Captain's Blog 2/16/13

Aruba is a favorite destination for tourists - from both northern Europe and North America. And you can see why, it is very warm, even hot, but you'll not feel it because of the relentless trade winds. And very rarely does it rain this time of year. The streets and beaches are immaculate, taxi drivers polite and fair, and shop owners are welcoming. The ocean is a vivid aqua blue - the term Aruba blue has been heard by me for years - distinctive and inviting.

About 70 cadets took an great trip yesterday (and today) when they went out on an excursion boat for four-hours of snorkeling on the reefs on the west side of the island. Other cadets have taken four-wheeler tours to the east side of the island, highlighted by the natural pools, where the ocean's swell drives into tiny bays within the rocky shore and gives the swimmers an exciting ride. But the beaches are most popular, the cadets getting that last taste of warm weather, getting impressive tans along the way. Too bad they'll have a week at sea to see it wane.

FTV 2/16/2013 A Visit to Aruba's East Side

Yesterday some of the cadets took a four-wheeler tours to the east side of the island. The ATV's tour highlighted  the natural pools, and the rocky shore beaches of Aruba. The Natural Pool or "conchi" called "Cura di Tortuga" is a secret, hidden pool on the windward (east) coast surrounded by rocks and is a perfect getaway for a moment of total relaxation. It is a unique formation of rock, volcanic stone circles a small depression, creating the tranquil pool known as the Natural Pool. The Natural Pool is a basin formed by rock and volcanic stone circles that fills with ocean water. The pool is also known locally as "Conchi" or "Cura di Tortuga", because it is said that the pool was once used to hold sea turtles before they were sold (tortuga means turtle in Papiamento, the official language of the Caribbean).


The location of the pool is surrounded by some of Aruba’s most rugged terrain, so visitors truly gets the feeling of having "discovered" something when their eyes focus on the site. This secluded area of the island is accessible only by foot, ATV, or horseback. As you bounce along the path, you see the rugged wilderness that surrounds you which provides a stark contrast to the soft sandy beaches of the western coast. It's only on the eastern coast that you'll stumble upon amazing rock formations and natural bridges to explore.

Learn more about how islands are formed by volcanoes
Try this rocks identification activity
This activity demonstrates how igneous rock is formed
Try building this candy volcano
You've got to be cool to make igneous rock.

FTV 2/15/2013 Aruba's Endangered Rattlesnakes

                                                                           

The ship arrived in Aruba and everyone is anxious to explore the island.  Aruba is an island in the  Caribbean Sea, just north of Venezuela. A rather small island at just 193 sq km (69 sq mi.), it is only slightly larger than Washington DC. Aruba is a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches.  The Climate is tropical with very little seasonal temperature variation due to the constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Located outside the Caribbean hurricane belt it’s temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).

Aruba is the home of the The Aruba Island rattlesnake is one of the rarest rattlesnakes in the world . Its short and stocky looking body has an overall brown color and a lighter brown tail tip and its scaly skin has distinctive pink, blue and brown diamond shaped markings. Males and females are similar in appearance though males are larger in size. The tail creates the rattling noise that gives this snake its name. This species belongs to the family of vipers, and like other vipers it has a V shaped head, and venomous long hollow fangs which fold against the roof of the mouth when they are not being used. The scientific name for the Aruba Island rattle snake is Arubian cascabel, that is about 95 cm long and weighs between .9 - 1.4 kg.

This snake is nocturnal in the warmer months, though during the rest of the year it is active in the early morning and late afternoon. It feeds on small rodents, birds, and lizards, locating them with a pair of heat sensitive pits that are found between the eyes and nostrils. Like other rattlesnakes it injects its prey with a lethal cocktail of chemicals which kills the prey and begins to digest it from the inside. The snake then swallows the prey. In the wild, the Aruba Island rattlesnake may only eat a few times a year.

The mating season lasts from September to January, and unlike most snakes, the Aruba Island rattlesnake is viviparous with females giving birth to live young rather than producing eggs. Females have small litters of five to nine young. The young are born weighing about 14 grams and are only a few inches long. They have fully functioning venom sacs or glands, and are independent from birth. Individuals live for between 15 and 20 years.

This species is threatened because it only occurs on one small island, where just ten square kilometers of habitat remains undisturbed. In past centuries much of the island’s trees were cut down for charcoal and firewood, removing this snake's shelter and prey. Recent threats include resort development on the island and other forms of human encroachment. Goats have been introduced and have wreaked havoc on the vegetation. This species is also caught and illegally exported for the pet trade.  For that reason it is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List 2007.

The Government and people of Aruba do recognize this endemic species as important, and have set aside a large area of interior land as protected habitat for this and other species. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Aruba Island rattlesnake Species Survival Plan (SSP) is currently building on the island’s conservation efforts. Field research is being carried out to determine population size, natural history traits and factors affecting the survival of the Aruba Island rattlesnake in order to best inform conservation efforts. There is also an ongoing public relations campaign to change local people’s perceptions of this venomous snake. Captive breeding has also been initiated in zoos associated with the SSP program, to increase population numbers and the genetic health of this threatened snake.

Click here to see more pics of the Aruba Island Rattlesnake

Try this webquest to learn more about the incredible creatures we call snakes
Learn about the math of snake patterns
Compare snakes to people in this activity
Here's a snakes crossword
Find out about other animals that live in Aruba
This activity will make you an endangered species expert
Make an endangered species newsletter

FTV 2/14/2013 Happy Valentine's Day! Special Blog Edition

Happy Valentine's Day voyage followers, MMA parents, family, and friends! For the past two days, I've had a great set up on the Helo Deck where officers, crew, and cadets could come write a Valentine for their loved ones at home. Even I got a Valentine :) We've only got 10 days left! We will be posting the website for you to view your Valentines shorty.

Valentine Greetings to all FTV Classrooms!

Today, love is in the air! ... even under the sea! Take a break and read some Valentine's Day-inspired stories about love in the deep, including fish that "pucker up" and the bizarre mating rituals of marine organisms. Click Here

Captain's Blog 2/14/13

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. The cadets have lined up for two days to have their pictures taken for the web site post - probably up by tomorrow. Don't miss your cadet's message of love!

We arrived in Oranjestad, Aruba this morning under breezy conditions and partly cloudy skies, and were all finished docking by 0915. The crew and cadets are streaming down the gangway - not quite as fast as the first port, but at a pretty good rate. I expect by 1100 half the ship will be emptied out.

Last night Father Houston conducted a very well attended Ash Wednesday mass. He had two cadet Eucharistic Ministers and two cadets placing ashes on the attendees. The population at the religious celebrations has been very well attended the past nine days, including many cadets from other faiths. Fr. Houston does a great job of being welcoming to all spiritual people to his masses. We are lucky he elects to ride with us at least one leg of the cruise each year. He will be with us until Sunday when he returns to his parish in Northboro.

So, this is our last port before Buzzards Bay. As many parents know the cadets will have duty responsibilities once we get home - if you talk or text them - please make sure they disclose to you when they are required to report for duty.

FTV 2/14/2013 Ocean Salinity

I had a long day out in the sun; it was time for me to prepare some pictures for an upcoming post. Let me just say, you can certainly tell that I was wearing sunglasses all day... I look like a raccoon! Anyway, I caught some very lovely pictures of the vast ocean and some of the setting sun.

We had another routine boat drill. This time, my division was providing for the Fire and Emergency drill so I went to DC Locker #4. When I brought the muster sheet upstairs to the Nav Lab, I was able to get some great shots of the Fire Party (drill), all donned in Firefighting gear.


As I think back to our Sunday at Sea, I have to mention the huge impact that Mass Maritime's SGA (Student Government  Association) has made on this cruise. Not only has there been sufficient funding toward excursions for cadets (some prices have been brought down by 50%!) and an awesome sound system for the Kennedy's gym, but all of the equipment we have had for our enjoyment for Sunday at Sea has come from the SGA. The set up and break down of everything we used on Sunday was done by the SGA; music, the jousting equipment, the corn hole equipment, preparation for the Wounded Warrior Raffle and Auction, all done by the SGA. Since the beginning of Sea Term 2013, there has been a meeting at least once every ten days. This way, the SGA is able to keep tabs on the equipment and the best ways to "run the show behind the scenes" for Sunday at Sea.


1/C Doug Neal is the SGA President; he knows all about MMA's Student Government. Mr. Neal is able to make decisions with the SGA that coincide with MMA's strict regimental policies. He supervises the members of the SGA and brings order, and fun, to the meetings. One of those meetings was this evening. Present was 1/C Doug Neal (SGA President), 1/C Meghan Thibeault (SGA Secretary), 1/C Steve Moore (1/C President), 1/C Tom Young (SGA Sea Term Representative), 1/C Dan Sanzo (SGA Outdoors Committee Representative), 1/C Steve Buker (1/C Vice President), 1/C Dan Peterson (1/C Sea Term Representative , 1/C Alicia Tarr (Me! I'm the 1/C Social Chair), 3/C Greyson Connor (3/C Sea Term Representative), 3/C Myles Farber (Student Trustee), 3/C Mariah McGrath (3/C Secretary), 4/C Brenda Weeks (4/C Secretary), 4/C Emily Behen (4/C Social Chair), 4/C Barkley Santo- Espirito (4/C Sea Term Representative).

It's amazing how much one group of people can make such a difference. Not only on Sea Term, but during the school year the SGA plays a huge role in the lives of the cadets at MMA.
Alicia

As the Kennedy spends a few days cruising to Aruba, the cadets are surrounded by the vast ocean. Try these activities to learn more about ocean water, ocean salinity and density.
Try this salinity activity
Earth's Water
Salinity and Density Lab Activity
Ocean in a bottle
Salinity Lab
Salinity Currents

Captain's Blog 2/13/13

I woke up to the sound of driving rain on my bulkhead and overhead - then noticed a slight difference in the roll of the ship. Either the wind shifted or the course/speed was changed. In less than an hour the 0600 wake-up call from the bridge rang - and the cadet officer of the watch told me all about the rain and the fact than we had slowed down due to a increasing SOA - surely due to the Caribbean current and the winter trade winds.

I've mentioned a few cadets over the past week - I suppose I should mention a cadet or two daily - but I try not to walk on the human interest side of the FTV correspondent aboard. But I want to highlight a few in the last few weeks. Today I'll mention the 'top three'- Cruise Commander, Cadet Chief Engineer and Cadet Chief Mate. These three 1/C cadets were selected last spring after a rigorous selection process, and there is no question they are qualified for the tasks.

The Cruise Commander is Kevin Manning from Hanover, MA. His title changes during the sea term - but most know him as the Regimental Commander. He is a MENG major, but instead of spending allot of time in the engine room, he is busy with Commandant's Department meetings, Department Heads meetings - and cadet inspections. He does his MENG stuff as required, but he is really tangled up in so many facets of the sea term. Kevin has fulfilled his duties with calm composure, a frequent smile and firm leadership to the cadets aboard.

The Cadet Chief Engineer is Robert Lowell of Dennisport, MA . Robert, I don't know if they call him Rob or Bob - but he answers to Robert, is a tall and lanky man with a quick, broad smile and jovial personality. He has a particularly tough job in balancing the directives of the engineering department while also fulfilling the duties of a regimental leader. Engineers tend to get wrapped up in projects that are often dirty and may run into the evening hours. One minute he is elbow deep in grease and grim, the next he is supposed to be escorting the Commandant through cadet holds for inspections. He has handled it with a light-hearted attitude, and although we still have a few weeks - I think he'll survive with his sanity.

The Cadet Chief Mate is kind of special - no really! He is Sean Baggett of Braintree, has a 4/C brother Liam aboard, and is the son of Sean Baggett of the Class of 1988. Called a legacy cadet - Sean has handled that without seeking special favors from faculty or staff that knew his Dad (unlike some legacy cadets that can drive us crazy!). Like the Cadet Chief, the Cadet Mate is in a thankless role in balancing the needs/wants of his fellow cadets - with the deck department needs of the ship. But Sean - a serious young man, has a reserved smile that comes out often - is all over the place fulfilling his tasks. We (the Deck Department) like his positive attitude, his tireless work ethic, and sometimes his strength. (He also prevailed as the Champion of the Battle of the Chiefs Jousting Match.)

Three great young people - but I must confess that there are hundreds more aboard this ship.

FTV 2/13/2013 Communicating Without Words

Another warm, sunny day out at sea on the T.S. Kennedy.  Whether they're on maintenance (deck or engine), support bill (scullery, inside cleaning, etc.), have watch, or training; our days move along. However, this afternoon went much different than the Kennedy's normal, quiet routine. Yes, there was another boat drill due to our weekly schedule. But the POD (Plan of the Day; a document posted everywhere on the ship to notify cadets and crew of what is planned out for the day) instructed us to leave our life preservers behind this time. Muster was quick, but the boat drill wasn't over. The PA system announcement told us all to make our way to the Helo Deck. The entire crew, cadets and staff, gathered around the aft starboard corner on the Helo Deck. There, a barrier of benches blocked off a section where some of the ensigns stood waiting for the crowd to settle. It was time to demonstrate how the different flares that we have aboard the ship work!

Once the pyrotechnics were to begin, the ensigns donned their firefighting PPE and got started. It was an amazing display! One of the flares seemed to set the sea ablaze with an orange smoke (no flame), a smoke flare. Another looked like a big sparkler (a hand flare). One type shot out with a bang; a trail of smoke left behind, and a single red spark fell from the sky. The loudest one of all had a bucket like container with a handle; when set off, a very loud bang was followed by a ribbon of rope that shot out as far as the eye could see. It was fun to have everyone together to watch the pyrotechnics. It was also nice that some of the cadets got to join in the action! This is just one of those things that makes MMA stand out as a college option; you
just can't get this type of experience at any college. Three blasts of the ship's whistle ended our boat drill and special meeting.
Alicia

There are three main types of flares, with different options available for each type:

Orange smoke – effective as a line of sight distress signal for daytime use only.

Red handheld – effective as line of sight distress signal by day and night, and very bright, with a good visibility range. These are very visible from an aircraft, and burn for up to 60 seconds.

Red parachute or rocket – capable of attracting attention in daylight for up to 10 miles, with a night-time range of up to 40 miles. The rocket launches the flare up to 300m and the flare burns for 40–60 seconds as it slowly descends under the parachute.

Color Coded Signals Activity
Ship Communications
Signal Flags and Codes

Captain's Blog 2/12/13

There never seems to be a dull moment going to sea. Last evening we were alerted by a USCG urgent broadcast of a sailing vessel in possible distress. It was near us, so off we went while calling in to the USCG Sector San Juan. Of course it is dark, windy, rain showers and rough seas! Why not on a clear calm afternoon? We arrived at the vessel but could not make radio or voice contact - being that close in Beaufort Force 7 wind. The sole operator was calm and seemingly unimpressed by our presence while our search light shined down on him. We maneuvered to get the name and port of the boat - called out once again - not interest in our assistance at all. We radioed in to the Coast Guard, reported the information, and off we went. The Coast Guard fixed wing rescue aircraft did the same.

What could have been a long night of launching our rescue boat and fighting treacherous seas ended as fast as it started? Never a dull moment…. Yesterday afternoon we slowed down to do some pelagic trawls for the MSEP department so they could collect some fresh critters from the sea. Late last night we slowed down for few hours to make an adjustment to a wearing ring on the shaft - so add the two delays up along with a pretty stiff head wind, and we were a little behind schedule. This dictated that we modify the voyage plan slightly (or speed up above our economical choice), so this morning a little past six we made a 180 degree turn to re-track our steps for about six hours, and then we will turn to the southwest to make a beeline for Aruba.

I had a nice chat with the First Engineer last night after the diversion for the sailboat, and as we compared notes we both noted how the First Class cadets are almost there. All of them have been through a watch and training rotation at least once, and they really are getting it. Last night the four-to-eight Cadet Officer of the Watch, Christopher Rogers, managed his watch superlatively - posting extra lookouts, powering up the searchlights, copying radio traffic - and would not let his watch be relieved until all the excitement was over (to the chagrin of the eight-to-twelve I'm sure). Nice to witness - kind of makes the trip worthwhile!

The wind has abated down to a force 4, and now is on our stern. There are clear skies and a few clouds. It's another day in paradise.

FTV 2/12/2013 The International Maritime Business Classroom

It was time to get the ball rolling and head back to class for me today. Just next to the ships library is the International Maritime Business classroom. I stopped by there to take some notes about what they're learning in class. 

First, classroom introductions were in order; each student introduced themselves, told us what sports they might have played, and what major they intend on taking. The department chairman, Dr. Bani Ghosh, is the IMBU instructor for sea term, Zach Cushman is the Regimental IMBU Operations Officer. Erin Eastman and Jordan Bonina are the other two IMBU Training Rates.

In session one, Dr. Ghosh gave us an introduction to Maritime Business One. In this class we learned about introductory concepts in economic and IMBU. She explained the meaning of supply and demand in the international trade, what is a market, and  how profit is calculated in the business world. Ms. Eastman and Mr. Bonina talked about the Panama Canal Internship, and Mr.Cushman talked about his recent experiences as an intern in a shipping company. For the remainder of the class the training rates helped freshmen working on their Microsoft Excel skills. How to use spreadsheets to analyze and present data is essential technology skill needed to be successful in today's business and technology economy.

After a long day of classes, everyone was invited to make their way to the Helo Deck for some fundraising activities. Throughout the seaterm cruise we have been holding raffles to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Foundation. So far, we have raised  $10,000. Tonight’s fund raiser will be an auction which will raise another $4,000 for the Wounded Warriors. Some of the items the cadets will bid on include exemption from Offloading ship when we pull into Buzzards Bay, and an extra day of liberty in Aruba. Other prizes will include MMA gear, a white T.S. Kennedy Officer's Boiler Suit, Pilot's Association hats, and being waited on by the captain during tomorrow's games.  I must say that I am very excited for tomorrow! 

Alicia

Calculations and Summarizing Data

Often, you will need to perform calculations on your collected data in order to get the results you will need to generate a conclusion. A spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel may be a good way to perform such calculations, additionally, the spread sheet can be used to display the results. Be sure to label the rows and columns. Don’t forget to include the units of measurement (grams, centimeters, liters, etc).

Gather some data with this experiment

Use excel to make a graph

This activity uses excel to examine fast food nutrition

Graphing with spreadsheets

Candy is dandy graph
Acid rain in your community

FTV 2/11/2013 Sunday at Sea

Breaking up the nine long days it will end up taking for us to get to Aruba is Sunday at Sea! We've had a long day of fun in the sun on the T.S. Kennedy. Sunday at Sea is a tradition we have during Sea Term where every Sunday that we are not in port, we have a break from the nonstop working. Well, sort of... I know I've mentioned how the regiment works, especially out at sea. We have job on the ship and there's always work to be done. Division three still had their watch cycle, so some cadets might have missed some of the festivities. Division one still had to get some maintenance done before everything could get set up. However, there was no class today!

After waking up for Morning Formation, as usual, I was able to head up to the Navigation Lab and witness the release of the fast rescue boat. Around 1130, it was time for lunch; a huge spread of hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, pasta salad, and pineapple was set up by our very own Chartwell's crew. After some chow, I set off to the boat deck to lay out in the sun for a while. There, I was able to catch some of the cadets working on their jousting skills. A large blow-up platform with two large battle arms was prepared for the cadets to duel it out for the entire afternoon. This, however, was just practice.

Up above the Navigation Lab, cadets had the chance to play corn hole; a bean bag tossing game. First place won $100, second place $50, and $20 for third. It was amazing to have a nice relaxing day; on the Helo Deck, everyone was basking in the hot Puerto Rican sun. We had a great playlist of music, and later in the day some cadets played the guitar for everyone's enjoyment. At about 1700, dinner came out with some familiar dishes from earlier, and barbecue ribs! Not long after, buckets of ice cream! There was chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cookies n' cream, and mint chocolate chip! Never mind the brownies and whoopie pie cake! We were definitely spoiled today! After watching a beautiful sunset, the jousting stage got brought down from the Boat Deck to the Helo Deck. Cadets that won front row seats to the competition from the Wounded Warrior Raffle lined the stage and the ComCad staff, along with Captain Bushy, ran the show! It was a full on battle for each event; the cadets took out any built up stress from work and classes on their opponent with those huge jousting "q-tips". Bragging rights were at stake, and the competitors got pumped up.



Participating in the Hold Captain Tournament was Cadets: Dhimogjini, Atkinson, Jenkinson, Simpson, Meyer, Katapodis, Camara, and Lynch. The champion of this tournament was Mr. Dhimogjini! The two female hold captains, Cadets Burke and Salem, battled it out with Ms. Salem as the champion. Next was the Women's Tournament with Cadets: Hogan, Courcy, Guidry,Thibeault, Whittemore, Enman, Derrane, and Denapoli. The champion of this tournament was Ms. Thibeault! There was a non-licensed major event (MSEP, EM, IMBU) where cadets Tagger, Lutter, Patsios, Bonina, Cushman, and Lemoine went head to head. Even the ship's ensigns wanted in on the fun; Jacob "King Kong" Kohn defeated Eric "All Talk" Morton. "Iron" Mike Singleton defeated "Action" Adam Jackson. There was a "Battle of the Chiefs", where Cadet Chief Mate Sean Baggett defeated Cadet Chief Engineer Rob Lowell. The "Battle of the Adjutants" resulted in the Engineer Adjutant, Cadet Mr. Young, defeating the Support Bill Adjutant, Cadet Mr. DeGiso. Cadets Mr. Kristoff, Mr. Lane, Mr. Losi, and Mr. Gregoire participated in the "Battle of the Company Commanders" where Mr. Losi was the victor. In the "Battle of the Division Leaders", cadets Mr. Fowler, Mr. Lueze, Mr. Gilbert, and Mr. Lohr participated; Division One's very own Mr. Lohr took the victory for this battle. Some wild card participants included cadets: Mr. Kupiec, Mr. Jennison, Mr.Klose, and Mr. Neal. Mr. Jennison came out as the champion.  At last night's auction, cadet Mr. Finnegan had the highest bid to have the opportunity to joust the Regimental Commander, cadet Mr. Manning. After a well fought match, Mr. Manning was the champion, and included an extra match for the bidder. One of the funnier battles we had was the production of 4/C cadet Mr. Frost vs. 1/C cadet Mr. Lamm. Mr. Frost won, and his troop of supporters carried him away from the stage with a victory lap. The main event included two heavy weights: cadet Jared "Mr. Sunshine" Roark vs. cadet Stephen "The Mountain" Moore. This was another well fought battle, and 1/C Moor came out on top as the champion of the main event!


It was an absolutely amazing day for a grand T.S. Kennedy cookout for Sunday at Sea! Can't wait for the next one!
Alicia

Be Sunwise
Try this sunwise interactive
Learn about the sun with these
What are sunspots?
The sun's rotation

FTV 2/10/2013 Engine Room Lab

Today was my first day in the Engine Training Lab! I worked with the 4/C as they worked hard to finish up their assessments. Each freshmen has a green card called "4/C Checklist for MMA STCW (Standards of Training
Certifications and Watch-keeping) Assessments Sea Term 2013". It is a list of tasks that are to be completed either in the engine training lab or in the engine room during a watch cycle. Once completed, each assessment has to be signed by a 1/C Marine Engineering Training Rate. This proves that In the Training Lab, cadets are expected to: drill a blind hole using a drill machine, thread a blind hole using hand taps, and become familiar
with hand tool usage. These three assessments are acknowledged after the 4/C has created their aluminum picture frame. Even I got the chance to participate! We were given three pieces of aluminum: two sheets and one
block. After some measuring, scribing, drilling, tapping, sawing, and filing, we were able to put the pieces together with some screws and spray paint them to our liking. It was a fun way to get three assessments signed
off!

Also in the training lab, the 4/C had to: cut and thread black iron pipe using a hand die; cut, fit and sweat solder copper pipe; cut, flare, bend, and compression fit copper tubing; measuring tool usage; cut and fit PVC
pipe; and (finally) make and test a 120 volt extension cord.The training lab has eight tables for all of the different stations necessary. It was very interesting and everything the 4/C learned today will be helpful in everyday life. It was a great work environment made possible by LTCDR Hibbert, the 2013 Engineering Cruise Coordinator. 

Everything has been very successful with LTCDR Hibbert in charge. The Engineering department is already filled to the max with 180 cadets looking forward to their maritime college careers in Marine Engineering. Soon I will be making my way into the engine room to go over the rest of the Marine Engineering Assessments. For now, I'm off to finish spray painting my frame.

Try these engine lab activities.
Copperplating 
Electric Switches
Give me a brake
Springscales

Captain's Blog 2/11/13

Yesterday was a superlative day off for most everyone. The Puerto Rico daily rain showers did not materialize and the passing scattered clouds only served to give the people brief breaks from a powerfully hot sun.

Our food service provider did a wonderful job of feeding the crew - lighting grills at 1000 hours, they served food continuously until about 1830 when they brought out the tubs of ice cream. Let's put the day in perspective for everyone - we're feeding 700 people. They prepared 1,200 burgers; 600 Italian sausages; 400 hot dogs; 375 pounds of spare ribs; 260 pounds of beef brisket; Fish Taco that included 25 pounds of cod fish and ten pounds of shrimp; Jambalaya with 20 pounds each of shrimp, scallops and sausage; six sheet pans of brownies and 96 dozen cookies; all topped off with 15 3-gallon tubs of ice cream! Please note that all this is served on the Helo Deck that is two decks above the galley, and three decks above the reefers. The steward's crew worked relentlessly, and the end product gave us an excellent day.

Last evening we had the climax or the Wounded Warriors fund raising campaign - with the actual 'Mayhem in Mayaquez'. Our FTV reported Alicia will provide a complete match-by-match description of the jousting that entertained hundreds of crew crowded on the Helo Deck and the aft house railings. The final contributions are still being computed, but we easily exceeded our past efforts - topping $7,000 for such a worthy and noble cause.

We weigh anchor in about thirty minutes, heading east toward the Virgin Islands, then we take a 130 degree right turn towards the Dutch West Indies. In three days we will dock in Oranjestad, Aruba. The sea term is waning quickly…yielding a mixed emotion in most of us.

Captain's Blog 2/10/12

At anchor in Mayaquez Bay in Puerto Rico, enjoying clears skies, light westerly airs and warm temperatures. I know that sounds rude to our families and friends back home as they suffer through a top-ten blizzard. But the topic is dominating aboard - and many of us know that our homes have no power - we actually know more about the storm from our satellite TV system and the Weather Channel. We all hope that the damage from the storm is corrected quickly and that everyone soon has power - and the warmth that comes with it.

Our ill cadet has had an appendectomy and is resting comfortably in the local hospital. We brought back our Paramedic that accompanied him - and have replaced him with one of our Staff Duty Officers. LCDR Ed Pinero will remain with the cadet while in the hospital, and facilitate his travel back to Massachusetts. Ed is the perfect emissary, as he was born and raised on the island - and certainly speaks the language.

Last night we had the first phase of our annual fundraising effort - our chosen charity is the Wounded Warrior Foundation. This involved a weigh-in for the Jousting matches that will occur tonight, and also had an auction of all kinds of 'stuff' like Kennedy Hats, extra day of liberty, and off-load special liberty. I will give a full rundown of our success tomorrow.

Today is 'Sunday at Sea' - well, actually a Sunday at anchor - but nonetheless there is only watch and morning maintenance for the cadets. Our Chartwell's food service provider will turn the Helo Deck into outdoor restaurant for a day- long cookout. A day of relaxation aboard, the cadets can wear MMA leisure gear without fear of being out of uniform.