FTV 1/18/2013 Scullery

Part of being on a ship is strictly following the duty you are assigned to, whether it's watch, maintenance, or support bill as I have mentioned before. Today my name was on the support bill under Scullery. The scullery is where the cadets and crew deposit their dirty dishes after their meals. My specific assignment was Master of the Decks (MOD). This means that it was my job to supervise all of the other cadets working in the scullery to make sure they were doing their jobs properly. One thing that you might have already noticed about MMA is that we follow a "Chain of Command" based on merit and class (or grade). The lower classmen look to the upperclassmen for direction. It is the job of the seniors with regimental positions to enforce discipline and make sure everything goes smoothly in a regimented lifestyle, such as the lives we live on the ship.

Since I had the highest seniority out of the group, I was in charge. I also had an assistant MOD (he is a 3/C) along with a sophomore and a freshmen "Grinder". The grinders made sure that everyone disposed of their food waste without dropping utensils, napkins, or anything else that is not food into the food buckets. Once a food bucket is filled, they bring the bucket to the stern where the grinder is. They get set up with the proper Personal Protective Equipment (tyvek suit, gloves, safety glasses, etc.) and grind up all of the food waste. This allows us to dispose of the waste at the appropriate MARPOL(international maritime pollution) regulations.



The other 4/C are called "Messmen", and it is their job to wash all of the dishes, pots, and pans that the ship goes through at each meal. One dish washer is available to use for all of the cups, utensils, and plates. However the larger pots and pans are hand washed, rinsed, and sanitized. Last but not least, there is a "Sanitizer" that stands at the entrance of the Messdeck and dispenses hand sanitizer to everyone that enters. With everyone constantly working, it is important that we take extra measures to make sure no one brings germs into the Messdeck.


Once the dishes are all clean, everyone takes part in cleaning the tables and benches, as well as sweeping and mopping all over the Messdeck and the Officer's Mess. The adult officer on shift comes to inspect and make sure that everything is spotless after each meal.

Well, it has been a very long day of work in the Scullery. I'll give you all another update of Sea Term tomorrow!

What is MARPOL?
Find out how trash and litter impact coastal  environments
Learn more: All About Marine Debris

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 17 JANUARY 2013

Yesterday we had Summer weather while rounding the Florida Keys. Cadets were able to sunbathe on the fantail. Some were even able to get cell reception to make impromptu calls home. Today, however, brought cool, cloudy and damp weather...a gloomy turn.

We’ll stay off of Tampa Bay all day today conducting anchor drills. Deck cadets will practice anchoring three times, while the engineering cadets down in the engine room will be answering the bells (mariner talk for engine commands). Prior to cruise, all of our deck cadets completed anchoring training in the classroom, in the full-mission simulator, and aboard the training vessel Ranger in Buzzards Bay. None of those experiences will teach them as much as the exercises today.

The Kennedy is ten times larger than the Ranger,and the conditions are real world as opposed to the simulator.  When the simulator is programmed for 15 knots of wind the sea’s image is changed, but the feel of stepping out on the wing is very different in real life. When the ship is given an astern bell, the simulator does not show how the propeller wash climbs up the starboard side. Although I look forward to these training days, I find I must bite my lip often if I see the cadets make miscalculations on speed or approach angle. But that is real world training, sometimes a mistake is the best lesson learned.

Tonight we’ll head off toward the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River on schedule to arrive at 0700 on Saturday. Between now and then we will conduct a fire and boat drill, a Captain’s inspection, and a pre-port briefing. We’ll be busy the last 36 hours of this leg!

FTV 1/17/2013 The MSEP Classroom

Today was my first day of classes with the Marine Safety and Environmental Protection program. The trainers introduced themselves:

Dr. Jaroslow is one of the MSEP professors that teaches at MMA. Some of the classes he teaches at the Academy include Earth Science, Geology, Oceanography, Environmental Monitoring, and Coastal Zone Management. Dr. J is the Sea Term instructor for the MSEP department this year. He is in charge of all the MSEP training rates as well as the curriculum the freshmen will be learning.

Rich Lutter is the MSEP Operations Officer, or Regimental Rate. He is the "head" MSEP Rate. Rich has had the opportunity to participate in the Shang Hi exchange program that MMA has with the Maritime Academy in China. He spent an entire spring semester in China with a small group of other cadets. One of those Cadets is also an MSEP Rate: Nick Lemoine; both Nick and Rich also spent a winter semester in Panama for their internship. There, they were able to work with cadets from the Academy in Panama on the Panama Canal.

The third MSEP Rate is Meg Thibeault; Meg has achieved high scores in academics, as well as outstanding athletics in Softball for the MMA Buccaneers. She is the Training and Retention Officer of her company, and she spent her internship with MAERSK (a shipping company).

The training rates discussed the overview of the major; like what classes we take, what their internships were, and what the major has to offer in the long run. They mentioned how the class sizes are smaller than the license majors, and how that gives us the capability to speak more easily with our professors.

One major point that they made is how anything that you learn in an MSEP class can be applied anywhere at any job. Rich talked about local and global environmental issues such as climate change, species extinction, and the result of port activities (ships moving in and out, recreation, etc.) Meg discussed the topic of Oil Spills, their effect on the environment, the best ways to clean them up, and the best ways to prevent them. Nick was in charge of teaching the freshmen about PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). He explained how to don the safety gear and what was necessary to wear for different situations.



Even I got the chance to introduce myself! I explained my job on the ship (FTV!) and spoke a little bit about my internship with the Department of Conservation and Recreation. One of the major points I was able to add is how our major does not only pertain to the marine environment; every day with DCR I was out in the woods. Whether I was marking trees for boundaries, maintaining campgrounds with a wood chipper, or working with the park rangers for Canine Search and Rescue Training. As I mentioned; MSEP skills can be used  everywhere.

When people say "oil spill," it sounds simple: someone spilled some oil. What happens when they spill oil where you can't clean it up easily? The most difficult place to clean up an oil spill is on the ocean, but not all oil spills happen at sea; some happen on land. Both kinds can kill animals and poison water, and clean-up is expensive. Technology offers some means of controlling spills after they happen, but oil spills cause environmental damage before they are contained.

Photo: Kim Hubbard/Audubon Magazine

Click here to read more about oil spills 

How oil spills effect people
How Oil Affects Birds and Other Wildlife
Oil and Food Webs Don’t Mix

Here are some activities you can do to learn more about the effects of oil spills on our environment.

How Big is an Oil Tanker?
Learn the words of an environmental scientist.
Investigate some pollution solutions

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 16 JANUARY 2013

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 16 JANUARY 2013

We are enjoying pretty nice weather down here off the coast of Florida. Although a cool weather front extends across the Gulf of Mexico, we still have 75 degrees, light winds and partly cloudy skies. The cadets are out on deck enjoying the sun and have received strong warnings to lather up with sunscreen.

I am sure many parents and loved ones heard from their cadets as we passed West Palm Beach and Miami yesterday. Between 1600 until 2200 the decks were filled with cadets and crew members with their cell phones in their ears. It had only been three days and you’d think we just made an ocean crossing! Currently,we have about 250 people registered on the email system, once we leave New Orleans and our connection to  USA cellular service, I am sure we will see more registrations.

Otherwise, not too much is happening as of this writing, but we’ll have much more to report in the next few days.

FTV 1/16/2013 Space Aboard the T. S. Kennedy

Rack Compartment

Everyone is slowly but surely getting used to the limited space that we have to share on the ship. Wall lockers are full and the compartments underneath each cadets' rack are squared away with belongings. It's crazy to think about how 703 people are able to coexist on a 540 foot ship for six weeks, with everyone's personal gear and all of the shipment that was on loaded at the beginning of the Sea Term. Patience and cooperation is definitely key when living aboard the T.S. Kennedy.

One creative way that I've learned to keep myself organized is to buy a shoe rack. It's hanging on the inside door of my wall locker, which makes everything easily accessible. Hooks are also a necessity; you don't want to hang up a boiler suit that you just wore in the engine room with all of your clean clothes! We've got hooks everywhere!

Once 2200 (10:00 pm) rolls around, the lights in the holds are usually out. Boots, shower shoes, sneakers, anything that was left on the floor can turn into a tripping hazard, especially when we are underway. Everything must be secured! If something is rolling around, it could endanger someone; it is everyone's job aboard this ship to make sure we keep each other and ourselves out of harm's way.

To further protect the cadets and crew, a "traffic pattern" has been established on the Kennedy, along with all other ships in existence. This method enables everyone to flow easily about the ship without blocking each other's path. Without a traffic pattern, ladderwells (hallways) and other passageways about the ship would become congested and could potentially become a fire hazard if an emergency occurred.

If there is an emergency, it would be no surprise if the lights inside of the ship went out. In this case, the ship would be completely black-out dark. Everyone has been instructed to carry a flash light at all times, and with the help of some light, arrows located at the bottom of every indoor bulkhead (wall) will become illuminated to guide the way out while safely following the traffic pattern to the nearest exit.

We should be getting close enough to the coast of Florida this evening for a short period of cell phone service! That will be sure to brighten everyone's day!  

As we head around the southern tip of Florida we will be passing the Everglades. The Everglades which span the southern tip of Florida is the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States. It is actually a river, or wetland, featuring broad, shallow, slow moving water. Some call it a big swamp.

Known for its rich animal and plant life, the Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side. It is a refuge for large wading birds, such as the roseate spoonbill, wood stork, great blue heron and a variety of egrets. Featuring temperate and tropical plants, the river holds mangrove and cypress swamps, pine-lands and hardwood hammocks.

On December 6, 1947, President Harry S. Truman dedicated the area as Everglades National Park to ensure protection of its unique plant and animal habitats. The park is home to many endangered species, including the Florida panther. Today, the real Everglades is one half its original size. Both federal and state governments are committed to restoring and protecting this national treasure. There is only one Everglades.

Try these activities to learn more about the Everglades: Habitat Hunt and Sponging off the Everglades and All about Algae
Find out what's so special about the Everglades and why alligators look the way they do.

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 15 JANUARY 2013

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 15 JANUARY 2013

My 0600 routine wake-up call included a routine description of our location in reference to land. When the 1/C cadet told me we were 120 miles east of Daytona, I was surprised. I knew we were moving along pretty well but was happy to see the overnight speed was maintained despite the northerly current of the Gulf Stream. 

As a result of our current position I knew we had passed into the Wider Caribbean Region of the international maritime pollution regulations (MARPOL). The wider Caribbean Region is located at 30 degrees North latitude. For nearly 20 years this region has had very restrictive garbage and trash dumping regulations which became even more stringent as of 1 January 2013. The old rule still stands that we still may not throw any trash over the side, but the rule about throwing wet food waste has changed.

Effective January 1, the regulation requires that we grind our wet food into small pieces before we can through it overboard. Before this trip, the Kennedy was installed with a new pretty rugged garbage grinder that allows us to throw our wet food waste into the ocean as long as we are 3 miles away for land. The new grinder was installed on the main deck aft.
Operating this new grinder involves multiple steps and all of its operators have to be well trained to operate it. The cadets and crew are being taught how to activate the water flow and discard hoses, and to open the lid when a vacuum has developed. This task is made unpleasant because of the wet garbage that has been sitting in a trash can since the middle of the night!

With this new grinder operating all the ships programs are running as planned, fortunately we have seen no surprises yet!

FTV 1/15/2013 Well, it is definitely a lot warmer outside!

Dr. J holds class on the ships deck

Classes have finally begun as we sail through the Sargasso Sea. The 4/C Cadets are giving their full attention to the Cadet Rates and their instructors. While some freshmen are in class, others are maintaining the ship or have watch duties. As I sit here in my hold, I can hear the needle guns forcefully vibrating the rust off of the ship. Rust is metal's weakness, and from being out on the ocean, the T.S. Kennedy's steel outside bulkheads (walls and barriers) and decks (floors) are always subject to rust.

Watch carries on even when we are out to sea.

Never is there a moment when the engine room, quarter deck, or bridge is not occupied by cadets on duty. It is my division (Division 1 out of three) that has watch right now. Each cycle is approximately 5 days. So, five days of watch, then five days of classes, then five days of maintenance, then repeat. This way, all of the basis are covered and everyone shares the workload. Tonight, it will be my job as RSDO to make sure that everyone scheduled for watch shows up for their shift from 2330 until 0730 the next morning.
It's very relaxing to take a walk outside to the fantail and take in the new weather. Some of the 3/C (sophomores) are taking some time to practice their guitar skills or just unwind in the sun.

One of my favorite things to notice when I'm out at sea is how the ocean changes; we have seen some dolphins and whales, but just the color of the water changes so drastically the further south we go.

What is the Sargasso Sea? Click here to find out, then try this activity to make an ecosystem.

When Alicia is watching the ocean changes she is making observations like a scientist. Learn more about this scientific skill.

FTV 1/14/2013 Anchors away!

Anchors away!

Well, we we're making our way to New Orleans! It was tough to say "Goodbye" for six weeks

to our families and friends, and even more so for some of the freshmen that will have no connection to land for the very first time in their lives.

Technically, our very first Sunday at Sea didn't have the weather that was quite right for the usual festivities so the only special thing for the day is that people with afternoon maintenance will had a day off. Classes and training will begin for the 4/C (4th Class freshmen cadets) tomorrow. One very interesting sight that we caught a glimpse of today was the aircraft carrier. It sailed off to our port side in the distance as a helicopter and an airplane circled around.

Today, I will be supervising a group of freshmen for "inside cleaning". Having this sort of job posted on the support bill helps us keep the ship in a livable shape. It is imperative that we keep the ship clean and disinfected so that we can keep the cadets and crew from getting sick.

I know everyone is excited that we are finally underway. It is only a matter of time until everyone has their sea legs. Oh, and don't worry, one of the mates will be preparing the satellite for the football game tonight.

Go Pats!!

Keeping the crew and cadets from getting sick is a high priority on the ship, the close quarters on the ship make it easy for viruses like the flu spread quickly. Try this activity to see how easily viruses spread

Hear is an activity to keep germs from spreading in your classroom.

Check out the cold and flu threat in your neighborhood

Here are some more activities to see how germs spread and what you can do to stay well.

Departure Day Video

The Departure Day video is now live at MMA's Facebbok page!

Click here for the video

Enjoy!

CAPTAIN’S BLOG 14 JANUARY 2013

T.S. Kennedy passed Cape Hatteras last night at 0310. The sunrise showed us a clear sky
with warm temperatures. The ship is riding very easy in a smooth sea.

Yesterday we faced a common problem when the Patriots make it into the
playoff second round.  Our satellite television system has about 300
channels - but none of them carry football games. However, we could still receive Boston network channels. But
when would we lose it? Can you imagine losing the signal in the last
quarter? So I turned the ship around and slowed way down. We stayed in the
coverage area, and did not go too far back. We’ll make up the time between now
and New Orleans with no problem – and over 300 cadets and crew were
watching the Pats win!

Today is day one of the formal training programs. Deck cadets were out in
deck before sunrise looking towards the heavens for stars to take sights
on, and deck training officers were on the bridge augmenting the Mate on
watch. At 0800, one-third of the cadets went to various locations
throughout the ship for their classes – Main Deck forward, five hold lower
tween, six hold upper and lower tween and three hold tank top. All 23
faculty and trainers on board are fully engaged with cadets at this time,
and will complete their assignments over the next 24 days (excluding port
visits).

With bridge and engine watches staffed, deck and engine maintenance
working, and cadets in training, we are fully utilizing the T.S. Kennedy as
all the cadets give the ship 12-hours per day – and to think some people
call this a cruise?