The seas and winds are favorable, and we’re informed that the ship is making good time. Aside from occasional swells, navigating aboard is relatively easy. Well, unless you’re on the treadmill… that requires a bit more skill even on calm seas.
Only one animal has been spotted today, and that was the Squacco heron. This 40-49 cm long bird, white underneath with tawny wing tops, had found a quiet place to freeload above the ship’s library—at least until some eager camera buffs approached it too quickly. It’s unusual to see this bird at sea, as it’s typically a land creature. Hopefully it has found another secret spot, is resting, and will remain unperturbed until we are closer to land (none yet in sight).
The first official seminar session is only 2.5 hours away, and there are two groups of interested participants. Though there are also selections from Columbus’s and Vespucci’s voyages and Martyr’s account to the King Don Juan of Spain, today’s focus will be on Tennyson’s poem, Ulysses. The discussion will be (at least at the start) about why exploration is ‘as necessary as air’ for characters and people like Ulysses (aka Odysseus) and whether such activity is part of being a leader or part of what makes one a leader.
After the seminar, the participants in each group will complete a questionnaire about leadership, where they will rate the importance/necessity of given characteristics for leadership. Data will be collated tonight and presented to the group in their next session, whatever date that may be.
NOTE: One discovers quickly at sea that dates and days slip away with ease, even for the neurotic. Watches, too, become unnecessary accessories as the time of day can be approximated given the position of the sun and our heading. That is, if one really cares what time is it.
We landlubbers are soooo envious!
ReplyDelete