October 9, 2002

Email from Ashley included:

"Your class has prepared so much. I'm impressed! ... Dad left on Tuesday, packed and ready to set sail. I wished him and Salty the best of luck! ... Thanks again for your participation! I think it will be a wonderful and exciting project for the kids! I'll keep you updated. Good luck - Ashley "

(Note: Ashley will be joining Salty and the rest of the crew at Galapagos Islands. At this point in time, she is sharing information received from phone calls an other communications from the ship.)

October 25, 2002

Answers to our email questions of October 23:

1. Do you have to worry about "modern day pirates"?

..."they are indeed a problem" ... "looking for illegal goods" ... "there will always be a lookout on deck at all times, even during the night" ... we will be "watching radar for approaching boats" ... "we can radio the coast guard or other government officials".

2. When will Salty actually begin sailing, or has he already?

"Yes, they have started the journey." ... "two days away from Belize" ... "Everything is good and the weather is behaving quite nicely." ... "everyone has been seasick" ... "Salty was nice enough to share his seasick pills with the crew" ...

3. Estimated arrival time in Panama Canal?

"Will keep you posted." ... "not sure of exact time of arrival, but I will know more next week. It will be exciting to watch the boat go through the locks!"

Special Note: You can find a Panama Canal web cam at http://www.pancanal.com/eng/index.html Follow the link to general information.

More email:

4. We forgot to pack sunblock for Salty. Can someone please share?

"Yes, Salty can use our sunblock. I would not want him to get a red nose from being in the sun too long! Dad mentioned that Salty was being a good sport and enjoyed sailing. He sits beside the crew members and helps them steer the boat! I think he likes watching the night sky also from the ocean. I remember when we sailed to Cuba, the night sky is very beautiful because we didn't have the city lights to block out the stars and the moonlight. I have a book about star constellations that I am going to study when I get on the boat. Do you know what the Big Dipper and Little Dipper are? I think Salty will enjoy learning about the starts too!"

"Keep me updated and let me know what you are learning! I am getting very excited about joining the boat!" ... "We will fly to Quito, Ecuador and then catch a smaller flight to the islands." ... "I am having trouble packing though for such a long time. Maybe you guys can help me! What would you bring in your suitcases for a trip to South America? Would you bring special things from home, such as a favorite doll or a picture of your family? Bon Voyage!! Ashley"

Special Note: The day Ashley picked Salty up at Custer Park for the trip, our class adapted the age-old memory game into our version of "Sailing with Salty". Here's how you play the game: The first person says, "I'm going sailing with Salty and I'm going to take my ______ (anything the person wants, for example, camera). The next person says, "I'm going sailing with Salty and I'm going to take a camera and a _______ (another choice)." The game continues around the room until everyone has had a turn. If your class is large, this can take quite a while and really tests your memory skills! All items have to be repeated in correct order!