On the first day of rehearsals the SM also joins in the celebration, but is only a part-time participant, for work began for the SM with the arrival of the first person. While everyone is meeting and greeting, making new acquaintances and renewing old ones, the SM stays focused on the business at hand. The work in the first few hours on this first day launches the ship, steers it out of port, and directs into the open seas where the director takes over. If the SM has worked well previous to this first day and continues doing so throughout the rehearsals, the launching, departure, and sailing should be calm, smooth, easy, and unnoticed.