Sea Term 2013 Comes to an End

It was a bitter-sweet feeling as I supervised the 4/C and 3/C as they manned the rails for the last time this cruise. Six weeks of learning, experiencing, and growing have come and gone so quickly. As I think back, I realize that this is the beginning of the end of my four years at Mass Maritime. It was great to have this one last opportunity out on the T. S. Kennedy.

Today was a rush, from our 0530 Reveille to our disembark at 1100. We manned the rails the length of the Cape Cod Canal. Family and friends lined the canal path all the way to the Academy. The turnout was just as impressive as when we left Buzzards Bay; vibrant signs and loud cheers rang up from the pier to the boat deck. The cadets were so excited to point out their family members and wave to their loved ones. The realization that we were home got stronger and stronger as we passed under the Sagamore Bridge, then the Bourne Bridge, and finally the Train Bridge. Home!

It was a bustle of excitement as everyone got to their cleaning stations. It was, after all, still field day and the ship still needed a cleaning. Bags were all packed, and the passport parade cleared through customs. And the pipe for release was made with three blasts of the ship's whistle.

First crew, and then 1/C; I made my way to the line as fast as possible. The line moved more quickly than you would think. I loaded myself up with all of my belongings (two duffle bags and my sea bag!) and hustled down the gangway. My dad was there to greet me! I was so happy to see him!

It's wonderful being home, but like I said it's sad that Sea Term 2013 has come to an end. It's something that very few people get to experience in their entire life, and I appreciated every second of it. We had Marine Safety Environmental Protection Classes, Emergency Management Classes, International Maritime Business Classes, Marine Engine, and Marine Transportation. You've learned bout the lives of the deckies, engineers, cadets, and crew out at sea. We went to New Orleans via the Mississippi River, Puerto Rico and the views from the Fortification Systems, Jamaica with cliff diving at Rick's Cafe and the horseback riding excursion, and Aruba with it's sandy beaches and under water worlds from the catamaran excursion.

The Regiment of Cadets should now be a piece of cake for all of you! Thank you all for following my blog; I hope you've enjoyed learning about a cadet's Semester at Sea. There will be many more Sea Terms and plenty of new, different ports to discover in the years to come!

~Alicia   

FTV 2/23/2013 The Kennedy returns home

We heard her before we saw her, The ships whistle blew as the Kennedy entered the canal in Sandwich. Minutes later the ship was pulling into her home berth at Taylor's Point. Parents and friends lined the dock with signs to welcome their cadets home. Cheerful cadets cheered at the crowd, and were glad to see their home campus in view. 

Tying up to the was the first order of business for the Deck Crew

Due to the early arrival, the cadets were unable to debark until the customs folks boarded the ship to clear each cadet for re-entry into the US. While waiting for their cadets to clear customs many parents took advantage of the coffee and breakfast treats provided by the Academy. It was a nice warm place to wait and anticipate seeing their kids return after their completion of SeaTerm 2013.











Once the customs personnel release the cadets the offloading process will begin.

Welcome Home Alicia

Captain Bushy made the decision to return one day early based on the prediction of severe winter weather for Sunday. Here is a copy of the weather map he used. Can you interpret the symbols on the map which warned him of the storm? If not try these weather map activities to learn how.
Reading a Weather Map
Weather Map Symbols

Captain's Blog 2/23/13

We had an early wake-up for everyone this morning - 0500 reveille - as we made our approach to the pilot station for the Cape Cod Canal. Breakfast was served at oh-dark thirty as the sun-tanned cadets, wearing their thin officer's jackets, started lining the rails at 0630 in 37 degree temperatures. Arriving a day early, in the wee hours of a cold morning, and the Scusset Beach breakwater was still lined with families and friends, waving wildly and holding their welcoming signs high.

As Captain Howard McVay of Northeast Marine Pilots expertly maneuvered the ship into the slip, with the assistance of the McAllister Towing tugs, the hundreds of parents and friends were cheering madly to catch a glimpse of their cadet. It always brings a smile to my face - but this year the joy of reuniting with loved ones had a twist - Customs and Immigration clearance first!

It only took just over two hours for 696 cadets and crew to make their customs declarations to the CBP officers from New Bedford, Newport and Providence. To keep the cadets 'busy' we conducted a field day - all hands cleaning - with the warning that they better do a good job. As 1100 approached, and customs was finished, we decided to let 'em go.

First down the gangway was Steward Cook Deon Santos - a special gift for him waiting - his recently born daughter. Then the five cadets that 'won' the privilege to be first down - then the multitudes were piped ashore. But surprisingly, well not really - in less than 45 minutes the ship was like a ghost town. After 52 days of high energy activity with people everywhere aboard, it is over.

I'm thankful to all the cadets and crew for demonstrating discipline and a cooperative spirit while aboard - and I hope the cadets learned a great deal. I know they learned how to coexist!

FTV 2/22/2013 Exam Day

Today, the ship had a certain silence to the normal bustling activity. We had Morning Formation as usual (at 0745 sharp!) but immediately after, cadets made their way into the classrooms to take their Sea Term Final Exams.

While on the T.S. Kennedy Seaterm 2013, the cadets have worked with the training rates and instructors to familiarize themselves with the majors that they've had the opportunity to explore.
During exams I made my way  down into the Engine Room. A fellow cadet and friend, Jais Manghis, guided me through the Upper Tween Deck, the Main Operating Level, and the Auxiliary Machinery Room. The Upper Tween Deck is the main entrance to the Engine Room. The Main Operating Level is where most of the controls for the ship's engine are located. Buttons and levers cover the control panel, along with a log book, and a white board that has all of the up to the minute engine room information.  From this central location, the watch team checks the engine room every hour. Temperatures and pressures of all the running machinery is logged and calculations for the amount of freshwater made, fuel consumed, and the shaft counter are recorded. The shaft counter is an instrument that reports how fast the shaft is moving.  As the shaft  spins the ships propeller that forces the ship forward.


In the Auxiliary Machinery Room is the Marine Sanitation Device, because it is against the law to dump waste out of the ship,  it is mandatory for the T.S. Kennedy to sanitize all waste before the water is released back into the ocean.  Also located in the AMR is the Reverse Osmosis Water Generator, which makes our fresh water, and the fire pump which distributes water to all of the fire hoses.

This morning the freshmen cadets are completing their Engine Room Final Exam assessments. Each 4/C has a green card with a place for a date and senior (1/C) Engine Training Rate's signature. They must demonstrate their learning of the engine room routines by tracing out the Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams of the Engine Room. To complete this assessment cadets follow the pipes that are attached to each particular system in the engine room and draw the system out using the correct symbols and illustrations. The assessments include the Lube Oil System, Main Steam System, Fuel Oil System, Fire Main System, and Main Circulation System. All the pipes complicated, but the engineers are quite capable of keeping the Engine Room of the T.S. Kennedy running smoothly.

The cadets will use their experiences on SeaTerm to determine their majors and their careers. If you enjoyed Following our Voyage you may be interested in exploring a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Here are some ways to find out more.

Choosing a STEM Career
Make a Career Flyer
Try this STEM career interactive
Take this quiz to see what your career interests are.
STEM career outlook

Captain's Blog 2/22/13

Final examination day after about 18 hours of pretty windy and rough conditions, but it has layed down a bit. The conditions will hopefully permit the cadets to perform well. Right now it is 44 degrees F, cloudy with force 6 winds out of the north-northwest. The seas are a state 6, but just on our port bow, so we are riding well with occasional jerky rolls and pitches.

Yesterday we mustered all the cadets on the Helo Deck for a 'pre-port' briefing - which is a little unusual before going into our homeport. I could not resist having a little fun with them while explaining our decision to go in a day early, which was received with cheers. I explained the weather forecasts and the problems for docking and travel. Then I told them we were not granting liberty until Sunday afternoon - silent stares - shock set in mere moments. Then I said 'just kidding'. Hey, I have to have a little fun out here!

One element at this point in the voyage is the time away. For most it has been about 45 days or so - a long period of time. But I reflect on the ship's permanent crew where, except for a few consecutive four-day weekends around the Christmas season, we have been aboard since Halloween's hurricane. I know that they all are looking forward to putting Kennedy to bed, and although our work continues, we'll be able to be home on a daily basis until August.

So, we are on schedule to take the state pilot off the east end of the Cape Cod Canal at 0600 tomorrow morning. We'll enter the breakwater at Scusset Beach around 0630, and meander through the Canal, taking the tugs boats alongside about 0720 before the railroad bridge. We should turn into the slip at Taylor's Point at 0740. For those folks coming to see our docking - remember we'll need to two or three hours to clear customs - so the dramatic 'first off' ritual will be delayed. For the folks keeping warm in Pande Hall, I'll blow the ship's whistle about 10 minutes before we release the cadets.

FTV 2/21/2013 IMPORTANT NOTICE INCLEMENT WEATHER CAUSES KENNEDY TO RETURN TO HOME ONE DAY EARLY

An Important Notice: The Kennedy to Arrive home 1 day early due to inclement weather see today's Captains Blog for details

In a previous blog I talked about the Marine Transportation Majors (aka deckies) jobs while on Sea Term. The deckies are responsible for mooring stations, anchoring drills, and launching lifeboats. In addition to those tasks the Marine Transportation Cadets man the bridge. 




Their training starts in the classroom on campus and here on the here on the T. S. Kennedy. All, the 4/C cadets, have deck classes, training, maintenance, and watch. For watch, the 4/C cadets cycle through their stations each hour. Beginning at the Quarter Deck as a they make a preset inspection throughout the ship every hour. 
The watch cadet carries an electronic wand that is waived at each of the 22 checkpoints to assure no checkpoint is missed. Other watch duties are carried out at the Bridge where cadets gain skill in steering the ship under the direction of the Cadet Officer of the Watch (COOW). The cadets on steering watch keep track of the control panel. On the bridge the upperclassmen use navigation tools have to determine the ship's course. Out on the bow the watch cadets stand on the stern to keep a good lookout. If something comes into sight, like another ship or a sail boat, it is the duty of the stern watch cadet to deliver the news to the bridge via the Sound Powered Phone.

The marine transportation cadets are charged with the maintaining the deck, the perform all of the needle gunning, painting, and make sure that the deck has traction. They swab the deck and scrub the bulkheads, and sand the deck to eliminate rust stops, the ship's worst nightmare, Keeping the ship presentable is the deck maintenance crew's number one priority.

While on the Kennedy, the deckies are trained to man and maintain the lines that the ship uses for docking. One of the skills they are required to demonstrate for final exams is in knot tying. They must be able to tie the bowline, double bowline, square knot, figure eight knot, the beckett, and the double beckett. In addition they must learn to tie the hitches used to keep the ship tied up to the dock. The hitches needed to tie up a ship include: two round turn half hitches, a clove hitch. Additionally, they tie a monkey's fist, a special hitch tied as a weight on the end of a line that will be thrown on the dock. Other knots are needed for hoisting lines such as the French Bowline and the Bosun's Chair, which can be used to hoist people. 

Cadets also have to be able to splice a line. If you look at a piece of rope, it looks like it is braided in a special way. Splicing lets you figure out the pattern of the fibers so that two pieces of line can be re-connected. If you know the crown knot, you can back splice a piece of line. Another type of splice that cadets learn is the
eye splice; this splice takes one piece of line and makes a loop at one end, without any knots.

Throughout their four years the Marine Transportation majors learn about map and navigation on the open sea. On the Kennedy Bridge the upperclassmen put those maps to use. Some of the navigation skills they learn are to use a sextant to navigate using the stars and to use plotting charts to determine the location of the ship.




Pretty cool stuff!  Alicia

Learn to tie notes like a sailor with these activities:
Here are how knot tying is used in marine careers (scroll down to student pages section)
Try some rope tying math
Here is a rope tying tutorial
Here is a 6 knot challenge.
A knot tying game

                  

Captain's Blog 2/21/13

Leaving on time, and arriving on time - with everyone we leave with -has been my ambition over the years. We have left a day or two late a few times due to mechanical issues, but always arrived as planned. I always dread the weather issues sailing and arriving - we have governing regulations in the Cape Cod Canal, and we have Pilots that have comfort zones in handling the ship while docking - and weather is the largest single factor. I know that adjusting an arrival time can cause many problems for parents planning pick-ups, flight arrangements, and watch schedules. But this one I could not avoid. The winter storm bearing down on southern New England promises some storm-force winds and heavy snow. It looks to be a fast moving storm, but its arrival time and our arrival time overlap.

We will dock on Saturday morning at about 0745 - a day early. When we head north from the Caribbean, the voyage plans always has a weather day built in because we can have our speed of advance knocked down significantly if the ship is plowing into heavy seas and strong winds. With the exception of the rough weather in Windward Passage, the weather has been very good. We purposely kept a slightly slower pace to not run up into a low pressure center, and we watched a developing low over the southern states. We have been able to slip in between the two. But we are not there yet, and we are bound to catch some of it. Since we have been blessed with decent weather we have the ability to arrive a day early. This is a better alternative than planning on Sunday morning and then having to cancel it for a Monday docking.

This is not devoid of problems - we will now have to do customs/immigration clearance of the ship at the dock on Saturday - causing a delay in cadets being released on liberty. I expect that if we get the gangway down at 0815, we can probably have the whole crew cleared by around 1100. Then we will have to ensure that the berthing compartments are cleaned and departing cadets have not left too much trash in their wake. I know that Admiral Gurnon will have the Pande Dining Hall open for coffee and warmth. Hopefully most cadets will be well on their way before the weather deteriorates by mid afternoon.

2/20/2013 Passing the time waiting to get home

The week long trip home is now halfway over and we are finishing up our classes, with finals taking place on Friday. Even though we are ship bound, keeping ourselves busy has not been a problem. We have the outside decks where we can admire the view of the vast ocean, but everyone needs a little bit of activity to stay fit and feel great.

The T.S. Kennedy's gym has ellipticals, stationary bikes, ergo-meters (rowing machines), and pedal chairs in one room. Adjacent to this room is a slightly larger room with two free weight collections, an abdominal workout area, a leg press, stations for squats and bench pressing, etc. There is even a stereo system for us to hook up some music!


Just next store to the gym-combo is a laundry room. Brand new front-loading washers and dryers are stacked, back to back, and available 24/7 with a 4/C on watch to ensure that the equipment is being used properly.

Other than the gym, we have some clubs on the ship that meet at designated times for a fun workout. Today, for the first time, I participated in the Zumba class. It was a blast! Cassandra (a cadet at Mass Maritime and a food handler for Chartwells) held the class in the Seatorium (a large space located just beneath the Messdeck); she is a certified Zumba instructor,and turned our workout into a dance party! Many cadets take part in the crossfit club training or ju jit su practice, but I think that tomorrow I'll be taking a kickboxing lesson!

Up on the Helo Deck, there is a basketball hoop; cadets have the opportunity to play to de-stress from a hard day's work. We even have a school store, open from 2000 to 2100, to grab some snacks or any necessities we didn't bring enough of from home. Across the hall from the store is the library/computer lab. There is a number of books, from sci-fi thrillers to engineering workbooks. When we get back to school, the ship's library will be under renovation with the help of our very own Dr. Cuckor. The computer lab enables cadets to have access to an e-mail account for $30. So, we are still able to communicate with our loved ones at home, and I'm able to send out my blog to you every day! There is a television in the Seatorium and the Messdeck, as well as in all of the classrooms, so if we find any time to sit back and watch movie, we have the all of the needed equipment.

We are very lucky to have such an array of facilities, activities, and equipment available to us, especially to those cadets that need to stay fit for the upcoming fall sports! It keeps us healthy and sane while on board
for six weeks.

                                Alicia

As we move up the coast we are keeping an eye on the weather, hoping not to hit any blizzard type weather. I am sure you have been weather watching too. 

Learn the basics of winter storm weather

Thy this weather interactive to see how temperature and humidity effect snowfall

Use Microsoft Word to make a Be Ready flier.

Don't be too flaky

This interactive site teaches you all about winter storms.

Captain's Blog 2/20/13

The later part of the Sea Term always causes reflection for most of the crew - what could we do better? How did this new idea work? The concept of continuous improvement has always been applied by the ship's officers. So we ask everyone for comments - both positive and negative. This must transcend the coffee break chat - they have to put the comments in writing - and we ask for not only the comment - but the solution to a problem or a new ideas in detail. What benefits one department aboard may well cause difficulty for others. This 'after-action' reporting is then taken to the Sea Term Council that convenes in April - as we begin planning for Sea Term 2014!

One part of this process is to look at our cadets - not only for their comments - but to recognize those individuals that took their sea term participation to the next level. I announce 47 Master's Award winners today. These cadets have worked harder, studied more, improved morale, and helped other cadets - you name the possibility and at least one of the listed cadets have done it. The system calls upon the ship's department heads to select a certain number of cadets they want to recognize - and as the names are presented to me - you would be surprised how often multiple departments choose the same cadet - but that only allows them to go back and seek out another qualified cadet.

Master's Award Recipients:

First Class - Shawn Baggett of Braintree, MA; Evan Balderelli of Brimfield, MA; Trevor Brown, of Rutland, MA; Alex Burgess-Chrost of Fitchburg, MA; Kimberly Courcy of Warwick, RI; Casey Crawford of Mandeville, LA; Zachary Cushman of Longmeadow, MA; Colin Giles of Brentwood, NH; Danielle Guidry of Nashua, NH; Shelagh Hogan of North Andover, MA; Mark Hutchinson of Wellesley, MA; Joshua Lamm of North Andover, MA; Rich Leonard of Middleboro, MA; Robert Lowell of Dennisport, MA; Aaron Mann of Duxbury, MA; Suzanne Marino of Kings Park, NY; Kevin Manning of Hanover, MA; Myles Murphy of Winthrop, MA; Joseph Renehan of Milton, MA; James Ricciardone of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Christopher Rogers of Wilbraham, MA; Meghan Thibeault of Scituate, MA; and Nick Mazurkiewicz of Attleboro, MA.

Third Class -John Albani of Dedham, MA; Daniel Antonellis of Brockton, MA; Kyle Camera of Somerset, MA; Alex Contois of Abington, MA; Matthew Ferlotti of Sandwich, MA; Timothy Falconieri of Plymouth, MA; Gregory Frank of Stoughton, MA; Justin Kozel of Upton, MA; Drew Prowse of Wakefield, MA; Michael Rezendez of Sandwich, MA; Brian Sarapas of Plainville, MA; and Meghan Weir of North Andover, MA.

Fourth Class - Hamed Babrak of Quincy, MA; Andrew Balmaceda of Fairfax, VA; Emily Calnan of Hingham, MA; Courtney Collins of Pembroke, MA; Michaela Curtin of Stoughton, MA; Brandon Deal of Norton, MA; Eric DeMarines of Pepperell, MA; Brittany Driscoll of Spencer, MA; Connor Flynn of Plymouth, MA; Christopher Hanson of Melrose, MA; Charleen Klangos of Lowell, MA; Anthony Kurylak, Rye, NH; Arthur Levine of Newton, MA; Sarah Lewis of Deer Park, IL; John Moriarty of Wilmington, MA; Shawn Slaney of Northbridge, MA; and Britta Tornberg of Moores, NJ.

These cadets will all be recognized at morning formation on 15 March 2013 - when they are given a ribbon that they may wear on their uniform for the remainder of their time in the Regiment. I look forward to that day when we ship's officers can approach them as a group, and shake each hand. Well done to all!

FTV 2/19/2013 Cadet Snorkeling Adventure

While in Aruba, I got to go snorkeling! This excursion was set up perfectly; we had a muster on the pier at 0745 (15 minutes after  got off of my watch) and filled up two very nice coach busses.  It was a short ride to the dock at Palm Beach, where we got to grab some Dunkin' Donuts! Oh how I miss my iced coffee!

Anyway, we got our wristbands for the catamaran and looked at the gorgeous view of the beach. Approximately 70 cadets embarked on the catamaran, and the crew handed out masks, snorkels, and flippers. I was so excited when I got my equipment, I had never ever been snorkeling before, so this was going to be quite the experience for me!

We took off from the dock and headed to our first stop. Tropical music, sun screen, and laughter filled the air. Located on the bow were two nets for laying out on and the "gangway to the sea" as I like to call it. Once we
made it to our first stop, the crew released the gangway and we would disembark by jumping into the water, gear in hand.

Once I was in, I put on the snorkeling equipment and went to work! It feels like you are in a whole different world once you journey beneath the waves. At that first stop, we got to see a shipwreck! it was just amazing. Zebra fish and tiny guppies swam all around us. The wreck was awesome; we spent about 45 minutes there, and then headed to our next stop.

At our second snorkeling spot, the crew let us jump from the side of the catamaran. at the surface, the waves were a little rough, but just beneath was another mass of zebra fish. Along with the first spot, this spot was
too deep to see the bottom. There was another ship wreck here, but we couldn't see as much of the ship as we did the last one because it was much deeper.

Moving along once again, the crew announced that it was time for lunch. All I had some great Caesar Salad, delicious rice, and some very tasty seasoned fish. Not to mention the desert! Pina Colada pound cake! So yummy. It was good to get some fuel for our last snorkeling spot.

We finally got to a coral reef an could easily see everything on the seafloor. Like I said before, it was just a whole new world to me. We saw some brain coral, fan coral, the day before the cadets saw a puffer fish. But today, a cadet..... brought a huge sea star to the surface. 

Everyone had a blast on this excursion. The food was great and we all got some relaxation time in; under the sea and under the sun. . Approximately 70 cadets embarked on the catamaran, and the crew handed out masks, snorkels, and flippers..

Many Oceanographers who explore under the sea are skilled scuba divers. Scuba diving is swimming underwater using SCUBA - Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Using a cylinder of compressed gas to breathe (usually air, but sometimes other gases), scuba divers can stay underwater much longer than would be possible by just holding their breath - for hours or even days! With the assistance of equipment such as scuba masks, breathing regulators, buoyancy devices, fins, and gauges scuba divers can explore the underwater world.

Learn more about Underwater Ocean Exploration

Use this website to compare shallow water diving (snorkeling) to deep water exploration.

Here are some scuba diving math activities to try

Read about the life and work of this famous oceanographer

Try your hand at mapping a shipwreck

Try this activity to learn about the science behind scuba

More Scuba science

Captain's Blog 2/19/13

The major topic of discussion we encounter every year as we head home is the weather. And in many cases the topic is skewed by opinion and rumor. I heard one of my Second Classmen yesterday telling another the he heard we would encounter 40 foot swells. Wow, I sure hope not! But last night did not disappoint the weather watchers (notwithstanding our reception of the Weather Channel 24-hours per day) as we worked our way through Windward Passage. In the morning we had easterly winds at force four- by 1400 it was blowing a force seven out of the Northeast. And blow it did until this morning at about 0400, as we endured a force nine most of the night (41-47 Knots).

I guess Windward Passage lived up the it's legacy. The Spanish fleets that traveled from Europe to the western Caribbean relied solely upon the wind. They would travel west on southerly courses taking advantage of the northeast trade winds, then return using the prevailing westerlies. The easiest route out of the Caribbean was to sail north toward the passages - windward being the most west and the largest width. But during the winter months it tends to have frequent northwesterly wind. We found it, but then again, we've 15,500 horsepower to overcome it.

I've mentioned some cadet over the past week that have assumed roles in cadet leadership. Today I want to mention two groups - the Division Leaders and the Adjutants. The six Division leaders represent the three division - deck and engine. They are responsible for the accountability of the whole division, and lead work assignments when on maintenance. The deck div leaders are Samual Fowler of Fiskdale, MA, Seth Gilbert of Duxbury, and Shelagh Hogan of North Andover - Engine Craig Lohr of Mashpee, MA, Gilbert Leuze of New London, CT; Sarah Derrane of Utica, NY.

The Adjutants, a thankless job of managing watch and work assignments are Thomas Young of Longmeadow, MA, Danielle Guidry of, and Daniel DeGiso of Marlboro, MA.

All these young men and women have done a superlative job during this sea term. They never get tanked from their classmates, and certainly not the underclass - but the officers of Comcad, Deck and Engine Department know well what they do daily.

Captain's Blog 2/18/13

Yesterday's ship's cookout was very well received, although there was not as much excitement. The weather was OK, high 80's, Easterly force 5 wind, slight roll on the ship. But everyone had plenty of time to relax, sleep and eat - of course eat. The Chartwell's gang grilled over 900 sirloin steaks for the evening meal, and they were well prepared and tender. I wonder about the Chefs that had to cut all of them - talk about repetitive stress syndrome! Well done to all the Chartwell's gang for the nice day - and for a very successful food service throughout the trip. The Chief Steward told me yesterday they may have to limit fresh milk to breakfast only later this week - not too bad on the predication of consumption!

Last evening the Student Government Association - headed up by 1/C Doug Neal from Hempstead, MD - had a cadet Talent Night. I looked in a few times, but usually stay at arm's length, sensing that my presence may interfere with the talent - or should I say sarcastic humor. I'm told they had a great time.

At 0600 this morning it looked cold out on deck. From my window it was cloud, and the sea took on a grey hue. It just looked cold to me, despite the bridge weather report that it was 73 degrees with a NE'ly breeze. But upon walking out on deck at 0715, I felt the warmth and watched the sunrise in broken clouds to the East, and the rest of the sky was clear. The sunrise was inspiring, the sun being partly blocked; causing vivid yellow rays cascading in all directions through redden clouds and sky.

Today is for work - we've got plenty to do this last week - today is training day 21, leaving only three more. Then we'll have an examination day on Friday - then the dreaded field day on Saturday. On that day there is only one mission besides watch - cleaning. We will distribute Customs Declaration forms today and begin the process of collecting for a sanity check; we'll also be collecting S2 wrist bands for storage until next year. Each job sounds minor, but multiply it by 696 and it can get daunting. We'll get it done.

FTV 2/18/2013 Passing from the Caribbean Sea to the Atlantic

We knew we where on the last leg of our trip when we passed through the Windward Passage which is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Haiti. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti. At 80 km wide, the Windward Passage has a depth of 1,700 m. Navassa Island lies on its southern approach.This passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea, and is in the direct path of shipping between the Panama Canal and the eastern seaboard of the United States. From either the eastern tip of the Guantánamo Province of Cuba, or the western tip of Haiti's Nord-Ouest Department, it is possible to see lights on the other side of the Windward Passage.

Now we are back in the Atlantic heading for Buzzards Bay and our arrival to Taylor's point on Sunday, February 24.  With all our port visits behind us we’ll be collecting S2 wrist bands for storage until next year. Then we’ll have an examination day on Friday, and a day long cleaning day on Saturday that we call Field Day. 

For centuries, people have been challenged by the mysteries that lie beneath the blue depths of our ocean planet. Very little was known about the ocean until late in the nineteenth century, although nearly three-quarters of the planet is covered by ocean or seawater. Myths and misconceptions abounded. We used to think that the ocean depths were devoid of life. We thought that the seafloor was flat and that it was the same age as the continents. How different a picture we now have of the ocean as the sea has begun to yield its secrets.

As we sail through the Atlantic one can't help but ponder what lies beneath the deep blue water. In the 1870s, the HMS Challenger left England and sailed the world's oceans, throwing out weighted lines and taking soundings to measure the depths of the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. For the first time, scientists had an inkling of the contours of the ocean floor, took samples of the plants and animals, and measured differences in water temperature and salinity. But the cold, dark water and extreme pressure of the depths kept scientists from knowing the secrets of the deep abyss.

Following in the footsteps of those pioneering oceanographers, today's scientists have overcome many of the challenges of the deep by using more sophisticated tools. They can send manned submersibles and sampling devices to plumb the ocean depths, taking photographs and samples of animal life and sediment to bring back to the surface for further study. Even space technology enters the picture. Satellite photos taken of the ocean provide a wide range of information, including water temperature and depth, seafloor topography, and the plankton populations. Using sonar and satellite data, scientists have been able to generate a new map of the ocean floor, thirty times more accurate than the best previous map. This map shows the ruggedness of the Mid-Ocean Ridge as it bisects the Atlantic Ocean. 

Scientists collect all of this data to understand how the ocean basin was formed and continues to evolve. Molten magma from Earth's interior spews out at the mid-ocean ridges, spilling over to either side and hardening to rocky basalt. As the crust pushes away from the ridges, it cools and thins, forming new seafloor and thus "widening" the ocean here. As this portion of the ocean floor widens, a section of the seafloor elsewhere is slowly sliding beneath the crust, becoming part of Earth's magma once again. Plate tectonics, the theory of Earth's crustal plates, thus helps explain ocean formation.

ROV  View

Satellite Image

Sonar Image

The development of new technologies for underwater exploration has led to exciting and lucrative expeditions. Photographs of the doomed Titanic taken by remote cameras from a submersible craft as it probed deep in the North Atlantic captured the imagination of the world. Today's scientists using sonar and other sensors to locate sunken submarines carrying gold. But whether in pursuit of knowledge or profit, all of these activities contribute to our understanding of the ocean.

These activities will show you how we map the ocean floor.
Bathymetry
Explore the ocean floor
Mid Ocean Ridge activity
Use ships logs to map the ocean floor
Try this interactive

FTV 12/17/2013 Visit to Oranjestad Aruba

Hey FTVer's!

I'm on my first day of liberty in sunny Aruba! I bought some cute souvenir magnets. The Main Street is a great spot, especially for some expensive shopping! I had some nachos from Mojito's Bar and Grill for dinner and got some more souvenirs. Caya G.F. Betico Croes, or Main Street, runs roughly parallel to the waterfront several blocks inland; it's a major shopping venue. 

L.G. Smith Boulevard, runs along the waterfront and abounds with marinas, shopping malls, restaurants, and bars. The harbor is packed with fishing boats and schooners docked next to stalls, where vendors sell fruits, vegetables, and fish. 



On the other side of the Seaport Marketplace shopping mall, Queen Wilhelmina Park, named after one of Holland's longest-reigning monarchs, features manicured lawns, views of colorful fishing boats, and luxuriant tropical vegetation. 

Fort Zoutman, Aruba’s oldest building, was built in 1798, and, due to commercial growth, Oranjestad was named Aruba’s capital. It is proud symbol of Aruba’s national heritage.

After sightseeing on Main Street we headed for the beach. The beach was absolutely beautiful! The sand was soft and light. 

Aruba is gorgeous, except for the little bit of a cool breeze...I'm not a huge fan of the cold! (haha not trying to be mean or anything!)  Hope it warms up soon back at home!  Aruba is definitely a great vacation destination.

Try these beachy activities
Why do some sand beaches have fine grains of sand and others have coarse grains of sand?
Sand is a sedimentary rock
Where's the beach?
A beach crime scene