Brittany Thompson
a 14 year old sailor aboard M.V. Victoria

We want you to meet Brittany Thompson who is traveling with her parents, Victoria and Gary, her dog Eddie and cat Misty on a wooden 37-foot tuna fish boat (they've refitted) down the east coast of the U.S for 8 months. They left home in September, 2005.

How is life aboard your boat different than what you thought it would be?

I thought it was going to be a crammed wooden box. But it's very different actually. My mom is on the bridge, my dad mainly drives and navigates and I’m usually doing school work, going online or taking care of my cat. On line, I talk to friends, email and research. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been away.
Me and my parents have been getting along better on this trip than at home. We learn about each other’s space and know each other’s buttons but don’t push them. I don’t know what the trip is going to be like when we stop. All I know is what it’s like now and it’s awesome. I'm surprised I get more school work done when I’m underway, ‘cause when I'm at a dock or mooring, there’s more to do. More things to distract me.

How big is your room on the boat?

Well, I have about a foot and a half in diameter move around space before I get on my bunk. On my bottom bunk, I cram as much as I can in the front. Then my clothes are in the back. I have a bookcase with about 15 books. My top bunk is about 3 feet by 5 ft 9 inches long. I have a hatch above me and a window to my right. I sometimes email and read on my bunk. Above me, I have bungy cords from one end to the other and I stuff my book in there and read it that way.

Tell us abit about yourself.

I ‘m a 14 year old attitude teenager. I grew up in Rhode Island, where I went to private schools my whole life until two years ago. This is my second year of home schooling. A bunch of my friends are home schooled, too. We talk on the phone or online or just hang out together.

Describe your school work.

I’m my own teacher, but my mom corrects my work. I get my assignments from a school in Grey (in the state of) Maine. At the Royal Academy a teacher looks my work over and basically checks it. The Royal Academy sends me 4 workbooks – Math, Worldly Wise, World History and Wordsmith. I also have Work Study where I look at people’s jobs, and I'm doing an Astrology course for Science. I was reading it in my American History book, as we motored up the Delaware, that Delaware was founded in 1638. Being in Delaware and boating through it, it means more – it's a cool outlook.

Where do you do your schoolwork?

I actually do most of my schoolwork with my dad on the bridge. I like helping him navigate, as I have a good sense of direction. I feel responsible to help him even though he probably doesn’t need it.

What would you say to other people your age who might have the same opportunity as you about traveling with their folks?

I wasn’t very happy about this in the beginning. I had a bleak outlook about the trip. People would say "Haven’t you heard about the hurricanes, what about living inside that boat with your parents, eight months inside that boat, aren’t you going to miss everyone, leaving everyone, how long is it going to take, are you afraid?" I was anxious but I wasn’t’ afraid. I actually tried to find a few ways to get out of it but I knew I had to go. I’m not anxious anymore. I got used to the rolling of the waves, the smell of salt, the dry hands and the wet cat. The one awesome thing about the boat is we have a shower. It’s not like the well water at home, but it’s still amazing.

What’s your favourite part of the trip so far.

Definitely Manhattan, New York! That’s what changed my attitude about the trip. Never saw the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building or the place where the Twin Towers were standing.
The thing I absolutely loved, was the fact I could hear people talkin’ as we motored by in the harbour. I have pictures on my phone of everything so close. It was an awesome navigation experience. We had to monitor Channel 13 (that’s the shipping channel). There was so much traffic. It got better every moment. The one thing my dad was annoyed by were the bay taxis ‘cause they would make big wakes behind them and instead of rolling we would snap. Everything would just go flying – my laptop, drink, Tostitos, even the cat.

What do you want to do when you finish school?

By the time I finish school, we will be on our way home. At 17, I’m going to the Navy. I feel a responsibility to stand up for my country. My dream is to be a Navy Seal who are behind the lines. The Navy Seals scout out bad situations.

Do you miss all your stuff back home?

The one thing I miss from my room is my boombox. I’m stuck with my MP3 player. I have surround sound, a different base on my stereo. It’s the last thing my parents want to hear from my room on the boat.