Cruise Eases Stress for Children of Marines

During a short cruise off Newport Beach aboard the Lynx, 11-year-old Katy Bean was hoisting sails, hauling on lines and singing sea chanteys -- doing everything but thinking about her dad, Greg.

Katy’s father is a Marine from Camp Pendleton now serving in Kuwait.

“He’s at Camp Commando,” she said, before turning to a happier thought: “Pulling the ropes was my favorite part,” she said.

For three hours on Tuesday, the sixth-grader and her classmates from Mary Fay Pendleton School on the Marine base -- many of whom also have parents deployed in Iraq and Kuwait -- got a break from thoughts of war.

The Lynx is a reproduction of a 78-foot private naval schooner from the War of 1812, operated by the Defense of Freedom Foundation, based in Newport Beach.

The foundation, along with the Newport Nautical Museum, sponsored the sail and tour for 60 children of Camp Pendleton Marines.

“Our regular mission of teaching history and the lesson of America’s first defense of freedom took on a whole new meaning after Sept. 11,” said Woodson K. Woods, executive director of the foundation. “And it’s so timely now.”

The ship is a living history museum, and children help sail it while learning about the life of 18th century sailors.

Some were already knowledgeable. Asked why early sailors needed to stock up on fruits and vegetables, 12-year-old Ethan Altman answered matter-of-factly, “To prevent scurvy.”

Recognizing surprise on the faces of his classmates, Ethan quickly added, “This is what happens when your mom watches too much History Channel.”

Although none of the students said they envied sailors of the past, the excursion was a welcome departure from history lessons and the photographs of far-flung parents back on their classroom desktops.

Somber expressions were replaced with smiles as small hands raised 2,000-pound sails.

“You try to keep everything as normal as absolutely possible in class,” said sixth-grade teacher David Jackson. “But something like this definitely helps take their minds off of what’s going on.”