Hello and welcome. This blog outlines the 9 day trip of 8 CTY students aboard the Lady Maryland. Each night, a different student will act as the scribe to write up a summary/blog post of the day, which will be recorded here. Unfortunately, some places where we spend the night do not have internet access, so we may not be able to update every night, but blogs of each day should be posted. Enjoy!
July 29th; Portsmouth, NH - Isle of Shoals, NH
Blog Courtesy of Sarah and crew:
Today was the first day we arrived at the boat. Before we got on the boat, the crew members introduced themselves and we played an interesting name game. Although the boat was totally new to all of us, the crew members were really nice and we had an extraordinary cook! Everyone loved the food she made. But anyways... afterwards, we worked our butts off! We learned different types of knots, boat checks, and basically how to get DOWN AND DIRTY on the boat! Right now, we're anchored a short distance from Star Island, which is part of the Isle of Shoals. We also have individual night shifts from as early as 10 to as late as 2 in the morning!
There are 18 people on the boat and we've had a blast today. By the way, our classmates are Tim, Andrew, Sarah, Lisa, Annie, Jen, Nina, and Jesse. Unfortunately, it's lights out for now. Tomorrow should be interesting though!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
CTY Whales Day 7
hi there! Sorry for the delay, we weren't getting wireless service for the last couple days of the trip. We're all safe and sound back in Bristol now, but below is the post from Saturday/Sunday.
-Jordan
Hola! Bonjour! And hello from aboard the Lady Maryland! In this updated blogpost, I will describe the last port-of-call, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Our ship docked and stayed overnight in the harbor of the lovely town. At night, the city and boats turned on their lights and played party music, which we enjoyed dancing to! On the morning of July 26, we awoke a half hour earlier than usual to reach a boat scheduled to take us on a whale-watching tour in Stellwagen Bank. We boarded the boat and motored off. About an hour later we slowed down in an area where about eight whales clustered! Our trip was particularly lucky because we saw whales breaching, which means they leap out of the water and flop on their backs to let other whales know where they are. We also witnessed humpback whales feeding. They blow a ring of bubbles around themselves to group the fish together in a convenient place, and subsequently scoop the prey up in their mouths, popping their heads up out of the water! After our whale tour, we stopped for a quick visit to a gift shop and then headed back to our boat. The day continued as we sailed into the sun out of the harbor for another fantastic day at sea. At the end of the day we anchored in Rockport, went for a swim, and settled in for the night. As the first watch took the nightly records, the crew imagined another exciting day on our boat to come with the rising sun.
-Written by Dara B.
-Jordan
Hola! Bonjour! And hello from aboard the Lady Maryland! In this updated blogpost, I will describe the last port-of-call, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Our ship docked and stayed overnight in the harbor of the lovely town. At night, the city and boats turned on their lights and played party music, which we enjoyed dancing to! On the morning of July 26, we awoke a half hour earlier than usual to reach a boat scheduled to take us on a whale-watching tour in Stellwagen Bank. We boarded the boat and motored off. About an hour later we slowed down in an area where about eight whales clustered! Our trip was particularly lucky because we saw whales breaching, which means they leap out of the water and flop on their backs to let other whales know where they are. We also witnessed humpback whales feeding. They blow a ring of bubbles around themselves to group the fish together in a convenient place, and subsequently scoop the prey up in their mouths, popping their heads up out of the water! After our whale tour, we stopped for a quick visit to a gift shop and then headed back to our boat. The day continued as we sailed into the sun out of the harbor for another fantastic day at sea. At the end of the day we anchored in Rockport, went for a swim, and settled in for the night. As the first watch took the nightly records, the crew imagined another exciting day on our boat to come with the rising sun.
-Written by Dara B.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
CTY Whales Day 6
The class on whales and estuary systems is awesome. I've been learning how to set sail, anchor, tie knots and other things. The most fun part for me is being at the helm. Yesterday was terrific because a humpback whale kept coming up to the side of our boat and going under it doing tricks. The whale kept going to the surface of the water and diving down so you could see the cool tail. It got as close as five feet to us! You could see the scars on its face and fins. It was wonderful. The whole crew is very helpful and interesting.
-Written by Jaquelinne
-Written by Jaquelinne
Saturday, July 25, 2009
CTY Day 5
Dear Readers of the Blog,
We have all been having soo much fun on the Lady Maryland! There are so many new things to learn about whales and sailing. I am proud to say I have steered, navigated, and watched out for a real sailboat. I learned how to raise the and set the sails, tie knots and make coils! I am not too siked about the whole "not showering" business but I guess that just makes it all the more adventurousave. We have not yet seen any whales but tomorrow we should be heading into a main whale feeding ground so hopefully we will get lucky.
One of the things I've enjoyed most on this trip is trawling! For those of you who don't know what it is, it is basically fishing along the bottom of the ocean with a net hanging off the side of the boat. It was sooo cool! I found many creatures I didn't even know existed! We also caught two baby lobsters with beautiful colors.
I had fun at the Whaling Museum and rowing the whailing boats in New Bedford.
Today, while docked in Provincetown, we went to the Whydah Pirate Museum and did a scavenger hunt. We also went to the Center for Coastal Studies and learned about rescuing whales who are entangled in fishing lines. Who knew learning could be so much fun?
Also, the food is amazing-- Kudos to our chef, Dylan. And thanks to the whole crew this is and is further going to be a great experience!
-Written by David J.
We have all been having soo much fun on the Lady Maryland! There are so many new things to learn about whales and sailing. I am proud to say I have steered, navigated, and watched out for a real sailboat. I learned how to raise the and set the sails, tie knots and make coils! I am not too siked about the whole "not showering" business but I guess that just makes it all the more adventurousave. We have not yet seen any whales but tomorrow we should be heading into a main whale feeding ground so hopefully we will get lucky.
One of the things I've enjoyed most on this trip is trawling! For those of you who don't know what it is, it is basically fishing along the bottom of the ocean with a net hanging off the side of the boat. It was sooo cool! I found many creatures I didn't even know existed! We also caught two baby lobsters with beautiful colors.
I had fun at the Whaling Museum and rowing the whailing boats in New Bedford.
Today, while docked in Provincetown, we went to the Whydah Pirate Museum and did a scavenger hunt. We also went to the Center for Coastal Studies and learned about rescuing whales who are entangled in fishing lines. Who knew learning could be so much fun?
Also, the food is amazing-- Kudos to our chef, Dylan. And thanks to the whole crew this is and is further going to be a great experience!
-Written by David J.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
CTY Day 4
This week has been such an experience, full of hard work and many new things to learn. Over the past few days, I have experienced so much that I will never look at a boat, or even life, the same way. The responsibilities require such immense teamwork, leaving almost no free time between lessons, cleaning, eating, sleeping and working the sails. But it's worth it! The sights at ports and docking are awesome, as well as just seeing the sunset every night and lights from lighthouses, blinking. Even on the rainy day when I was drenched through my rainpants, it was oddly very fun to get soaked on a boat. I'm looking forward to seeing the whales tomorrow, so until then, bye!
-Written by Bethany H.
-Written by Bethany H.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
CTY Whales Days 1 & 2!
Greetings from the Lady Maryland! CTY Session 2, Trip 3 is underway and all's well on board. Tonight, we are safely anchored in New Bedford Harbor after a day of sailing. We experienced some rain today, but everyone made the best of it, worked hard, and had fun. A couple of the students have written up some posts for you, so I'll turn it over to them.
-Jordan
"Today, I began to learn phrases commonly used to distinguish different parts of the boat. Port as left, starboard as right, bow as front, and stern as back. Last night, I learned to check bearings of a using a specially-designed compass. During the boat check, I learned how to check the battery of the boat and determine if the voltage was how it should be, which is 12.2 volts or higher-- if not, let the captain know! Today, during the rain, we began to talk about whales. We found out that killer whales are actually the largest species of dolphin. That's how my day went, and I hope there's more to learn in days to come."
-Written by Eric F.
"This morning I awoke to rain pouring on my head (many of us were sleeping out on deck for the pleasant breeze and ample headroom). It wasn't just a little drip-drop but a horizontal downpour that was penetrating my sleeping bag. I ran down below where everyone else had gone to resume sleeping as it was only 2 AM.
I woke up again in the morning to see that the rain had momentarily stopped. It gave us time to get dressed and have a delicious breakfast prepared by our wonderful cook, Dylan. After we ate, the work started. There is hardly a spare moment on a sailboat like this: we raise the sails and the anchor, chart the course (which often changes due to the weather and other factors), and much more.
It began to rain a bit harder, and got foggy as well. Everyone was suited up in their rain gear and good to go. Of course, it was then that I found that I didn't have my rain pants. But the crew was prepared with a great yellow jumpsuit (which was also inflatable)! When I finally got back on deck, the rain had decided to slow. Then I learned how to navigate, tie some knots, and trawl (use a long net cast over the side of the boat to collect marine life). I had a great whaling lesson as well-- in the rain, of course! I am looking forward to tomorrow, when we'll visit the whaling museum in New Bedford for a walk on dry land. Well, I've got to go, it's time for our nightly muster meeting."
-Written by Izzie
-Jordan
"Today, I began to learn phrases commonly used to distinguish different parts of the boat. Port as left, starboard as right, bow as front, and stern as back. Last night, I learned to check bearings of a using a specially-designed compass. During the boat check, I learned how to check the battery of the boat and determine if the voltage was how it should be, which is 12.2 volts or higher-- if not, let the captain know! Today, during the rain, we began to talk about whales. We found out that killer whales are actually the largest species of dolphin. That's how my day went, and I hope there's more to learn in days to come."
-Written by Eric F.
"This morning I awoke to rain pouring on my head (many of us were sleeping out on deck for the pleasant breeze and ample headroom). It wasn't just a little drip-drop but a horizontal downpour that was penetrating my sleeping bag. I ran down below where everyone else had gone to resume sleeping as it was only 2 AM.
I woke up again in the morning to see that the rain had momentarily stopped. It gave us time to get dressed and have a delicious breakfast prepared by our wonderful cook, Dylan. After we ate, the work started. There is hardly a spare moment on a sailboat like this: we raise the sails and the anchor, chart the course (which often changes due to the weather and other factors), and much more.
It began to rain a bit harder, and got foggy as well. Everyone was suited up in their rain gear and good to go. Of course, it was then that I found that I didn't have my rain pants. But the crew was prepared with a great yellow jumpsuit (which was also inflatable)! When I finally got back on deck, the rain had decided to slow. Then I learned how to navigate, tie some knots, and trawl (use a long net cast over the side of the boat to collect marine life). I had a great whaling lesson as well-- in the rain, of course! I am looking forward to tomorrow, when we'll visit the whaling museum in New Bedford for a walk on dry land. Well, I've got to go, it's time for our nightly muster meeting."
-Written by Izzie
Thursday, July 16, 2009
CTY Whales Day 8
7/15/09
Today, we left Mystic Seaport bright and early, having a scheduled bridge opening which the captain planned to make. While still silent on deck, we threw off our dock lines and went on our way. Breakfast consisted on unusually tasty cereal and granola, along with some cold lemonade. The morning was quiet, however, we suceeded in relying on the wind to get us to Bristol. Having fired up the engines everyday so far, the lack of rumbling was refreshing. However, soon we gathered together as we began our "field day." Unlike a normal field day, our Lady Maryland field day consisted of chores such as scrubbing the decks, cleaning our the bunks as well as discovering the dirt and grease hiding behind the deck boxes. For some however, the fumes and lemony scents proved to be too much. Many nauseus cadets were forced on deck. After 4 hours of mindless cleaning, we were given a break. However, rest wouldn't last long, because as Aaron rose from his shadowy seat, his weathered John Deere hat flew off his head, landing overboard. Without hesitation, Sinker called out, "Hats overboard!" Every person on board snapped into action. Nina and I attempted to keep our eyes on the black mesh as best we could as the rest ran to tack back to the last known location. But the hat disappeared below the surface and was never recovered. The drill was pretty cool to watch, as long as you weren't the hat. Afterwards, Aaron, as if it had never happened, returned to relaxtion along with everyone on deck. The breeezes were strong, the suin, bright and warm. Later that night we all gathered around and the class presented their skits. Both were very funny and very well photographed. We ended the evening with a reflection on what we had set our goals as and whether or not we accomplished them. As the sun disappeared behind the hills, the realization that the end was near began to set in.
Over the past eight days, I have had the pleasure and honor to spend time with 18 incredible individuals, who, cohesively made this journey so remarkably incredible. I was able to watch as nine other students thrown into a new and unfamiliar world evolved from children into pride worthy young adults. Not only do i consider myself lucky to have gotten to work with them as students, but also blessed to have become close friends with them. I want to thank each and every crew member for their saintly patience and guidance, as well as every CTYer for their eagerness to open up to me and eachother. As we leave this adventure for the next, I would like to leave everyone with this thought, "People walk in and out of our lives constantly, but those who truly make a difference will stay in our hearts and minds forever." You are those people.
Nothing but the best in moving forward,
Michael DeMattia
Today, we left Mystic Seaport bright and early, having a scheduled bridge opening which the captain planned to make. While still silent on deck, we threw off our dock lines and went on our way. Breakfast consisted on unusually tasty cereal and granola, along with some cold lemonade. The morning was quiet, however, we suceeded in relying on the wind to get us to Bristol. Having fired up the engines everyday so far, the lack of rumbling was refreshing. However, soon we gathered together as we began our "field day." Unlike a normal field day, our Lady Maryland field day consisted of chores such as scrubbing the decks, cleaning our the bunks as well as discovering the dirt and grease hiding behind the deck boxes. For some however, the fumes and lemony scents proved to be too much. Many nauseus cadets were forced on deck. After 4 hours of mindless cleaning, we were given a break. However, rest wouldn't last long, because as Aaron rose from his shadowy seat, his weathered John Deere hat flew off his head, landing overboard. Without hesitation, Sinker called out, "Hats overboard!" Every person on board snapped into action. Nina and I attempted to keep our eyes on the black mesh as best we could as the rest ran to tack back to the last known location. But the hat disappeared below the surface and was never recovered. The drill was pretty cool to watch, as long as you weren't the hat. Afterwards, Aaron, as if it had never happened, returned to relaxtion along with everyone on deck. The breeezes were strong, the suin, bright and warm. Later that night we all gathered around and the class presented their skits. Both were very funny and very well photographed. We ended the evening with a reflection on what we had set our goals as and whether or not we accomplished them. As the sun disappeared behind the hills, the realization that the end was near began to set in.
Over the past eight days, I have had the pleasure and honor to spend time with 18 incredible individuals, who, cohesively made this journey so remarkably incredible. I was able to watch as nine other students thrown into a new and unfamiliar world evolved from children into pride worthy young adults. Not only do i consider myself lucky to have gotten to work with them as students, but also blessed to have become close friends with them. I want to thank each and every crew member for their saintly patience and guidance, as well as every CTYer for their eagerness to open up to me and eachother. As we leave this adventure for the next, I would like to leave everyone with this thought, "People walk in and out of our lives constantly, but those who truly make a difference will stay in our hearts and minds forever." You are those people.
Nothing but the best in moving forward,
Michael DeMattia
CTY Whales Day 7
7/14/09
Today we spent the day at Mystic Seaport in Coinnecticut. After an awesome lunch of mac and cheese, we headed onto land. First we split up into 2 groups and explored the boats and stores. At 2 pm, we saw an interactive play called A Tale of a Whaler, which most of us participated in. After the play, we all joined in the scavenger hunt, which required us to answer questions about whaling, ships, sails, and tools used on board. We visited the planetarium at 4 pm where we all learned about stars and various constellations. About an hour later, we went aboard the Charles W. Morgan, the only wooden whaling ship in existence today. Soon after, the seaport closed and we had it all to ourselves, including the showers.
As you may know, we had not washed since we left the train station in Baltimore. None of us smelled (or felt) very pleasant, so it was a great treat. To end the day, we played frisbee and went to bed
written by Radhika and Vivian
Today we spent the day at Mystic Seaport in Coinnecticut. After an awesome lunch of mac and cheese, we headed onto land. First we split up into 2 groups and explored the boats and stores. At 2 pm, we saw an interactive play called A Tale of a Whaler, which most of us participated in. After the play, we all joined in the scavenger hunt, which required us to answer questions about whaling, ships, sails, and tools used on board. We visited the planetarium at 4 pm where we all learned about stars and various constellations. About an hour later, we went aboard the Charles W. Morgan, the only wooden whaling ship in existence today. Soon after, the seaport closed and we had it all to ourselves, including the showers.
As you may know, we had not washed since we left the train station in Baltimore. None of us smelled (or felt) very pleasant, so it was a great treat. To end the day, we played frisbee and went to bed
written by Radhika and Vivian
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
CTY Whales day 6
Today, we woke up at 7 as usual. Absolutely no one wanted to wake up, also as usual. However, since starboard watch had the 8-12 shift, we were kept busy all morning. Since we had sailed through the night, the sails were already up, so right away, port watch started their morning lessons as starboard watch rotated from the navigation table, to the helm, and on to bow watch. All of these positions are much more important than they sound. When you are at the nav table, you are plotting the course the Lady Maryland will sail next and checking out the estimated time of arrival at our destination. At the helm, you are the one responsible for steering the boat. On bow watch, you check for possible obstacles such as bouys that could hit the ship.
A little later, Rachel and Nina tought us about estuaries. They are really quite interesting, especially the names for the wild life that live there! Each group drew their own estuary, complete with animals that lived in different regions. It was a lot of fun.
In the early afternoon, we anchored at Fisher's Island, just a few minutes aways from Mystic Seaport. Soon enough, we were lucky enough to have a swim call. The water was freezing cold and there as a strong current, but it was definitely refreshing. After the swim call, the cadets hung around, chatting, laughing, and doing nothing much until dinner time.
Dinner was absolutely delicious...juicy hamburgers with a great dessert: large wafer cookies that could be dipped in chocolate! Actually, dessert got a little bit out of hand. Everyone went a little crazy for the chocolate since they hadn't really eaten any junk food in over a week! After dinner, we were quick to go to bed. We're all really excited for Mystic Seaport tomorrow.
written by Christine
A little later, Rachel and Nina tought us about estuaries. They are really quite interesting, especially the names for the wild life that live there! Each group drew their own estuary, complete with animals that lived in different regions. It was a lot of fun.
In the early afternoon, we anchored at Fisher's Island, just a few minutes aways from Mystic Seaport. Soon enough, we were lucky enough to have a swim call. The water was freezing cold and there as a strong current, but it was definitely refreshing. After the swim call, the cadets hung around, chatting, laughing, and doing nothing much until dinner time.
Dinner was absolutely delicious...juicy hamburgers with a great dessert: large wafer cookies that could be dipped in chocolate! Actually, dessert got a little bit out of hand. Everyone went a little crazy for the chocolate since they hadn't really eaten any junk food in over a week! After dinner, we were quick to go to bed. We're all really excited for Mystic Seaport tomorrow.
written by Christine
Monday, July 13, 2009
CTY Whales Session 2 Day 5
7/12/09
Day 5
Today we hauled up anchor and docked at Nantucket for about four hours. We got free ice cream courtesy of Rachel. We were able to visit the whaling museum and made sailor valentines (scrimshaw). We learned a lot about harpoons. We also visited a pharmacy to restock on sun screen and other things. Now we are heading to Mystic Seaport and we will be sailing overnight. It is going to be soooo much fun.
Written by Dugie and Aaron.
Day 5
Today we hauled up anchor and docked at Nantucket for about four hours. We got free ice cream courtesy of Rachel. We were able to visit the whaling museum and made sailor valentines (scrimshaw). We learned a lot about harpoons. We also visited a pharmacy to restock on sun screen and other things. Now we are heading to Mystic Seaport and we will be sailing overnight. It is going to be soooo much fun.
Written by Dugie and Aaron.
CTY trip 2 day 4
7/11/09
Today we left Martha's Vineyard and sailed nearly all day using the true version of sailing, without the motor at all. We were flying by sailing standards, and the sun was shining, the breeze was kindly, and the seas were perfect. Neither rough nor perfect, which would render any travel useless.
This morning however, we all went swimming and had a lot of fun. At nine, we were all surprised by a swim call by Sinker and gleefully slapped on our bathing suits and jumped in. The water was cold but not intolerable. We were allowed to wash, which we were all extremely grateful to do as most of us had not had any form of bodily washing in a long time.
We headed for Nantucket, and are currently anchored very close to shore. We can almost see the houses clearly and we are protected by what the shore can offer us. We were all prepped after dinner about a possible thunderstorm tonight and are a little anxious about what will happen, but we trust the guidance of the crew and captain, and all we can do now is keep the lines in check and watch the waters.
Today we all began to see a pattern forming in the daily routine. A schedule would determine the duties, and port and starboard watches would switch between learning nautical and navigational skills and having on deck classes on marine biology. We would eat meals either in watches or all hands and then after meals different watches would would rotate on the dishes while the other watch would do the souls and bowls, meaning the floors of the galley and aft cabin and the heads in the main salon and aft cabin. At the end of the day, we mustered and talked about things we liked and would would disperse there after.
Written by Lia
Today we left Martha's Vineyard and sailed nearly all day using the true version of sailing, without the motor at all. We were flying by sailing standards, and the sun was shining, the breeze was kindly, and the seas were perfect. Neither rough nor perfect, which would render any travel useless.
This morning however, we all went swimming and had a lot of fun. At nine, we were all surprised by a swim call by Sinker and gleefully slapped on our bathing suits and jumped in. The water was cold but not intolerable. We were allowed to wash, which we were all extremely grateful to do as most of us had not had any form of bodily washing in a long time.
We headed for Nantucket, and are currently anchored very close to shore. We can almost see the houses clearly and we are protected by what the shore can offer us. We were all prepped after dinner about a possible thunderstorm tonight and are a little anxious about what will happen, but we trust the guidance of the crew and captain, and all we can do now is keep the lines in check and watch the waters.
Today we all began to see a pattern forming in the daily routine. A schedule would determine the duties, and port and starboard watches would switch between learning nautical and navigational skills and having on deck classes on marine biology. We would eat meals either in watches or all hands and then after meals different watches would would rotate on the dishes while the other watch would do the souls and bowls, meaning the floors of the galley and aft cabin and the heads in the main salon and aft cabin. At the end of the day, we mustered and talked about things we liked and would would disperse there after.
Written by Lia
Saturday, July 11, 2009
CTY Whales Session 2 Day 3
7/10/09
Day 3
Today we had an adventure. To greet us this morning was the sun! After heating up like cold-blooded lizards in the sun, we set off for the Provincetown Center for Costal Studies. After going backwards, forewards, through the cementary, down the street, calling for directions, walking back around in a circle, and then finding the PCCS. Once we finally got there, we met a woman who told us about the disentanglement of marine animals. She told us how different whales got caught in gear and the type of gear that usually catches animals. After we got the low down, we received some some awesome stickers with the hotline number on it. After we went back (the right way) we set off sailing to the Cape Cod Canal, learning along the way about navagation and going over marine mammals using jeopordy! This ride was pretty normal, no barf flying accross the deck, an no desperate attempt to get our sea legs. Currently we are anchored in the Vinyard Sound getting ready for night watch and sleep! Hopefully Bowie will remember to type up the blog, if he forgets don't panic, we didn't die. If he does, we will get back to you tomorrow, Bye!
Day 3
Today we had an adventure. To greet us this morning was the sun! After heating up like cold-blooded lizards in the sun, we set off for the Provincetown Center for Costal Studies. After going backwards, forewards, through the cementary, down the street, calling for directions, walking back around in a circle, and then finding the PCCS. Once we finally got there, we met a woman who told us about the disentanglement of marine animals. She told us how different whales got caught in gear and the type of gear that usually catches animals. After we got the low down, we received some some awesome stickers with the hotline number on it. After we went back (the right way) we set off sailing to the Cape Cod Canal, learning along the way about navagation and going over marine mammals using jeopordy! This ride was pretty normal, no barf flying accross the deck, an no desperate attempt to get our sea legs. Currently we are anchored in the Vinyard Sound getting ready for night watch and sleep! Hopefully Bowie will remember to type up the blog, if he forgets don't panic, we didn't die. If he does, we will get back to you tomorrow, Bye!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
CTY Whales Session 2 Day 2
Today we woke up at 7:00 am (three hours too early). We all had breakfast together. We had cornbread and apple sauce. Then we raised the anchor and the sails. After that, we went on our way to Provincetown (P-TOWN)! But before we went into open water, we had a deck wash, and today, I was fortunate enough to not clean the captain's head.
Unfortunately, being our first full day on the boat in open water, the majority of us got seasick. But it all paid off when we made it to Stellwagen Bank. On our way there, we were lucky enough to spot a breaching humpback whale. When we finally arrived in Stellwagen Bank, we were extremely lucky when two humpback whales came within five feet of the boat. We hung out there for two hours. The whales showed some interesting behaviors. They swam underneath the boat, fluked, dove, and spy hoppep (which is when they bring their eyes out of the water to observe their surroundings). We plugged in the hydrophone to listen to the song that humpbacks are known for. We were unable to hear anything, but the overall experience was quite incredible. Then finally, we made it to our final destination in P-TOWN!
Unfortunately, being our first full day on the boat in open water, the majority of us got seasick. But it all paid off when we made it to Stellwagen Bank. On our way there, we were lucky enough to spot a breaching humpback whale. When we finally arrived in Stellwagen Bank, we were extremely lucky when two humpback whales came within five feet of the boat. We hung out there for two hours. The whales showed some interesting behaviors. They swam underneath the boat, fluked, dove, and spy hoppep (which is when they bring their eyes out of the water to observe their surroundings). We plugged in the hydrophone to listen to the song that humpbacks are known for. We were unable to hear anything, but the overall experience was quite incredible. Then finally, we made it to our final destination in P-TOWN!
CTY Whales Session 2 Day 1
7/8/09
We woke up at 6:30 a.m. We ate a quick breakfast and then met our boat crew. Then we boarded the Lady Maryland, our new home for the next 9 days. We were assigned our bunks almost as soon as we stepped on the boat, and, after putting our bags on board, we headed over to a nearby dock. We went to Captain Bill's Whale Tours. They took us to Stellwagen Bank where we saw a lot of humpback whales. Some of their names were Fulerum, who had an injured dorsal fin, Pinpoint, and Cajun. We also saw a basking shark. On the way back, almost everyone fell asleep. We ate cuttlefish noodles when we got back to the Lady Maryland. We sailed to another dock to get fuel and then sailed a little before anchoring for the night. That night we had a one hour night watch with one other CTY kid and a crew member. During this time, we had to make sure the boat did not move around too much and check to make sure everything was working.
Written by Laura
We woke up at 6:30 a.m. We ate a quick breakfast and then met our boat crew. Then we boarded the Lady Maryland, our new home for the next 9 days. We were assigned our bunks almost as soon as we stepped on the boat, and, after putting our bags on board, we headed over to a nearby dock. We went to Captain Bill's Whale Tours. They took us to Stellwagen Bank where we saw a lot of humpback whales. Some of their names were Fulerum, who had an injured dorsal fin, Pinpoint, and Cajun. We also saw a basking shark. On the way back, almost everyone fell asleep. We ate cuttlefish noodles when we got back to the Lady Maryland. We sailed to another dock to get fuel and then sailed a little before anchoring for the night. That night we had a one hour night watch with one other CTY kid and a crew member. During this time, we had to make sure the boat did not move around too much and check to make sure everything was working.
Written by Laura
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Whales CTY Summer Session 1 Day 8
On Monday, after being hove to in Stellwagon Bank all night, we woke up to whales eating their breakfast beside the Lady Maryland. We had delicious baked French toast for our breakfast and after watching more whales, we departed for Gloucester. We were pretty sad that it was our last sailing day. While we were underway, we ate a delicious lunch of the fish that Sinker had caught. He also caught a dogfish shark, but we let that go. Coming into Gloucester, we saw a castle built by the person who invented the remote control. We got into Gloucester at around 1530 and after docking, we went to the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center.
At the Heritage Center, we looked at some awesome touch tanks which showcased native and invasive species of marine life. We all got to pet skates, which were surprisingly playful. We also saw a hermit crab get eaten! In addition to the hermit crabs, we saw really cool blue lobsters and learned that lobsters are carnivorous cannibals. There were also really strange looking fish and enormous moon snails!
After playing in the touch tanks, we did a squid dissection. Everyone got their own squid and we learned a lot about squid anatomy. The squid smelled really bad, but it was still awesome! At the end of the dissection, we used the squid's pen and ink sac to write our names.
We went back to the boat for dinner and then we did our project presentations. Everyone had been working on projects throughout the trip, and since it was our last night on the boat, we presented them to the crew and the other cadets. Starboard Watch showed us the whale of the future and Port Watch showed us the whale of the past. All the presentations were awseome! :) Then we had our final muster, where we exchanged funny quotes from the trip and sang some songs. That night, the cadets got to be on watch by themselves without any crew members (and they did a great job!). We're sad to be leaving the Lady Maryland, but its been an amazing trip.
At the Heritage Center, we looked at some awesome touch tanks which showcased native and invasive species of marine life. We all got to pet skates, which were surprisingly playful. We also saw a hermit crab get eaten! In addition to the hermit crabs, we saw really cool blue lobsters and learned that lobsters are carnivorous cannibals. There were also really strange looking fish and enormous moon snails!
After playing in the touch tanks, we did a squid dissection. Everyone got their own squid and we learned a lot about squid anatomy. The squid smelled really bad, but it was still awesome! At the end of the dissection, we used the squid's pen and ink sac to write our names.
We went back to the boat for dinner and then we did our project presentations. Everyone had been working on projects throughout the trip, and since it was our last night on the boat, we presented them to the crew and the other cadets. Starboard Watch showed us the whale of the future and Port Watch showed us the whale of the past. All the presentations were awseome! :) Then we had our final muster, where we exchanged funny quotes from the trip and sang some songs. That night, the cadets got to be on watch by themselves without any crew members (and they did a great job!). We're sad to be leaving the Lady Maryland, but its been an amazing trip.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Whales CTY Summer Session 1 Day 7
This morning we went into Provincetown. It was a very colorful town with an expressive, free vibe. We visited the Pilgrim Monument, which consisted of 116 stairs. We reached the top in less than 6 minutes! From the top, we had a very beautiful panoramic view of Cape Cod. After visiting the the gift shop, we headed back to the boat to continue our journey. At about 4:20 pm, we saw our first humpback whale. As we sailed closer, we saw there were more of them. We even saw a mom and her calf. We were very surprised and excited as we ran across the boat taking pictures and descriptive videos. After about 2 hours of whale watching, we finally calmed down at the sight of the whales and got to peacefully eat dinner. Rachael had a hydrophone, a device that allowed us to hear the whales, which was very cool. At the same time, Sinker(our captain) caught a 3'2" striped bass. It was awesome! We are now writing messages in a bottle to be found by strangers...who knows when! A day that started with visiting a colorful town and doing boat chores ended up being one of the greatest days aboard the Lady Maryland!
Whales CTY Summer Session 1 Day 6 (July 4th!)
We began the 4th of July by visiting the Cape Cod Canal. There we saw a Russian sailing ship that is the biggest tall ship in the world. Going through the canal was beautiful. It was so serene passing by the fishermen off the shore and seeing obvious signs of civilization after so much time at sea. Upon entering the Provincetown Harbor, we unexpectedly ran into a familiar ship, named the Harvey Gamage. The ship carried a group of teens who share the same interests as we do and are travelling upon a similar journey that we will, although their ship was bigger than the Lady Maryland. We were invited to board their ship and we sang songs, toured the vessel, and watched an incredible fireworks show while aboard the Harvey Gamage. It was an amazing time, and there are still more to come!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Whales CTY Summer Session 1 Day 5
Yesterday, we sailed all day and all night from Oyster Bay through the Long Island Sound on our way to New Bedford, Massachusetts. We left from Oyster Bay and refueled early in the morning. During the day, Port and Starboard watches shifted between learning about sailing while on watch and learning about whales when we weren't. While learning about whales, we played marine mammal jeopardy. We also got some sweet pirate-themed temporary tattoos! During watch, we gained experience steering through fog and windy weather as well as learning more about navigation and directions. We also learned more about the different lines and knots used aboard the Lady Maryland. During night watch, there was very poor visibilty due to the heavy fog. Bow watch was heavily emphasized as we looked out for boat lights and listened for boat fog horns.
Today we docked in New Bedford, Massachusetts shortly after breakfast. We went into town to see the New Bedford Whaling Museum where we had an information scavenger hunt. We learned about whaling and its importance to New Bedford, as well as the lives of the sailors. After the museum, we visited the Seamen's Bethel, where we saw the pew where Herman Melville probably sat as a young sailor during the chapel services. Later this afternoon, we went rowing. We split up into two teams in replicas of whaling rowboats. Now, we are back on the boat and just finished a delicious dinner of fish chowder. Yum!
Today we docked in New Bedford, Massachusetts shortly after breakfast. We went into town to see the New Bedford Whaling Museum where we had an information scavenger hunt. We learned about whaling and its importance to New Bedford, as well as the lives of the sailors. After the museum, we visited the Seamen's Bethel, where we saw the pew where Herman Melville probably sat as a young sailor during the chapel services. Later this afternoon, we went rowing. We split up into two teams in replicas of whaling rowboats. Now, we are back on the boat and just finished a delicious dinner of fish chowder. Yum!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Whales CTY Summer Session 1 Day 3 (and 1 and 2)
We, the cadets woke up early on Monday to board the Lady Maryland and set sail for two days and two nights without stopping. During the first day, while we were in the Chesapeake Bay, we learned the ropes (or rather, lines) of being on a boat. We were split into two watches, Port Watch and Starboard Watch, and were also given a tour of the boat. That night, after a delicious dinner of bison tongue tacos, we created our own flags for each watch to fly while on watch. At the end of the day, we were directed to our tiny bunks. Just as the boat rocked us to sleep, we were awoken two at a time to go on watch for an hour. During this hour, we were at the helm steering the boat.
On Tuesday, we had our first full watches and we learned about navigation, boat checks, how to be lookouts, and how to steer the boat. When we were not on watch, we learned about estuaries and organisms in the bay. That night, we were awoken to the sight of the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
Today, we arrived in Oyster Bay, NY, and stepped off the boat for the first time in two days. We went into town and were treated to ice cream and given a little time to shop. We went seining on the beach and caught a few fish along with a crab. We came back to the boat, played a few rounds of Mafia, and had another surprise: pizza! Now we're all settling down for night watch and looking forward to setting sail tomorrow morning.
On Tuesday, we had our first full watches and we learned about navigation, boat checks, how to be lookouts, and how to steer the boat. When we were not on watch, we learned about estuaries and organisms in the bay. That night, we were awoken to the sight of the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
Today, we arrived in Oyster Bay, NY, and stepped off the boat for the first time in two days. We went into town and were treated to ice cream and given a little time to shop. We went seining on the beach and caught a few fish along with a crab. We came back to the boat, played a few rounds of Mafia, and had another surprise: pizza! Now we're all settling down for night watch and looking forward to setting sail tomorrow morning.
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