FTV 1/28/12 Guayaquil Student Visit

We docked in Guayaquil, Ecuador's biggest city and the nation's main sea port. Guayaquil is on the west side of the Guayas River, which flows into the Gulf of Guayaquil in the Pacific Ocean. Guayaquil is at 2.21 degrees south of the equator, and 79.9 west. Guayaquil is the capital of the Guayas province of Ecuador.

Here the T. S. Kennedy cadets Adam Labranche and Libby Buck welcomed group of 25 students from an English speaking high school in Guayaquil. This outreach program is sponsored by the Consulate General of the United States of America, and is open to students who want to learn English so that they may attend colleges, and work in a Global economy. Some of these students have an interest in the shipping industry, because they have grown up in this large port city.

The students were given a tour of the ship from bow to stern, here they are visiting the bridge, to see the high level of technology that the MMA cadets are trained to use to navigate ships around the globe.

These students are going to 'Follow the Voyage' for the remainder of your sea term when they return to their classroom, and we hope that they enjoyed getting a taste of a Mass Maritime Sea term experience. We enjoyed meeting them, and wish them well as they plan their futures after completing their last year of high school in Guayaquil. You can learn about the layout of the T.S. Kennedy, and learn about the names given to the parts of a ship by doing the following activities.

Captain's Blog 1/28/12

Day one in Guayaquil was uneventful- we sent about 450 cadets ashore for liberty, and 449 were back aboard by 0200. The one person missing was an employee that often grabs a hotel ashore one or two times a cruise, so we don't worry too much about him. One of a few problems we have encountered is currency.

The Ecuadorian economy runs on the US dollars- literally. (Funny anecdote, Captain Rozak had just explained to the cadets in the pre-port brief that the use of the US dollar was prevalent, when not two minutes later a cadet asks 'What's the exchange rate?' I think Captain Rozak's cute response was drowned out by cadet laughter.)

Anyway, there is a counterfeiting problem here too- so restaurants and taxi are very reluctant to take anything over a 20 dollar bill. I don't carry enough 20's to help that cause, as matter of fact, I cause the problem for some because when they get money 'wired' to them aboard, I tend to give only $100 worth of 20s to each payment- even if it is $1,000.

So, I awaken at 0300 this morning and say 'hey, you've got all the money from the pre-paid email cards'. So I get up and count out over $6K in twenties- and the ship's clerk is down in ship's office right now breaking large bills on a first come, first served basis. I hope that alleviates the problem for some.

Another problem is the distance from the dock to the down town center- although it measures about 5 kilometres on the map, but it takes about 40 minutes by bus, and maybe 35 in a taxi. But this problem persists in many ports we go to- it's all part of the seagoing experience I suppose. More tomorrow...

FTV 1/27/2012 The Equator

Here we are crossing the equator it is about 9AM, January 26, but without street signs, highway, markers, buoys, or land to determine our position, you might wonder how we even knew we were there. For sailors throughout time, finding their way through the ocean has been a challenge.

In the early 1800's Midshipmen's education on board a vessel like the Constitution included navigation; how to determine the ship's location at sea. How do you determine your location if there is no land in sight? Each day at noon, Midshipmen measured the sun's position above the horizon using a sextant. Then the ship's position was calculated using the measurement taken with the sextant and mathematical equations. The sextant was a tool that was used consistently for navigation.

Today, it is still being used to navigate the most difficult conditions. Thanks to modern technology, the current tool used for finding ships location is a GPS. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of navigation satellites that orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometers). At this altitude, the satellites complete two orbits in a little less than a day. Though originally designed by the U.S. Department of Defense for military applications, the federal government made the system available for civilian uses and lifted security measures designed to restrict accuracy to 10 meters. This made the GPS the ideal tool for the marine shipping industry, and boat captons of pleasure boats as well. The optimal constellation consists of 21satellites with 3 operational 'spares.'

The system is designed to ensure that at least four satellites are visible at least 15deg above the horizon at any given time, anywhere in the world. Engineers and scientists are always coming up with new applications for established technologies such as GPS! For example, during the recent H1N1 FluOutbreak, the GPS system was used to create immediate mapping of cases of the flu as they were reported.

Try this activity to make and use your own sextant 

Try this one to learn more about GPS

Captain's Blog 1/27/12

DATE 1/27 FRI
TIME 0224 LT (ZD +5), 0724 GMT ARRIVAL
LAT 2-46S
LON 80-30W
C 078
S 15 K
RPM 60
DEPTH 17.8 METERS
WIND LT AIRS
SKY 7/8
PRES 1012
AIR 75/73
SEA 79
12 NM WEST OF DATA DE POSORJA

FWE 0742 LT, 1242 GMT

Guayaquil is 50 miles up the Chaga River - low lying marshes and shrimp farms all along the way. Of course the pilot was telling us how beautiful it was, but you don't see too much when it's 3:00 in the morning.

We made it to Guayaquil shortly after seven, were granted free pratique at 0800, but did not get the cadets off until nearly 1030 as we needed to give them a lecture on the unique safety and security concerns of the port.

We had the privilege of having a representative from NCIS out of Quito, and an Associate Counsel for the US Consulate in Guayaquil. The words were foreboding, but the risks are no greater than when we call at places like Piraeus, Greece. The weather is hot, but there has been an overcast cloud layer that made it bearable.

We chartered a bus, but as we send so many cadets ashore on the first day of liberty, there was a backup. But we expanded choices for the cadets with a reputable cab company, and before you knew it the dock was clear of cadets. I hope they all have a safe and enjoyable port visit in this port. More tomorrow

FTV 1/26/2012 Fresh Water at Sea

This is the Kennedy’s evaporator; it makes fresh water out of salt water. The process of making fresh water out of saltwater is called desalination. We need fresh water for our boiler and to drink. We only make fresh water to drink at sea because the water in port is too dirty to make drinking water, but we can make boiler water at either sea or in port

Desalination/Distillation is one of man's earliest forms of water treatment, and it is still a popular treatment solution throughout the world today. In ancient times, many civilizations used this process on their ships to convert sea water into drinking water. Today, desalination plants are used to convert sea water to drinking water on ships and in many arid regions of the world, and to treat water in other areas that is fouled by natural and unnatural contaminants. Distillation is perhaps the one water treatment technology that most completely
reduces the widest range of drinking water contaminants.

Solar desalination is used by nature to produce rain which is the main source of fresh water on earth. All available man-made distillation systems are duplication on a small scale of this natural process.

In nature, this basic process is responsible for the hydrologic cycle. The sun causes water to evaporate from surface sources such as lakes, oceans, and streams. The water vapor eventually comes in contact with cooler air, where it re-condenses to form dew or rain. This process can be imitated artificially, and more rapidly than in nature, using alternative sources of heating and cooling.

Although desalination is a simple process, extracting fresh water from seawater on a large scale is very costly; however the scarcity of fresh water resources and the need for additional water supplies is already critical in many arid regions of the world. New technologies will have to be developed for  desalination if we are to meet the growing need for fresh water worldwide.

In this activity your will make a simple model of a desalinator.

Here is desalinization lab experiment

Captain's Blog 1/26/12

DATE 1/26 THUR
TIME 0700 LT (ZD +5), 1200 GMT
LAT 0-10N
LON 83-13W
C 180
S 7.5 K
RPM 30
DEPTH 3474 METERS
WIND S FORCE 4
SKY 1/8
PRES 1011
AIR 76/74
SEA 79
158NM NW OF CABO SN LORENZO, ECUADOR

Shellbacking Day - The Pollywogs and Tadpoles were awoken at 0600 and served a sumptuous breakfast from the sea; all with names that were nastier than the real food such as fried kelp, fish eggs and Octopus Juice. Then off to their quarters where, while sequestered, the loyal Shellbacks set the stage for the grand initiation into the Deep.

King Neptune's Royal Court, with the Queen and Royal Baby, lead the entourage to the Helo Deck. 630 Pollywogs were initiated and I believe that every single one of them did so with the biggest smile on their faces even when standing in torrents of saltwater flowing over their heads, crawling to meet King Neptune himself, and to swim with the creatures of the sea. King Neptune was so pleased with the response by the Pollywogs that he asked me to give them a special privilege so I have suspended Captain's Inspection tonight.

Hundreds of cadets are now lined up to start chowing down on the cook-out on the Helo Deck. Meanwhile a small army of Cadets and crew are hard at work bringing the ship back into a presentable condition before we enter port tomorrow morning. Next port is Guayaquil, Ecuador, which MMA has not visited in over 40 years. That’s the sea term - one adventure after another. More tomorrow….

FTV 1/25/2012 Engine Room Visit

A visit to the Engine Room is an awesome sight as we see the actual machines that work to make us sail through the ocean. It is here that we see how energy can be converted from one form to other to accomplish the tasks need to get the job done. 

 

This is a picture shows the actual fuel oil burners going into our Starboard (one on the right side of the ship) boiler. We have 2 boilers that make all of the steam that we use to make some of our electricity as well as some of our fresh water out of salt water. It is also used to turn our propeller.

This is a picture of our main shaft that runs from our engine gears all the way to the back (“Stern”) of the ship and out to our propeller. This is made up of eight sections which are bolted together. They are supported by bearings that have lube oil in them

These are our throttles that are in the engine room. These are opened or closed to put more or less steam to our engines to give the speed that the office on the bridge wants. The big one is the “Ahead” throttle to go forward and the small one is the “Astern” throttle to go backwards. The Red and Green dial at the top of this picture shows how fast the propeller is turning. The Red and Green dial below that shows us what the Bridge wants for speed.

As you work through this activity you will learn an important law of the universe that is the law of the conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be increased or decreased, but energy can change from one form to another even as the total amount remains constant. Energy can be found in many forms here are some examples:

• Mechanical
• Electrical
• Thermal (heat)
• Chemical
• Radiant (light)

Use your new learning to complete this worksheet

Captain's Blog 1/25/12

Missed a day - I guess I can blame it on a 15-round fight with the email service. We hope that we have worked out a fix with the provider, and it seems to be working better at this time. Out on board IT guy, and honestly it isn't his full-time job aboard, has been working very hard - telephone calls for long periods of time as he worked with software engineers in France and Germany.  Everyone wants to make it right, so as frustrated as we all get over it, they are honestly trying to make it right.

Tonight we stepped too far into the Royal Domain of King Neptune. He sent his Royal Scribe, Davy Jones and some rough looking Shellbacks to board the Kennedy. He abruptly surprised the bridge watch in a cavalcade of explosions and demanded to see the Captain. Upon arrival on the bridge Davy challenged my right to bring mere pollywogs and tadpoles into the Realm. I told him I had emailed King Neptune, and was quickly reminded that the 'The email ain't working Cap'n!'

Shortly thereafter I had all the unworthy assembled on the Helo Deck - as Davy made a fine arrival, flying up to the Boat Deck from the Fantail. He proceeded to chastise the pollywogs on their crimes- then read a proclamation dictating that they stand before the King himself in the morning.

So, as quickly as he arrived he was gone, but not before commanding his shellback to 'wash them down!' In a matter of minutes all 630 pollywogs were drenched in the water of the Seven Seas - and now await their trial in the morning. More tomorrow...

FTV 1/24/12 Cadet Buck in Costa Rica

Golfito, Costa Rica was definitely the cure for everyone's case of cabin fever. Everyone got to get off and explore the surrounding area. Some cadets went on hikes and found waterfalls, laid out in the sun on exotic beaches, scuba dive at world renowned reefs or went on a horseback ride through the rain forest. Throughout the cruise, the school sets up tours where cadets can participate.

Costa Rica's tour was Zip-lining through the rain forest's canopy. Costa Rica is the world leader in canopy tours which allow travelers to explore the rainforest canopy more than 100 feet above the jungle floor. Ziplines are made of steel cables that run between trees, giving the rider a feeling of flying, even though they are securely attached by a harness. The tour consisted of 10 runs that all had different views of the breathe- taking rainforest . Some cadets even made a new friend, as a sloth wanted to join them on the zip line.

There are many beaches in Golfito, but the Zancudo was the beach that everyone raved about as a must see. Zancudo is on the eastern shore of Golfito Dulce bay. The beach is a four mile sand spit that projects from the shore and is covered with a gray sand. For many cadets it was the first time swimming in the Pacific Ocean. After a fun day in the sun, cadets found themselves sitting by the waterside and enjoying the fresh, local food or enjoying the night life with their friends.

All in all it was a great start, now it is one port down and three more to go! Zacundo beach, like most beaches is a marine aquatic ecosystem where the land meets the sea, it is called the intertidal zone because it is exposed to the air at low tide and submerged at high tide. To learn more about the ecosystems of the intertidal zone ecosystem try this activity

Captain's Blog 1/24/12

DATE 1/24 TUE
TIME 0700 LT (ZD +6), 1300 GMT
LAT 5-49N
LON 83-10W
C 180
S 7.5 K
RPM 30
DEPTH 3078 METERS
WIND LIGHT AIRS
SKY 3/8
PRES 1012
AIR 78/73
SEA 81
120 NM SW OF ISLA JICARON, PANAMA

We are definitely in the Doldrums of the equatorial region - very light breezes - occasional cloud formations - but just out and out hot. The thermometer says 88 degrees, but it sure feels hotter without any wind. We are on day 12 of the training schedule, which means we are at the 50% mark in the training.

Tomorrow the cadets that have finished their training assignment will be examined. That will take up most of the day. For those cadets the remainder of the sea term will be dedicated to watches and maintenance, which is a relief I am sure. Whether it is the hot sun or the examination preparation, there are very few cadets out on deck. Those working maintenance in their blue boiler suits are moving kind of slow, and the ice machines are working overtime.

There is an underlying tension too as we approach the Equator, Everyone knows that the loyal Shellbacks are making preparations - odd contraptions of pipes are being built here, a plywood platforms elsewhere, and long lines run from unusual locations. It is all in the preparation for the ceremony that will be conducted on Thursday, but the unknown for the Pollywogs is real. More tomorrow...

Captain's Blog 1/23/12

DATE 1/23 MON
TIME 0900 LT (ZD +6), 1500 GMT DEPARTURE
LAT 8-36N
LON 83-12W
C 227
S 9 K
RPM 30
DEPTH 80 METERS
WIND LIGHT AIRS
SKY 0/8
PRES 1013
AIR 80/75
SEA 80
3 NM SW OF GOLFITO, COSTA RICA

Nothing beats watching NFL football at an open air restaurant, overlooking a marina on Banana Bay in Golfito. It was about 90 degrees and hot but the shade worked wonders. The game proved to be a real nail biter. There must have been over 50 Cadets and crew watching from the restaurant that we were at. The response to good and bad plays is always fun when the crowd is for one team and the excitement builds.

Finally, we won! I guess a little luck always helps. A spontaneous celebration occurred, shouts for a celebratory swim were called for and I was selected to lead the charge. So,we went down about 100 feet of dock and right into the warm waters of Banana Bay. There had to be 30 people in the impromptu swim call- all laughing and cheering. Whether it was the swim or the Patriot's victory, I guess it didn't matter too much. Everyone had fun and we all climbed out safely.

This morning we called for slow astern, heaved on the anchor and gently pulled away from Golfito. It is always a little sad but our next adventure is ahead of us. Of course, we have much more training to accomplish before we can put this trip in the can. But first, we'll have to deal with King Neptune! More tomorrow...

FTV 1/23/2012 Birds of Prey

Buzzy chillin with Cadet Gianetti

One afternoon we noticed a new visitor on board ship. He introduced himself as Buzzy of Buzzards Bay Mass. Buzzy is a turkey buzzard, a common bird found in England. When these settlers arrived at the Massachusetts coast they saw ospreys flying overhead, and thought they were the vultures they

knew from home. They called the area which is now the home of Mass Maritime, Buzzards Bay, when in reality it should have been called Osprey Bay. The turkey buzzard and the osprey both are members of the bird family called Raptors. Here is Buzzy, as he relaxes on the ship with Cadet Gianetti. When we landed in Golfito, Engineering Professor Murray decided to take him on a tour of the port. We will hear more from Buzzy later as we continue on our trip.          

Raptors, also called birds of prey, have several similar behavioral and physical characteristics. They are carnivorous; have strong, hooked bills for tearing flesh; have powerful feet with long talons (claws) for grasping prey; and forward-facing eyes for acute long-distance vision. There are many kinds of raptors, including ospreys, owls, hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures. Each has characteristics that distinguish it from other raptors. Ospreys are large, fish-eating hawks that plunge into the water from high above to catch

fish with their talons. Osprey feet have a pivoting outer toe and sharp scales, which enable them to catch and grasp slippery fish. Owls are silent, mostly nocturnal (nighttime) hunters. They have large eyes that gather large amounts of light, enabling them to hunt in darkness. They also have cup-like facial disks around their eyes, which help focus sound and improve hearing. Falcons have narrow, pointed wings that help them to fly fast and maneuver skillfully. They have black eyes, hooked talons and conspicuously notched bills (tomial teeth). Vultures are scavengers (carrion eaters). They have unfeathered heads, which is an important adaptation for carrion-eating birds that poke their heads into carcasses to feed. Strong feet and sharp talons are not as important to carrion eaters because they don’t catch and transport live prey. Accipiters are woodland-dwelling hawks.They have long, squarish tails and short, rounded wings that enable them to maneuver through trees as they hunt for small birds. These characteristics are adaptations that enable raptors to survive in their unique environments.

Turkey Buzzard

Ospreys

 Click on picture for full view

AddLearn more about Raptors

Captain's Blog 1/22/12

Sunday is kind of like every other day in port - one division works while two divisions go out on liberty. Most of the day workers get the day off. So, it is a lazy day really. But I look around there are still painting parties, the fast rescue boat is down on the water for routine maintenance, and the trash truck will be here at 1300. Work goes on.

The Academy Chaplain, Father Jim Houston joined us in Panama, and has been celebrating mass every night since. Today, as we always do on Sunday, we have the mass up on deck. This morning at 0900 about 50 men and women joined Fr. Houston in the bright sunshine, really hot temperatures, and not a hint of wind. It was really nice, as always, to celebrate the mass out of doors, but it was warm.

So, today the crew can go ashore and watch the Patriots take on Baltimore. Go Patriots! Tomorrow we'll be underway for the Raging Main - the Royal Domain of King Neptune.

FTV 1/22/2012 Docking in Golfito

Golfito is a very old port without the technology, and guidance that we experienced when we passed through Panama. For that reason it was up to Capt. Bushy and his team on the bridge to use their seamanship and experience to dock the T.S. Kennedy. The docking was executed perfectly, using our anchor, steering, and very slow speed. We were greeted at the dock and got a helping hand from the dock workers in Golfito to tie our lines to their dockside.

Next the cadets used a crane to lower our checking station to the dock, by using a computer check in system; the ships officers know who is on ship in case of an emergency, and who has not returned to the ship from their shore liberty. By lunch time we were all set up and were able to go down the dock to the little town of Golfito.

Golfito is located on Costa Rica's South Pacific coast, about 340 highway kilometers from San José. This small port city is a narrow strip along Golfito Bay backed against steep green hills covered with pristine rainforest, with the Golfo Dulce lying seaward outside Golfito Bay. Golfito was the main port on the South Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in the days when there was little except huge banana plantations. Diseases which infected the bananas and massive strikes by the workers contributed largely to the United Fruit Company's decision to leave the area.  Beautiful beaches such as Playa Zancudo, and the surfing paradise Pavones are within easy reach from Golfito by car, boat or bus.

As we make our journey south to the equator, it is evident from the plants and animals that we see that we have crossed into a new biome. A biome is a type of ecosystem on land. Ecologists recognize seven different types on the earth. Two major factors contribute to the type of biome a region will have, they are temperature and precipitation.

In this activity you will make a graph of the temperature and precipitation of the earth’s biomes
This word search will get you familiar with important rainforest terms