During our last call in may northbound, I had discussed with the pilot what was the best times would be for the ship to arrive and to depart. Although we were scheduled from 0800 to 1400 hrs the cruise brochure times seldom take the operational windows into consideration. As they are a cargo port and mainly visited by low powered cargo ships, the pilots are very concerned about the current going in and out of the port. With a 10 knot max. speed and a 2 knot current, you lose 20% capability and that is considerable. For a cruise ship it is of lesser concern but I had the option to arrive at 05.30 when it was high slack water and thus I did so. The swell had died down overnight and thus we had a very quiet ride towards the berth. It is a short but complicated approach as the current does not follow the channel and swirls around various islands so it takes careful conning to get around the corners of the fairway. With the pilot telling me where the shoaling was taking place (“captain not too close to this buoy and a bit closer to that buoy”) we were happily docked by 07.00 at the container dock. After making sure that we did not hit the container crane we could happily settle down for the day.
Leaving the dock gate and walking two blocks to the school.
The main part of that day was filled of course with our visit to the Ruben Dario school. Although we had everything cleared with Customs before we arrived here, we knew that we would have some issues with Customs so we started early. By 07.45 the whole convoy of trolleys, 30 volunteers, four sailors, a carpenter, the Hotel director and me, we marched with the agent to the back gate and managed to be impressive and chaotic enough that we were waved through with only a little fuss. We managed to get through what we could classify as “repair material”. The pure donations had to be left behind for some unknown reason but we hoped to sort that out in the course of the morning. Hotel Director Bart Groeneveld took that challenge upon himself.
Arriving at the School. The parents had painted the outside of the school during the summer, using money from our donations.
Upon arrival I decided to tackle the playground first before it would become too hot outside. Under the expert guidance of the sailors , the well willing volunteers were given a crash course in roller painting and then they attacked with great gusto the surrounding walls. The asst. bosun was working on the new school sign, the carpenter on fixing a dangerous staircase and the upholsterer started with the curtain rails.
The corrugated roof plates arrive carried by some strong men from the casino dept. The basketball loop/soccer goal was also bought with our previous donations.
Time for me to go shopping for corrugated roof plates, which we bought around the corner. According to the Head teacher she wanted 10 plates, enough to cover one class room and then use the old ones that were still good for patching up the other roofs. Next challenge was getting water for the volunteers which took a bit of negotiating as there seems to be “native” and “alien” prices in Nicaragua. When we needed a 2nd load our Travel Guide went on the attack, as she speaks Spanish like a machine gun.
Painting the courtyard wall.
You always come across challenges and one of them was the assembly of the new portable basketball courts; apart from being helped by about 50 little experts milling around, it turned out that the instructions were in Chinese and incomplete, so it took awhile before it all had been sorted out. The base had to be filled with water and of course no garden hose in the school, so yours truly went shopping again. 10 meters of garden hose with couplings costs $US 28,– in the local shop.
The two portable basketball hoops in place and already in full use. In the background the aft facade of the school painted by the parents.
As you will remember we had donated a lot of materials during our last visit. http://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/albert/?p=5737
Some of it had been divided among other schools and some items had been sold. For that money paint had been bought to paint the outside of the school and to buy one new basketball/football frame. We now finished the courtyard and made a start with the class rooms.
Inside we finished two class rooms and put up the curtains,all supplied from the ship.
They seem to have a great affection for blue in Nicaragua. Their flag is mainly blue and so is the school. I hope that for the other class rooms we can use yellow or something lighter.
School lunch in the Canaletto on board.
The main topic of conversation: What is for desert.?
In the meantime a school class arrived at the ship, to be entertained by the Club Hal staff and to be wined and dined on hamburgers, ice cream and other goodies. As the Customs issue was still not solved, the Hotel Director had a brain wave; If we cannot donate to the school, maybe we can donate to the school children directly. That seemed to work and 30 little pupils marched happily off the ship, each carrying a bit of the school supplies back to the school and all was well in the world.
Before and After.
And somebody likes a new fan.
By 11 am. It was time to stop as the sun started to beat unmercifully on the area. We had finished painting the court yard, we finished two class rooms of pre school (with new curtains) we repaired a dangerous railing in the school, (by filling the holes in the steel railing with quick dry cement and sealing it off with black steel paint), installed a new school sign and donated all the gifts to the school.
I think this is what made the biggest impact, at least on the childeren.
Extra materials were left behind, so the parents can continue the project. I think we left enough paint and rollers to finish the inside of the class room. I will communicate nearer to the date what we can do during our next visit in May 2013.
We left by 1400 hrs. going out the same way as we had come into the port and by 1500 hrs. we were on our way to the Panama Canal. Tonight is the Officers Black and White Ball, with a pre drink for all the officers attending and I expect that the adventures of today will be a main topic of discussion.
All photos at the school were courtesy of: HENRY BIN UYU HIDAYAT. Human Resources Clerk ms Statendam.With a special thank you to Hotelmanager Bert van Mackelenbergh who, due to transfer, could not be here to see the project come to fruition. He spent a lot of time and energy on it. Bert Thank you very much.
October 6, 2012 at 10:33 pm
Captain, I am speechless……. Congratulations with the result for you and your whole team!!!! I all looks like new and than all the happy faces, unforgettable.
October 6, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Captain: A suggestion, if corporate will allow you, is to set-up a Pay-Pal account for us to make donations to. This may be easier way for people to donate for your next stop in May. Thanks for your heart in helping this school.
October 6, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Nice Job! The pics tell a great story and I thank you for bringing all of this to us.
I find it unbelievable that the customs folks would deny the goods/donations from being handed over to the school. Are they trying to figure out how much tax to levy???
Whatever…you and your team of volunteers have done an awesome job! Congratulations! 🙂
October 7, 2012 at 12:06 am
Great Work!
Congratulations to you and the volunteers!
October 7, 2012 at 12:29 am
Great Job!! I’m very impressed by you and your team.
October 7, 2012 at 12:48 am
Thank you for showing and telling us what you did at the school, the next best thing to actually being there (I love to help on these kind of projects, and I sent a package but I think it didn’t get to Seattle in time – good to know it can be saved and used next time). It’s amazing what a few hours of work (plus all the planning and preparation) can do to make a difference!
October 7, 2012 at 2:35 am
Captain Albert : tip of the hat to you and your devoted and dedicated crew.
WELL DONE !
All of us have to be humbled by your accomplishment, all acheived while still attending to direct and guide MS Statendam, her guests and crew, on yet another safe and enjoyable voyage.
HAL must be very proud of you.
Cheers
Claude
October 7, 2012 at 4:29 am
I was watching a (american) football game and getting annoyed at the score until I read your post for today. A quick reminder as to what really matters.
I’m impressed by what the Statendam crew was able to do in such a short time. The kids look happy and that’s always a good thing 🙂
October 7, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Dear Captain Albert,
I am happy to see that Your and Bert’s effort could come to a such perfect result.
Well done whole Crew of MS Statendam
and any volunteers around
G E R D
October 7, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Well Done good ship Statendam . Thank you captain Albert and your photographer for documenting this effort well for your readers/supporters to enjoy.
I guess one lesson to be learned from this and avoid having to deal with the local “authorities” in the future, is to make donations in cash. Simpler for everybody, avoids shipping charges, and gives you maximum flexibility in what to buy (provided it is available locally).
Thank you Capt Albert, Bart, and Crew. Safe sailings…Ruud Hartog
October 7, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Wonderful! Good job!
October 8, 2012 at 6:18 am
“If we cannot donate to the school, maybe we can donate to the school children directly. That seemed to work and 30 little pupils marched happily off the ship, each carrying a bit of the school supplies back to the school and all was well in the world.”
I love it and got a chuckle out of this, a little bit of thinking outside the box, well done.
October 11, 2012 at 1:22 am
Awesome! 🙂
October 15, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Finally catching u with you, Captain! Simply Fabulous! No half measures, here … Never mind adopting 6 kids with available funds; you take on a whole school! You realize that this will go around the whole of Nicaragua, and the locals will from now line up on the beach scannnig the horizon to see if their ship is coming in 🙂
(So, this is what Hotel Managers/Directors do ??!)
October 17, 2012 at 2:41 am
Several Friends will be cruising on the Statendam going through the canal very soon..Mentioned to our Friends that they could help by writing a check to you & you would see that the proceeds go to help the school..Our Friends were looking at the list of supplies which you posted on your blog & they have a question..
If they have similar things, would you permit them as Psgrs to bring on board books, clothes, pens/pencils pads etc & other things which might be on your list..They could give them to a designated crew member when they board for you to take to the school..I wasn’t sure if you would accept these things from Psgrs, due to local officials regulations, but agreed to check with you. Many of us are in awe of you & your wonderful Crew…We wish you all, the School Children as well as Teachers & Parents Godspeed!
October 17, 2012 at 11:11 pm
good morning,
thank you very much for your kind offer. Bringing things on board is never a problem, unless it are probited items. So anything your friends want to bring & donate is welcome. Let them contact the Hotel Director as soon as they are settled in, and he will take care of everything. That works faster then trying to find me. I am around a lot, but never on set times.
Once again thank you for your donations and for your kind complements.
Best regards
Capt. Albert