Today we awake asleep, and were roused to see a miniature hammerhead making its way alongside the boat. It skin seeming glisten, it left us mesmorized.
After dining the finest coffee cake known to human kind, we hauled until the sails rose.
From bow watch, to navigation, we tailed until it was almost impossible to stand. The work and effort put into both maintaining the ship and guiding it would be almost overwhelming alone, however with crew and cadets, the job can be done. The trawl haul was facsinating. The harmless comb jellies thickened the water. Their bioluminecence leaving traces upon your hand.
Whales themselves should be considered one of the most mysterious animals in the world. Simply being able to mimic their extraordinary feeding behaviors is fascinating. As well as being able to see what grows and lives in the water beneath our feet. A world shrouded in mystery, through the fine scapel of science. At the end of the day we entered the great Chesapeake/Delaware canal, sailing into the sunset. Its ray's reflecting off the water as if it was a mirror. Its elagance bringing all finery to shame.
Lian Plass
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Day 5 and 6- Atlantic Highlands - Sandy Hook to the Delaware Bay
The Swim Call!
Justin and the Horseshoe Crab
Day 6
After a full night of sailing down the Jersey shore, we somehow ended up in the Delaware Bay area, Lewes, Delaware to be more specific. We started the day with breakfast as usual which was followed by an all hands(everyone) deck wash. On out way to Lewes, Delaware we saw four seperate pods of dolphins, which ended up following the Lady Maryland. Right after we saw the dolphins we saw a half -decomposed leather back sea turtle. A leather back can grow to be the same size as a volkswagon beetle. After we arrived in Lewes, we went to get ice cream and shopped at souvenir shops. After dinner we went swimming jumping off the bow which was pretty fun, and after we listened to dolphins a little bit. Tonight we will anchor the first out of the last four nights, and tomorrow we will continue down to Maryland ending up somewhere in the Chesapeake Bay if were lucky.
-Adam and Allison
Day 5- Atantic Highlands
Today was our 5th day on the Lady Maryland. We woke up too early as usual, and enjoyed pleasant morning debates while eating honey bunches of oats. After, we sailed past New York and got our pictures taken by the Statue of Liberty. For lunch, we got treated to Carly's famous chile, a food which was well worth its title. Later, we encounted a storm which sent us all down below for an afternoon of Pirate stories and stuffiness. When the skies cleared up we went back on deck and prepared to greet Haley at Atlantic Highlands. We had lasagne for dinner and began work on our diddy bags. Brownies were made as a special treat in the welcoming of our newest addition to out boat. After eating we mustered and did some sewing on our diddy bags. Now were settling done for bed, or in my case, preparing for night watch.
- Emily
Emily at the bell
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Day 4- Long Island Sound, Greenport, NY
Allison on lookout!
Day 4 on the Lady Maryland! Today I woke up to the delicious smell off......cheese balls! Today was cheeseball Saturday! We docked in Greenport, NY. We met Captain Rich's friends with a warm friendly shot from a "blank cannon." After we docked we went to the Maritime museum which had lots of hands on exhibits! After that we had some ice cream! And even better, we got to take dock showers! (Getting shot down by someone with a hose) Shortly after we left the dock, we shot a friendly mini-cannon back. For dinner we had some delicious stir fry. OOps...time for my watch Goodbye,
-Justin
Today we also went trailing and caught 5 spider crabs. I even got to hold one! We also caught a hermit crab, some killifish, several shrimp, and some sea-weed. (I got pictures!) -Ryan McKeeby
ADAM at the helm!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Day 2 and 3- Provincetown to New Bedford
In the Lady Maryland at Provincetown
Day 2- Today we started out docked at Provincetown, MA on Cape Cod. We went on a whale-watching ship for a couple of hours. When we got back the ship set off towards the canal. Along the way , we trawl fished. Some of the animals we caught were squid, crabs, clams, snails, and sea squirts. After that we cut across the bay toward the canal. The day is ending now as we sail through Buzzards Bay in South Massachusetts.
- Robbie
Day 3- If you were to come on the Lady Maryland like me, you would be sure there would be no more surprises after day one. And, like me, you would be wrong! It's day three and we first experienced sleeping at anchor last night. Tonight we'll keep ON going until morning. All of this is new including night watch and boat checks. And after just a few hours aboard, I was missing the flush able toilets! Today we stopped at New Bedford and learned to row a whaling boat. It was not at all easy to do with the huge , heavy oars. Then we visited a whale museum and learned a lot of cool facts on whales and whalers such as what the parts of the caught whale were used for and that whalers were usually on a voyage from 3-4 years! Then we continued on our way. We also had our first taste of less then perfect weather today. We were able to swim in the morning but in the afternoon the weather changed to foggy and wet. We have to blow our horn every two minutes. Time for lights out so here's to more surprises and better weather tomorrow!
-Ashley
The Whale Watchers!
What an awesome day! My day started early, at 0100 to be more exact. Tonight was our first night "on the hook." So we woke up and checked 3 bearings to make sure our anchor was holding us down. Then back to sleep to be woken at 0645. After a great breakfast, SWIM CALL! We all got on our suits and PFD's and jumped right off the side! At first you can't feel your toes but this is the closest we get to taking a shower. After that we motored into New Bedford and anchored again and rode "swampy" onto the shore to meet Kevin and Cynthia to brought us our to whale row in very authentic boats. Then exhausted we walked over to the New Bedford Whaling museum. Since New Bedford had a very important port back when the people went whaling, there was TONS of information about the history of whaling, conditions on-board, and authentic or renovated boats. Leaving New Bedford, we motored into some thick fog, with the horns blowing every 2 minutes, it was not a pleasant experience. It is nearing bed time and were still underway! We're actually going to underway the entire night. No more dock watch or anchor watch, but actual night-time watch, just like the crew. I can't wait for tomorrow or even better, shore toilets!
- Matt
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Trip 4- (Day One) Gloucester to Provincetown
Today was a very excellent first day aboard the Lady Maryland. We saw a Minke Whale up close and saw its beauty from about 30' away. The moonlight shining off the water is so pretty. We learned to man the boat, how to do routine boat checks, and how to clean up after meals. I can't wait to learn more and see more tomorrow!
-Ashley Palmer
Today was a great day!! We saw so many whales (Minkys and Humpback whales). We also learned alot about sailing and life on the boat. I'm having a great time!
-Ryan McKeeby
-Ashley Palmer
Today was a great day!! We saw so many whales (Minkys and Humpback whales). We also learned alot about sailing and life on the boat. I'm having a great time!
-Ryan McKeeby
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Day Five - Mystic Seaport to Buzzards Bay
After a long day at Mystic Seaport the day before, this morning was extremely tiring. The cadets woke up early at around 7AM and helped the crew to depart from the Mystic dock. About an hour later, the Lady Maryland was headed on a long journey full of many adventures, both good and not so good, but all were exciting.
Sails were soon raised for the first time since we started our trip. Many smiles were seen and laughs were shared during this time, however, the sea was very rough and many inexperienced cadets became seasick, some more than others.
When the sea finally calmed down some hours later, the scene was described by most as "breathtaking". Everyone felt so complete with the sound of crashing waves and the light mist sprayed on deck. While the sun was setting, everyone gathered around and talked about their day. Right before bed, Emma came to read us two stories about the sea.
Finally, on night watch, the first watch started to write a story, and the next watches continued it through the night. This story will be read aloud at muster tomorrow evening. If all goes well, we are expected to arrive in Provincetown sometime later tomorrow. Everyone is looking forward to docking and getting closer to finally seeing some whales!
Day Four - Duck Island Roads to Mystic Seaport
This morning the boat started going at about 6AM to make up for the previous day's lost time. There was a very thick fog, and we could not see for more than a few feet in front of us. We finally got out of the fot when we pulled into Mystic and docked around noon.
We then went to the museum area and watched "A Whale of a Tale," which was a tale of a girl who pretended to be a boy in order to go aboard a whaling ship. Yolanda (Audrey) and Lauren both got to participate in the play! After that, we split up into groups to find answers to a list of questions given to us about the seaport.
At 3:00, we all went to the planetarium to learn how sailors could navigate using the stars. We then visited a few of the gift shops. After that we went to the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship to learn about what sailors did during their time on dog watches. The were whittling, sewing, and playing music on banjos, violins, and ukeleles.
We returned to the boat for a dinner of pizza and pop. After dinner, we went to a grassy area to learn how to make ditty bags and spent about an hour working on our own. It was another busy day onboard the Lady Maryland!
Day Three - Oyster Bay to Duck Island Roads
Another average day started, but this time with rain... lots of rain. We woke up docked in Oyster Bay, NY, to the sight of a storm. The storm consisted of constant thunder, lightning, and rain. After eating and cleaning up breakfast, we left the Lady Maryland to go to a local Marine Center to learn about whaling. Luckily, after the one hour class, the rain and rough weather slowed down enough to get underway.
Throughout the day we learned about different marine mammals and how they live and adapt under the sea. We were also taught about the different types of knots, how to navigate, and how to steer at the helm. We finally found the spot where we were going to anchor. The night ended with ourusual nightly meeting, or our "muster". It was another satisfying end to another awesome day. Cetaceans rock!
-Antonio
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Day Two - Hempstead Harbor to Oyster Bay
Another day passed on the Lady Maryland without seeing any whales, but then again, who would expect to see a whale near Oyster Bay, Long Island?
Our day started at 0645 with a great breakfast and then sailing for a few hours. We docked three times to add and remove various things from the boat (fuel, ice, etc.) and then docked a final time at Oyster Bay.
The real adventure began then. First we went into town and got ice cream at Carvel. Some of us got ice cream all over ourselves and our clothing and then, while trying to wash it off, spilled water everywhere, including the store's floor. We then went to the Waterfront Center to go kayaking for a while. Audrey lost one of her green shoes! Then we went to change to go swimming, but first we got a good look at a bunch of marine critters commonly found in Oyster Bay. Some included sea stars, horseshoe crabs, spider crabs, moonsnails, and a few whelks.
After changing into our swimsuits we went seining, which is dragging a large net through the water to catch organisms. We caught a few minnows and a jellyfish or two. Then we went back to the boat to do "boatly" chores and then a great dinner of chicken with herbs.
We then made flags for our selective watches. Some of us enjoyed the musical stylings of Emma and Jimmy on guitar. After a quick muster, during which we talked about what we enjoyed that day and what we would do tomorrow, we got ready for bed and made our way below deck. Soon enough, Emma came and told us a ballad she had once heard in Maine about a fisherman and his weir, scaring some of us when she slammed her hand against the cabinet for emphasis. The moral of the story: always grab diamonds when you see them and don't hit talking sea monsters on the head.
-Dominika
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
TRIP THREE Day One - Baltimore to New York City to Hempstead Harbor
Our first day of this whaling adventure was packed full of activities and relationship-building games. This morning we had an early wakeup and breakfast, followed by the toting of our packed-to-the-max duffles down to the van. We then embarked on our 4-hour car ride up to the New York City Harbor. The trip went by so quickly, and it was such a good way for us all to get clost to each other and start some strong friendships.
When we arrived at the dock there was a hotdog lunch waiting for us. It tasted so good after that drive! Then we learned all of the crew members' names by going around the circle and saying our name and a marine-type thing that started with the same letter; for example, mine was Starfish Savanna.
Soon after, we boarded the vessel. It took us all a little while to gain our sea legs but we adjusted. We spent a long while learning the ways of the Lady Maryland, and who knew a boat could seem so big! Next we were assigned our roles either on Port or Starboard watch. Then we went down and got our bunks all situated in shifts, according to our roles.
Next came charades. One word can describe this game... CRAZY! We played boys vs. girls and it was practically head-to-head the whole time. Many, many laughs were shared!
We were then given our nightwatch roles and attended the muster. Then we were off to bed... only to be woken up soon for our nighttime anchor watches... we learned all about boat checks and how to conduct them.
Our first day aboard the Lady Maryland was so full of adventure and learning that you could never believe that they fit it all into one day. This was, in my opinion, absolutely amazing!
-Savanna
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Day 8- Last Day aboard the Lady Maryland, New York City
This is Joelle doing the last blog for the last full day aboard lady Maryland. This morning we woke up to a story that "someone was overboard" and we had to swim after it. It was actually our time to swim in the ocean. Jimmy made out breakfast muffins. We motored into NYC!! I steered under two bridges the Throgs Bridge and the Whitestone bridge. I told everyone about my landmarks on the chart. The chart was of Brooklyn and the city. We got a down pour of rain which hit us, most likely my neighborhood and Maren and Shay's too. After the rain the night was gorgeous. To tell my parents where we are, we are right by the Toys R US. Pretty cool, right? We are all excited to see our parents and to fill you guys in about the rest of our trip!!!!
This is Joelle doing the last blog for the last full day aboard lady Maryland. This morning we woke up to a story that "someone was overboard" and we had to swim after it. It was actually our time to swim in the ocean. Jimmy made out breakfast muffins. We motored into NYC!! I steered under two bridges the Throgs Bridge and the Whitestone bridge. I told everyone about my landmarks on the chart. The chart was of Brooklyn and the city. We got a down pour of rain which hit us, most likely my neighborhood and Maren and Shay's too. After the rain the night was gorgeous. To tell my parents where we are, we are right by the Toys R US. Pretty cool, right? We are all excited to see our parents and to fill you guys in about the rest of our trip!!!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Day 7 - Long Island Sound
We left Mystic early today and turned our heads and bow for New York City. We sailed most of the day with speeds of up to 8 knots. Unfortunatley, we eventually got caught in irons and our engine broke. Jimmy fixed the engine and made peanut butter cookies and ginger snaps. We learned all the rules of the road today and worked on out " Past and Future Whales Project. All in all it was a great day of sailing. To finish the night we were read a story called " The thing in the hole"
- Alex
Tommorow is NEW YORK CITY and everyone is excited especially Joelle!
Touch Tank in Block Island
DAY 6 - Beach in Block Island
We left Mystic early today and turned our heads and bow for New York City. We sailed most of the day with speeds of up to 8 knots. Unfortunatley, we eventually got caught in irons and our engine broke. Jimmy fixed the engine and made peanut butter cookies and ginger snaps. We learned all the rules of the road today and worked on out " Past and Future Whales Project. All in all it was a great day of sailing. To finish the night we were read a story called " The thing in the hole"
- Alex
Tommorow is NEW YORK CITY and everyone is excited especially Joelle!
Touch Tank in Block Island
DAY 6 - Beach in Block Island
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Day 5- Block Island to Fisher's Island Sound
Today was Trisha's birthday!! We started out from Block Island with a professional snagger, it was so impressive the crew of a three sail schooner (The Mystic) was impressed. We sailed so hard that even though the Mystic let out all its sails and motor we caught up to it and passed it! We were forced to tack and tack endlessly so that we hardly seemed to move. Finally we caught the wind and reached up to 9 knots an hour. It was awesome! The weather was a beautiful. We made it into Connecticut and anchored in Fisher's Island Sound. They the ar night was finished perfectly by the arrival of two swams and signet.
Favorite parts of the day were:
Alex- manning the helm at 9 knots
Mike- standing out on the bow spirit
Rory- jumping at the bow
Sean- eating burritos
Zach- seeing the swans
Trisha- working the helm
Shay- swabbing the deck
Maren- navigation
Joelle- dinner
Lisa- learning more about whaling
-Alex, Sean, and Mike
Day 6- Mystic Seaport
We started the day by motoring through two awesome bridges. One of them opened by swinging sideways the other by levering up. We docked in Mystic and set out in groups to complete a scavenger hunt. We went into old shops and stores and the Joseph Conrad. We starred in the tale of a whaler, which was an interactive play about revenge seeking girl who becomes a whaler. All of us were dressed as Pirates because today was Rory's birthday!! We also went to the planetarium and learned about the constellations and aster isms. At the end of the day we joined dog watch on the last wooden whaling vessel in the world today. We also got to start out diddy bags. As the sunset we called home and played a game of capture the flag. It was an incredible day full of entertaining and educational experiences.
- Starboard Watch
Today was Trisha's birthday!! We started out from Block Island with a professional snagger, it was so impressive the crew of a three sail schooner (The Mystic) was impressed. We sailed so hard that even though the Mystic let out all its sails and motor we caught up to it and passed it! We were forced to tack and tack endlessly so that we hardly seemed to move. Finally we caught the wind and reached up to 9 knots an hour. It was awesome! The weather was a beautiful. We made it into Connecticut and anchored in Fisher's Island Sound. They the ar night was finished perfectly by the arrival of two swams and signet.
Favorite parts of the day were:
Alex- manning the helm at 9 knots
Mike- standing out on the bow spirit
Rory- jumping at the bow
Sean- eating burritos
Zach- seeing the swans
Trisha- working the helm
Shay- swabbing the deck
Maren- navigation
Joelle- dinner
Lisa- learning more about whaling
-Alex, Sean, and Mike
Day 6- Mystic Seaport
We started the day by motoring through two awesome bridges. One of them opened by swinging sideways the other by levering up. We docked in Mystic and set out in groups to complete a scavenger hunt. We went into old shops and stores and the Joseph Conrad. We starred in the tale of a whaler, which was an interactive play about revenge seeking girl who becomes a whaler. All of us were dressed as Pirates because today was Rory's birthday!! We also went to the planetarium and learned about the constellations and aster isms. At the end of the day we joined dog watch on the last wooden whaling vessel in the world today. We also got to start out diddy bags. As the sunset we called home and played a game of capture the flag. It was an incredible day full of entertaining and educational experiences.
- Starboard Watch
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Day 4 - Block Island, RI
Today was a very eventful day. We woke up to cheeseball Saturday which is a CTY crew event. We opened the 25 ounce tub at 7am and the tub was empty at about 9:30am. Another fun CTY crew event was stelth. The close pin was secretly put onto someone and once they found it they would secretly put it on someone else. Joelle had stealth at the end of the day and did the worm on the boat to entertain everyone.
After sailing through the night we arrived at Block Island, RI. We got picked up and brought to the dock and walked a half hour to a gorgeous beach. The water was cold but lots of fun. We watched our 3 beach balls blow away by the current. Two minutes after they entered the water. After four days on the boat we all took a "shower," We shampooed and conditioned out hair and washed it out in the water. You should have been there to see the looks of the people around us staring as we applied shampoo in our head. After the beach we got a ride back to out boat. Dinner was waiting for us and we ate as a full group for the first time in the past two days. After dinner a crew member saw a harbor porpouise and some of the kids saw it too. We were then told to meet in the galley.(our sleeping area/ kitchen) To have an important talk about taking care of the head. (toilet) But when the head door was open out cheif mate Emma came out with Shay's birthday cake. Later we found out there were not any harbor porpouises and we were all fooled. During muster/mustard (group meeting) after Joelle's stealth performance, the crew displayed the stuff that was out of place. Most of it belong to Joelle with Rory in second. For every piece found the person had to entertain the group to retrieve their belongings. Once everyone claimed their stuff we went over highlights of the day. The day officially ended with a poem by Walt Whitman read by Haley. Thank you Jimmy for the food!!! (smiley) We are all looking forward to the next two days for the next two birthdays. I've been requested to make a quotes of the day section so here it is:
" I called that" Rory " "Well I picked up the phone so that is ok" Joelle
" Happy Birthday to you, you live in the boat, you smell like the head, and you look like a goat" - Mike
" Trisha kicked the bucket" - Zach
- Joelle and Zach
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAY!!!!!
Today was a very eventful day. We woke up to cheeseball Saturday which is a CTY crew event. We opened the 25 ounce tub at 7am and the tub was empty at about 9:30am. Another fun CTY crew event was stelth. The close pin was secretly put onto someone and once they found it they would secretly put it on someone else. Joelle had stealth at the end of the day and did the worm on the boat to entertain everyone.
After sailing through the night we arrived at Block Island, RI. We got picked up and brought to the dock and walked a half hour to a gorgeous beach. The water was cold but lots of fun. We watched our 3 beach balls blow away by the current. Two minutes after they entered the water. After four days on the boat we all took a "shower," We shampooed and conditioned out hair and washed it out in the water. You should have been there to see the looks of the people around us staring as we applied shampoo in our head. After the beach we got a ride back to out boat. Dinner was waiting for us and we ate as a full group for the first time in the past two days. After dinner a crew member saw a harbor porpouise and some of the kids saw it too. We were then told to meet in the galley.(our sleeping area/ kitchen) To have an important talk about taking care of the head. (toilet) But when the head door was open out cheif mate Emma came out with Shay's birthday cake. Later we found out there were not any harbor porpouises and we were all fooled. During muster/mustard (group meeting) after Joelle's stealth performance, the crew displayed the stuff that was out of place. Most of it belong to Joelle with Rory in second. For every piece found the person had to entertain the group to retrieve their belongings. Once everyone claimed their stuff we went over highlights of the day. The day officially ended with a poem by Walt Whitman read by Haley. Thank you Jimmy for the food!!! (smiley) We are all looking forward to the next two days for the next two birthdays. I've been requested to make a quotes of the day section so here it is:
" I called that" Rory " "Well I picked up the phone so that is ok" Joelle
" Happy Birthday to you, you live in the boat, you smell like the head, and you look like a goat" - Mike
" Trisha kicked the bucket" - Zach
- Joelle and Zach
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAY!!!!!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Day 3- Provincetown through Cape Cod Canal
Today we went whale watching on the Dolphin VIII. We saw about 7-10 humpbacks. We got to witness some of the specific behaviors that we learned about in class. For example, we saw bubble netting, subsurface feeding, breaching, and spouting. When we got off the boat, we all had dock rock. Dock rock is when everything around seems to be swaying after staying on a boat for a long time and then going on land. During out lesson we tested the water quality of the sea water around us. We tested for dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity as we headed toward the Cape Cod Canal. Then a sudden thunderstorm hit. At that point we learned how quickly the weather can change. When we were sailing down the canal, we saw a group of kids riding their bikes along the water. One of them called out to us and said, "Greetings Pirates!" I was unaware that sailing in the Lady Maryland made us Pirates. The day ended watching the sunset as we prepared to sail into the night.We were all given the option to do night watch to see what it is like to sail at night.
-Trish and Rory
Today we went whale watching on the Dolphin VIII. We saw about 7-10 humpbacks. We got to witness some of the specific behaviors that we learned about in class. For example, we saw bubble netting, subsurface feeding, breaching, and spouting. When we got off the boat, we all had dock rock. Dock rock is when everything around seems to be swaying after staying on a boat for a long time and then going on land. During out lesson we tested the water quality of the sea water around us. We tested for dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity as we headed toward the Cape Cod Canal. Then a sudden thunderstorm hit. At that point we learned how quickly the weather can change. When we were sailing down the canal, we saw a group of kids riding their bikes along the water. One of them called out to us and said, "Greetings Pirates!" I was unaware that sailing in the Lady Maryland made us Pirates. The day ended watching the sunset as we prepared to sail into the night.We were all given the option to do night watch to see what it is like to sail at night.
-Trish and Rory
Friday, July 6, 2007
Trip 2- DAY 1 and 2 Gloucester to Provincetown
Today we started out leaving Gloucester harbor. Everyone was excited to leave the harbor, even though we did not know quite what we were doing. We started very smooth; the water was calm. As the trip went on the water got choppy. Maren and Trish got sea sick, but they were troopers. Shay loved bow watch, where she became completely soaked. Sean is feeling much better after resting on the bus. Sean, Mike, and Zach loved steering the boat. Alex had fun dangling over the water on the bow spirit. Joelle single-handely saved us all from the kraken as we sailed into the sunset. Just kidding she got a little sea sick. We ended the day wonderfully with amazing forth of July fireworks. Rory led us in many interpretive dances.
Day two started out choppy and stormy, but by lunch it was much better. We ate delicious chili. (courtesy of Jimmy). We went into P-town and climbed to the top of the Pilgrim memorial. Then we had ice cream and fries in celebration of making it to the top. We also learned about whale entanglement. The pirate museum was our last stop before going back to sea. The water was calm and everyone had a great night.
-Maren and Shay
Today we started out leaving Gloucester harbor. Everyone was excited to leave the harbor, even though we did not know quite what we were doing. We started very smooth; the water was calm. As the trip went on the water got choppy. Maren and Trish got sea sick, but they were troopers. Shay loved bow watch, where she became completely soaked. Sean is feeling much better after resting on the bus. Sean, Mike, and Zach loved steering the boat. Alex had fun dangling over the water on the bow spirit. Joelle single-handely saved us all from the kraken as we sailed into the sunset. Just kidding she got a little sea sick. We ended the day wonderfully with amazing forth of July fireworks. Rory led us in many interpretive dances.
Day two started out choppy and stormy, but by lunch it was much better. We ate delicious chili. (courtesy of Jimmy). We went into P-town and climbed to the top of the Pilgrim memorial. Then we had ice cream and fries in celebration of making it to the top. We also learned about whale entanglement. The pirate museum was our last stop before going back to sea. The water was calm and everyone had a great night.
-Maren and Shay
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Day Six - New Bedford to Provincetown
When we woke up at a dock in New Bedford we were looking at a busy morning. After cleaning dishes and the boat we headed to the Whaling Museum. Since we reached the museum early we had pretty much all the exhibits to ourselves.
We split into pairs and went to all types of different exhibits. One showed the full skeleton of a Sperm Whale, and one showed clips of old whaling trips. After an hour of exploring the museum we watched a short movie of how whaling changed New Bedford completely.
After leaving the Whaling Museum we headed to the Moby Dick Church, learning many facts about whaling. After a short stop in, we headed back to the boat to leave the dock.
By midday we reached the Cape Cod Canal. After passing many boats we reached the end. While one watch drove, checked on and navigated the boat, the other group worked on its whale project. The project, requiring one group to create a whale of the future and the other to create a whale of the past, required lots of research that lasted most of the day.
As we headed to Provincetown we searched for whales. Sadly, we didn't spot any and we reached the port at sunset. As we docked we learned our dock watch times and relaxed at the end of another full day.
-Asher
[photo upload pending (:]
We split into pairs and went to all types of different exhibits. One showed the full skeleton of a Sperm Whale, and one showed clips of old whaling trips. After an hour of exploring the museum we watched a short movie of how whaling changed New Bedford completely.
After leaving the Whaling Museum we headed to the Moby Dick Church, learning many facts about whaling. After a short stop in, we headed back to the boat to leave the dock.
By midday we reached the Cape Cod Canal. After passing many boats we reached the end. While one watch drove, checked on and navigated the boat, the other group worked on its whale project. The project, requiring one group to create a whale of the future and the other to create a whale of the past, required lots of research that lasted most of the day.
As we headed to Provincetown we searched for whales. Sadly, we didn't spot any and we reached the port at sunset. As we docked we learned our dock watch times and relaxed at the end of another full day.
-Asher
[photo upload pending (:]
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Day Five - Fisher's Island to New Bedford
We woke up early this morning, anchored at sea, and all got to help with the reeling in of the anchor. With two of us on either side of the crank, syncronization and heavy lifting was no easy quote. Before we started, Asher said "It's just a crank, you don't need muscle power for this..." Wrong!
As soon as the anchor was up and we were on our way again, it was easy to notice what a big change in weather there had been. Instead of wearing shorts, we all had to pile on multiple layers to keep warm. Many of us began to feel seasick and were trying to keep our eyes on the horizon. The waves were bigger than we'd ever seen them, allowing the boat to rock enough so that the rim skimmed the water.
We continued working in our watches as usual, only we were all hidden under our heaping piles of warm clothing. Huddled in a close circle for body heat, Port watch began our Whale of the Past, Whale of the Future project. We went to the library to search for information and clues to help us. We also learned about the history of whaling and had a chance to do some creative writing about what we had learned. I wrote from the perspective of a whale, while some wrote from a fisherman's view, etc. We learned about the whale dories that whale hunters would use when they went whale harpooning.
After docking in New Bedford we got a chance to see what it was like to row a whale dory. Similar to canoeing, we each had an oar and we had to stay synchronized and work together. It was cool to think about how in this small boat they would have had to not only row extremely fast, but also harpoon, tow, and carry this massive creature. The oars took a while to get used to, and Machie had to do some Matrix moves to prevent decapitation. We had to stay in sync with the people at the front, Andrew & Asher.
After our whale dory expedition, we walked back to the Lady Maryland. A kind fisherman nearby had caught a huge fish, and he gave it to us! We took lots of pictures with it, and then cut it upto keep fresh for tomorrow. Having been caught less than five minutes before, it was the freshest sushi anyone had ever eaten. We all tried a piece right there, during the dissection of it. The bravest was Machie, eagerly eating over eight raw pieces of bloody fish, followed by the fish's eyeball! We all thought it was gross, but Machie insisted that it was delicious. We had so much fun dissecting the fish, like children in a toy store, except instead of toys, we had fresh fish organs. We stretched out the stomach, found the heart, and everything else.
When the bloody mess was cleaned, some of us got to learn to fish with a pole while other sat around Jimmy's guitar. Dock watch under a clear, starry sky was the ending to an amazing day!
-Lexi
Friday, June 29, 2007
Day Four - Oyster Bay to Fisher's Island
Ask anyone aboard, I'm sure they'd all agree that life on the Lady Maryland is no walk in the park. As if going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 6am, not to mention getting up in the middle of the night for an hour for watches wasn't bad enough, the whole day is filled with various struggles. But although it's hard, these past few days have been some of the most fun of our lives!
After getting up and eating, we cast off the dock we stayed at from the previous night, and went to a field dock to stock up on fuel and water. Getting back to sea in the Long Island Sound we set up a otter trawl net and put it into the water. Waiting a few minutes, we brought it back up for examination. We caught many different species, like horseshoe and spider crabs, shrimp, baby flounder, hermit crabs, and snails.
Later on in the day while traveling down the sound we had to make a precautionary stop close to land because of an oncoming storm. When the storm came it disintegrated when it it the water.
Later in our class portion of the day we used a plankton tow to catch the plankton on the surface of the water. We mainly saw copepods, but were lucky enough to see other different species too. Then after first-hand experience with the food that baleen whales eat, we learned all their special migration and eating traditions. We how Wright Whales skim the surface for their food, and how the Grey Whale gulps water and uses baleen to siphon all the unwanted products out of its mouth. Finally we learned how the Orca Whale feeds by catching its prey.
After watches and classes we dropped anchor in Fisher's Island. Now anchored on the eastern part of the Long Island Sound, we rotated hourly with a pair of students and a crew member to check on the ship in order to make sure the anchor does not move and that nothing is going wrong with the boat.
Quote of the day:
"Mambo!"
-Janalee & Andrew
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Day Three - New York City to Oyster Bay
Today was very eventful! This morning we all woke up early as we sailed through the East River. As the fog lifted, we could make out the Statue of Liberty. Lexi had called her parents in New York City yesterday telling them of our arrival. From the Lady Maryland Lexi waved to her parents and they waved back. Throughout breakfast we saw all of New York's gigantic buildings.
We sailed on along New York's suburbs for a while and out into the Long Island Sound. During class we conducted water tests and came up with a lot of cool data. Shortly after lunch we pulled up dock in Oyster Bay on Long Island. Everyone was very eager to explore this town. First we walked to get some ice cream. Cristina ordered a large and was shocked to learn that it consisted of 4 huge scoops! Also in the shop was a man celebrating his 90th birthday. Joey celebrated with him. While standing still we noticed that all of us had "dock rock." While we thought we were all standing still, each one of us was rocking back and forth as if we were still on the Lady Maryland!
After we finished our ice cream we headed over to the beach to cool off in the water. The swim was refreshing, but in the process we lost two flip-flops and a pair of goggles in the mud at the bottom of the water. We headed back to the boat as the skies became dark and it started to thunder.
We began a project of sewing "ditty bags" with Beth. These bags are used to hold sailorly crafty items. We watched a Jean-Michel Cousteau documentary on Gray Whales in the late afternoon. To celebrate Joey's birtday Kristen made cheesecake, and we all agreed that it was amazing.
During muster we reviewed the day. In the background we heard music and crowds from a nearby carnival. As we began to get ready for bed, a huge display of fireworks beckoned us back onto the deck. As we watched the colorful display, we reflected on another full day.
-Sylvie
[photo upload pending (:]
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Day Two - New Jersey Coast
Today our day started out with getting up early in the morning and doing night watches with members of the crew. As the morning went on, we saw pods of dolphins to the left and right of us.
During the morning watch, Starboard did the first deck wash of the trip. "Deck washing was fun!" said Joey. As the Starboard watch was on watch, the Port watch was learning about estuaries, and at midday the watches switched. The watches switched once again for 2 hour watches when each watch designed their watch flag. During the lesson we made our own estuary.
We are still up the coast of New Jersey and will be in New York in the morning. We finished the day with guitar playing by Jimmy and Emma, and playing card games.
Quotes of the day:
"We made purple... oops!"
"I wanna play Jimmy's guitar..."
"We're pirates... because we're pirates!"
"SALSAA!"
-Cristina
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Day One - Baltimore to Delaware Bay
Breezy-breezy, summer easy, this is what our summer is like. Though we spend our time cleaning, pulling rope, and charting our course, we never see it as work. The summer breeze coming off the bow is an experience new to us all. The cool Atlantic air is relief to us all from the heat of the galley.
Oh, the knowledge learned, so much indeed; aft, benthic, and foxtail are just a few of the things that were thrown at us. All we learned in the past few days has been vital to this new way of summer life.
-Aaron
Day One - Baltimore to Delaware Bay
Friday, June 15, 2007
Getting ready
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