Whartonites of the Caribbean: the legend of the five S's
Thomas Zipp & Neeti Nundy, WG'08
Issue date: 3/26/07 Section: Insider
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The sun has risen in the distance, illuminating clear blue seas and sandy white beaches that are a far cry from the city landscape you are accustomed to. You've stowed the gear, weighed anchor, and are motoring out of a harbor that has been home to infamous pirates and intrepid explorers alike. The skipper barks a series of orders: "Raise the main! Unfurl the jib! Trim those sails!" You hurry to your tasks, comfortable in a terminology that was alien to you only a few days ago. The navigator plots a course while the helmsman points the vessel in a beam reach-the fastest point of sail. You're cruising now-8 knots, 9 knots, then 10 knots! Financial spreadsheets, OPIM models, and marketing strategies have long since exited your brain. The wide-open sea has become your playground, and you are part of a well-oiled crew guiding your vessel into the unknown. Could there be anything better?
During Spring Break, twenty Wharton students escaped the cold confines of Philadelphia and headed down to the Grenadines in the British Virgin Islands to try their hand at one of the oldest and most romantic of professions-sailing. As part of Wharton's Leadership Venture Program, this experience was designed to test teamwork and leadership skills (and talk about them in the infamous daily debriefs). Of course, most of us wanted a healthy dose of fun in the sun. And honestly, what better way to bond with teammates and explore new leadership styles than trolling the Caribbean in a 50-foot sailboat?
Upon arriving in Canouan Island (half of us with our luggage lost), two things became immediately obvious: the rustic beauty of the surroundings and the sense of adventure that pervaded the atmosphere. There is simply something about a boat and the open sea that makes anything seem possible. Of course, there is the small detail of learning how to sail, which is an activity we all attacked with characteristic Wharton vigor.
The first few days were rough-in addition to coping with seasickness (which, despite preventative efforts, can strike anyone at any time), there is entirely new language to digest. Most of the skipper's initial commands were met with blank stares, followed by a Whartonese translation by the rare few who had prior sailing experience (thanks again, Jamie and Kerry). We kept busy, diligently trimming sails to ensure maximum speed, plotting a course to steer clear of reefs (or, as our skipper eloquently put it, "to avoid death"), and making sandwiches for a hungry crew.
During Spring Break, twenty Wharton students escaped the cold confines of Philadelphia and headed down to the Grenadines in the British Virgin Islands to try their hand at one of the oldest and most romantic of professions-sailing. As part of Wharton's Leadership Venture Program, this experience was designed to test teamwork and leadership skills (and talk about them in the infamous daily debriefs). Of course, most of us wanted a healthy dose of fun in the sun. And honestly, what better way to bond with teammates and explore new leadership styles than trolling the Caribbean in a 50-foot sailboat?
Upon arriving in Canouan Island (half of us with our luggage lost), two things became immediately obvious: the rustic beauty of the surroundings and the sense of adventure that pervaded the atmosphere. There is simply something about a boat and the open sea that makes anything seem possible. Of course, there is the small detail of learning how to sail, which is an activity we all attacked with characteristic Wharton vigor.
The first few days were rough-in addition to coping with seasickness (which, despite preventative efforts, can strike anyone at any time), there is entirely new language to digest. Most of the skipper's initial commands were met with blank stares, followed by a Whartonese translation by the rare few who had prior sailing experience (thanks again, Jamie and Kerry). We kept busy, diligently trimming sails to ensure maximum speed, plotting a course to steer clear of reefs (or, as our skipper eloquently put it, "to avoid death"), and making sandwiches for a hungry crew.
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