Sailing On!

Welcome to session two and day three aboard the Lady Maryland!  The word for today is sail!  We set off early this morning around 8 am and have been moving ever since.  This of course means that the students have been getting some quality time learning how the Lady Maryland works.  They have also been learning about marine wildlife, thanks to our very successful trawl and dredge this morning around 9 am.  The dredge pulled up a variety of neat animals, including clam, oyster, blue crab, and other crabs.  The trawl net yielded two huge horseshoe crabs, a number of large flounder, a sea robin, some shrimp, and even a sheep’s head!  The students were so excited about their catch, and even more excited to find out what it was they had caught.  Our educators set them to work identifying the various critters, and it was rewarding to see the students so curious about the world around them. 

The students have also been very curious about the world of sailing, which is an appetite the crew is always eager to appease!  Today was the first long watch, where the starboard watch stood for 4 hours as the port watch worked away with the educators.  Our students learned how to box a compass, how to steer the boat, how to be successful on bow watch, and how to complete a successful boat check – all by themselves!  The crew was very impressed by the student’s diligence today, and the swiftness with which they moved. 

The students are excited for the next leg of our journey, though some of the planned events are a complete surprise.  But surprises are always part of the fun, and there is always something to be excited about when you are on board the Lady Maryland!