'To Boldly Go...' NASA Astronauts Taking the Lessons of Sail Training into Space

摘要

I was already excited to be traveling to the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston last spring to be a guest day-sailor aboard the 1877 barque Elissa, but when I saw her at the pier head early that morning-yards perfectly braced and sails expertly furled, looking sharp and proper in the bright spring sunshine, with a brisk northerly breeze blowing-I knew I was in for a great day. I had not seen Elissa under sail since her triumphant entry into New York Harbor, more than thirty years ago as part of the 1986 tall ships parade celebrating the Statue of Liberty centennial. She was a breathtaking sight then, with her proportioned rig and stately profile, as she was masterfully sailed up the Hudson. Now, I had been offered the privilege to sail in her for a day on Galveston Bay, and I couldn't wait to get underway.