No Visitors To PCS Class of 80 Website In Over 2 Years
Webmaster Out To Sea In Sub
(SPECIAL TO PANTHER PROFILE)
RHODE ISLAND -- Dr. Robert Pockalny, recently-elected president of the Portville Central School class of 1980 and developer
of their website, returned from a 3-year boat trip around the world. The expedition was originally planned as an official University
of Rhode Island Oceanography project, but Captain Pockalny decided to turn the affair into a pleasure adventure to exotic
beaches on five continents.
As a result, the 1980 website has not had a visitor (except this journalist) since the year 2001. Minutes after
arriving at this Eastern port, Pockalny vowed to update the flat-lined communication center, which at one time was a haven
for cyber-fellowship.
"We finished early with our experiments in the South Sea, studying continental drift patterns," commented the oceanographer.
"And then I looked around me. One 45-foot research yacht, decked to the teeth with high tech luxury. One
male scientist. Seven, eager-to-please female research assistants. And an unlimited university credit
card. You do the math."
According to Polly Gordon, one of the research assistants, the group travelled to "most of the coolest places by the
ocean" throughout Australia, Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe, and South America, beforing returning to the U.S. after 34 months
at sea. The URI ship was equipped with the latest devices and comforts needed for such a journey, including a nuclear mini-sub
big enough for two people, which Pockalny utilized often to entertain and impress his team and host countries alike.
"Please don't tell anyone we did this," confided Gordon to what she thought was a select group of friends hanging
out on the dock. "URI will probably get real mad. Master, er...Doctor Pockalny wants us to tell them that we got
lost at sea and were stranded on a tiny unknown island, and that it took us this long to fix our wrecked boat.
We've been rehearsing our story for months. Please don't ruin it. Oh, we had such a great time and learned so
much about the oceans of this beautiful Planet Earth."
