor Boy left the Fairhaven Shipyard in New Bedford Harbor. In Fairhaven, the vessel was briefly removed from the water for maintenance, and then later returned to the water where final preparations for the voyage were conducted. This departure was two days later than scheduled due to a storm offshore that brought dangerous sea conditions and high winds that persisted until Monday.

Despite the challenges that the trip inevitably brought, the first leg of the trip proved to be memorable, especially for those who experienced it for the first time. Aidan McEnroe, a senior at Tabor and the executive officer (XO) of the Tabor Boy, was blown away by the voyage.

“The sail south was one of the most incredible experiences of my life,” said McEnroe. “Sailing offshore for two weeks is the best academic decision I’ve ever made.”

The stop in Bermuda was used to restock on necessary supplies and relieve the sea legs, but it was also a chance to showcase the Tabor Boy on the island and reconnect with Tabor alumni and families living on the island.

On November 27, Head of School John Quirk joined the Tabor Boy crew dockside on the island for a reception with these alumni and families. The Tabor Boy holds these receptions throughout the spring and summer across Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard, but the trip to the Virgin Islands provides the opportunity for the Tabor Boy to visit several locations off the Eastern Seaboard.

The crew onboard the vessel is led by longtime Tabor Boy Captain James Geil. Zane Randall is operating as chief mate, Kevin Murray as second mate, and Elise Hubner as licensed third mate. Three classes of 2016 Tabor graduates – Deckhand Hayden Mann, Cook Tucker Francis, and former XO and deckhand Thibaut Deluca-Verley – are spending a portion of their gap years aboard the Tabor Boy as members of the crew. The final member of the crew for the trip to Bermuda is XO Aidan McEnroe, who will be returning to school after the Tabor Boy arrives in the Virgin Islands.

The Tabor Boy departed Bermuda early in the morning on November 29, setting sail for her destination of St. John in the United States Virgin Islands. Once on the island, the crew will prepare the vessel for its role as a floating laboratory for the school’s REEF program. REEF is a program that allows students to learn about the history, culture, and unique ocean ecology of the Caribbean.

For eight days each, seven groups of 15 Tabor students will fly south to meet the Tabor Boy in St. John. There, the students will collect data on the health of the Elkhorn coral and the waters in and around the Virgin Islands National Park for the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of the Interior.

After the REEF program is concluded, several current members of the Tabor Boy crew will join the hired crew in the Virgin Islands to begin the voyage back north to Sippican Harbor. This trip occurs primarily during spring break, ensuring students miss as little school as possible. By arranging the REEF program schedule in this way, more students are able to experience the unique offshore trip.

“Sailing offshore is something no other high schools offer,” said McEnroe as he prepared for the early morning departure from Bermuda. With these opportunities on the Tabor Boy, “The School By The Sea” certainly lives up to its name.

By Jack Gordon

 

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