We are proud to have the honor of being able to finally offer application for a SPECIAL that we have been working on for more than a year. The September 1998 two week sail aboard the Polish Sail Training barquentine Pogoria. We will be the first American sailors to participate in sailing this historic ship built and launched by the Gdansk shipyard which marked its place in history with the emergence of freedom and democracy for all of Eastern Europe. The Pogoria is a sailing ambassador representing the free people of Poland and especially the Polish maritime and yachting community.
We have put together a two level program. Program "A" is all inclusive, the cost is $3,495. Program "B" is bare-bones and the cost is $2,295.
Program "A": Students will arrive in New York on August 27th and will board LOT Flight to Warsaw, departing JFK at 14:00 and arriving at 0800 on the 28th of August in Warsaw. Captain Adam Jasser from Ocean Masters Sailing Academy will be waiting with a coach to pick up the group and transport them to a Hotel for rest and refreshment. There are a number of local restaurants within walking distance of the Hotel and some good restaurants located in the Hotel.
At 14:00 hours on the 28th, there is scheduled an afternoon of sightseeing with a local English speaking guide to tour Warsaw, this includes a visit to the Warsaw Museum and the Old Town area. The tour will end with dinner being served at the La Bohemia restaurant which is located in the historic square in front of the Opera House. After dinner and drink the group will returned to the Hotel.
Morning will come early on the 29th of August, the group will be catching the 05:40 train to Gdansk. This is a three and one-half hour ride. Morning snack and drink will be available on the train. The group will arrive in Gdansk and board the wooden sailing ketch Bonawentura at 10:00. Brunch and refreshments will be served aboard the Bonawentura. The vessel will tour the river front, Gdansk ship yards and Westerplate, where WWII began in 1939. The Bonawentura will land at the Gydania Yacht Basin around 15:00 and the group will disembark to an air-conditioned, with toilet facilities coach for an overnight ride to Paris. The students will arrive the afternoon of the 30th and will stay at the ETAP Hotel, all rooms are singles with bath. Students will be free to see the sights in Paris till the afternoon of the 31st, Monday.
Students will then board the coach and will arrive at the ETAP Hotel in Rouen the evening of the 31st of August. Rouen has a large number of restaurants and cafes all within walking distance of the hotel. This historic port city of Rouen is locate on the River Seine approximately 80 miles WNW of Paris. On the morning of the 1st of September students will be transported to the barquentine STS Pogoria.
Program "B": Budget program for those with limited time and price. It is the responsibility for the students on the "B" program to make their own way to the Pogoria by 0800, September 1, 1998. The vessel will be berthed at the main harbor in Rouen, France. Detailed directions will be sent to all applicants.
Both Program "A" and "B":
On Tuesday morning, 08:00, September 1st our students will be greeted as crew members aboard the barquentine STS Pogoria, assigned berths, begin the familiarization program with the vessel. There will be a booklet sent to each applicant full of information specific to the vessel including safety procedures, nomenclature, vessel layout, etc.
The Pogoria will set sail from Rouen on the 2nd of September. The Pogoria will travel down the River Seine to the Baie de la Seine and then into the waters of the English Channel. The Pogoria will then sail to the Port of Southend-on-Sea, which is on the banks of the River Thames, twenty-five miles East of London.
The Pogoria has been invited for a local celebration, details of which will be forth coming. When berthed at Southend-on-Sea there will be available transportation for those that wish to visit and see some of the sights in the London area. Suggestions are the Greenwich Museum where the Cutty Shark clipper ship and the Gypsy Moth vessels reside and across the river is the Tower of London.
The Pogoria will be a guest at Southbend-on-Sea until the 5th of September and then will set sail East into the North Sea and then on to the Skagerrak, past Skagen, the northern most point of Denmark and South through the Kattagat to a waiting berth on the 9th of Sept. in Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), Denmark. The STS Pogoria and crew has been invited to participate in another local celebration.
The Pogoria will depart Copenhagen on the 10th of September and head South to the Island of Bornholm, famous for its pottery. Then the vessel will sail along the coast of Poland to the Yacht Harbor in Gdynia arriving on the afternoon of the 13th of September.
There will be a farewell dinner sponsored by Ocean Masters Sailing Academy at the Navy Yacht Club for our students, ship's officers and invited guests. After the farewell celebration the group "A" students will be transported to the train for the trip Warsaw. This will be sleeper car accommodations and the students will arrive in Warsaw at 0700 the morning of the 14th of September. The group will then board a coach that will take them to their awaiting flight from Warsaw to JFK, New York.
Costs for the "A" Program per student:
Tuition fee: $3495 + 6% sales tax ($209.70) = $3,704.70
This includes airfare from JFK to Warsaw round trip. All lodging, some food (see details) and transportation.
Extra cost details:
Lunch on day one Warsaw. Dinner on the evening of the 28th, has a budget of $50 per person. Students will be required pay any amount over budget.
Transportation and sightseeing to London. Costs to the student will include restaurants and associated costs of food off the vessel or local hired guides. There is available inexpensive local bus and train transportation to London for those that endeavor to make this trip. We will collect and have available to the students details of things to see and do while the vessel is berthed in Southbend-on-Sea.
The same goes for the time spent off the vessel in Copenhagen, we will have available details as far as things to see and do and transportation available. There is scheduled a tour of the "Hamlet" castle and some of the the other sights around the area.
Program "B", budget time and budget expense program.
We recognize that due to time constraints and specific desires of some our students they may be a desire to not participate as a group. So we have set up an abbreviated program that only covers sailing on the Pogoria.
Tuition "B" plan: $2,295 + 6% sales tax ($137.70) = $2,432.70.
This may include some available transportation, please consult with course counselor about specific details. The tuition covers the sail aboard Pogoria and all stops during the trip, just as in the "A" group. It also covers the farewell dinner at the Navy Yacht Club. It is the "B" group students responsibility to arrive at the vessel at 08:00 on September 1st prepared to board the vessel.
Any questions should be directed to John Dunsmoor, 1-800-700-1388 or POGORIA@oceanmasters.com. Any cost not specifically addressed will be the responsibility of the student.
Note: This has been an ongoing project for more than a year. It has come about mainly because of the extraordinary efforts of Captain Adam Jasser. This is a very limited offer, there are only ten berths available. There are approximately 41 persons on the list that are either recommendations of Capt. Jasser or those that have asked to be put on the list. This offer is being made of a first come, first serve basis.
NOTE: As of 4/6/98 there are four positions open.
To make application fill out the form below and fax it to: 954-583-9937, (this is a manual fax) or mail to:
Attn: Pogoria
Ocean Masters Sailing Academy
1323 SE 17th Street, Suite 474
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
A deposit of $1000 will be required to secure your application. Only ten application plus three alternates will be accepted. All funds will be held in escrow till July 1st then the balance will be required. Any person having to cancel may do so without penalty up to July 1st. Cancellations between July 1st and August 10th will be a assessed a $250 cancellation fee. There will be no return of deposits after August 10th.
Vessel accommodations, details of the vessel, layout, ship board nomenclature will all be posted on our web site. Five working days after this offer has been mailed the offer will be presented on the web site and open to anyone who is interested. The accommodations for our group are clean and Spartan. The group will be berthed dorm style with four to six per cabin, or we may be in a ten bunk cabin. There are showers and a commercial galley and mess hall. All students/crew will eat together. Our group will be onboard with 20 young Polish Sailing Trainees and the permanent crew including three mates, captain, engineer, boson and cook. All crew will be required to participate in the general operation of the vessel. Going aloft is strictly voluntary. All crew is cover under Polish Maritime insurance. There will be classes available to all crew/students. Our group will participate in these classes as they desire.
This is a first time experience for us and we hope that we can forge a relationship with the Sail Training Association Poland. We will be the first Americans invited to participate in the sailing program aboard the Pogoria, as such our students are representing both Ocean Masters Sailing Academy and all American Sailors. Just as the STS Pogoria is invited to and acts as Ambassador for Poland when it arrives in England and Denmark, our group will be acting as Ambassadors for America.
Application:
Program Desired: "A" (full program including airfare) "B" (budget)
Name: ________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________ Fax: _________________
Deposit payment by: Check Credit Card Money Order Other
Credit Card Information: ____________________________________