Greetings again from Massachusetts, although this time it is overcast rather than sunny.  And what a day it has been!  Before the day even started, there was still an excited high over Captain Micheal's special treat to the crew last night - a trip to the ice cream parlor!  And then our morning started bright and early in Provincetown, where the students went on a professional whale watching tour on the Dolphin IX in the Cape Cod area.  It was a success!  The whale watching vessel was able to find a number of whales, including a finback whale that it tracked for about an hour.  The finback whale is the second larges mammal on earth, and this particular one was about 70-80 feet in length.  She even showed her tail, which is extremely rare for that species.  The students also got to see a number of the smaller whales called Minke whales.  The naturalist aboard the Dolphin IX informed the tourists that the Minke whale is named after the whaling captain who first started hunting that particular species and other whalers teased him for his small catch and called it the Minke whale.  After the whale watch (and a brief nap for many of the students as the Dolphin came back to port), we arrived at dock in time to witness the blessing of the fishing fleet in Provincetown.  Provincetown has a strong Portuguese and fishing heritage, and this event celebrates both.  There were Portuguese folk dancers in the streets, a parade of the fishing fleet, families all over, and many smiling faces.  It was a great witness to the culture and people of that fine New England town.  After lunch the students hiked to the Pilgrim Memorial Monument, which commemorates the first landing of the pilgrims in America.  The pilgrims originally landed in Provincetown before then sailing in search of more fertile land and ending in Plymouth.  The monument itself is 77 meters (or 252' 7.5" tall) and the students climbed to the very top for a spectacular view of Cape Cod!  Afterwards, we visited the adjacent museum and meandered through the town (stumbling across a local band concert on our way), making our way back to the ship for an evening of games, lessons, home-made sweet and sour chicken, and preparing to get underway sometime soon.  It has been an adventurous day and one to remember! 

Greetings from sunny Massachusetts!  As always, things are swell on the Lady Maryland...and I do mean swell!  The students and crew sailed through the afternoon yesterday hitting a few swells here and there, while the students ate up every minute of the adventure, and the responsibility of keeping the Lady M safe.  Yesterday afternoon and most of the day today were filled with sailing in order to get to our current location, where we are preparing to go on our professional whale watching tomorrow.  Until then, the students are working furiously on research for their project, a newspaper about what they have learned on their voyage about whales and estuaries.  The educators and crew are hard at work keeping them focused and enthusiastic, even though the brisk breeze and mild rain showers try to dampen the student's "undampenable" spirits!  What troopers!  The crew comments over and over on the students's maturity, sense of responsibility, and genuine seriousness when it comes to completing their tasks and completing it well. The students were introduced to a few new "boaty bits" over the past day.  For example, the crew put reefs in the sails (decreased the canvas area using ties called reefs) and were pleasantly surprised when many of the students noticed and asked about it. They also learned how to calculate the ship's speed using only a bit of wood on a line, a stop watch, and an equation.  Many of them are amazed at the traditional way that things like position and speed were determined before radar and other technology, and it is the crew's delight to introduce it to them. 
The students classes have been going just as splendidly as their ship duties!  Yesterday's lesson included observing plankton with the microscopes, and learning about the small animals, while today's lesson focused on how whales use baleen to feed.  And, as is the Lady Maryland's way, the students learned it all by doing.  They are all happy and healthy and ready for another amazing day on board their living classroom.   

Well, it has been a FULL 24 hours here on the Lady Maryland.  Two nights ago we docked at Mystic Seaport, then spent yesterday morning exploring the museum grounds.  The Lady Maryland pulled into the Mystic River at about the same time that the Charles W. Morgan, the last remaining wooden whaling ship, was put into the water after her most recent restoration.  It was fascinating to see a vessel in action that the students had learned so much about on our previous trip to the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum.  The students were given a scavenger hunt to guide their exploration of the museum, and a good way to break the ice and talk to employees who know much more than those questions asked.  The students enjoyed the venture and the opportunity to get off the ship for a bit.  After spending the morning at Mystic, watching demonstrations, talking to experts about all things nautical and whaler related, as well as watching vendors set up for a wooden boat show, the Lady Maryland set off for the open water once more.  The rest of the day was spent sailing - both watches stood watch and had whale ecology class before dinner, and welcomed the hot food as a reprieve from the chilly evening that was quickly falling.  After dinner some students helped the crew by sounding the horn while others played games and relaxed for a bit after a long day on the water.  Darkness fell, and the students scampered toward bed, and drifted asleep to a tale of whales, as the crew prepared to anchor for the night.   

This morning dawned a bit chilly, but spirits are bright despite the weather.  At this moment the students and crew are finishing morning chores, which include the breakfast dishes, mopping the sol (the floor), cleaning the heads (bathrooms), and the daily miscellaneous task. After this they will go into class with Captain Michael, which today will be a squid dissection!  Yay! Overall, it promises to be another eventful and memorable day aboard the Lady Maryland!

Authors Note: Due to the sketchy internet connection on the water, it has been exceedingly difficult to upload photos to the blog.  Therefore, when the students return to Notre Dame next week, the photos will be uploaded from trip one unto the blog.  Thanks for your patience and understanding!  

Greetings from Connecticut!  Today has been a sail-filled, fun-filled, and rewarding day.  The day began by the students once again sailing off the hook (anchor), which is quite the impressive feat.  After breakfast our student began their first day of rotating watches.  The students are split into two watches while on board, the starboard and the port watch.  While one is "off watch" doing classwork, lessons, and field tests, the other watch is learning how to sail and care for the ship.  Today's "off watch" time included a lesson on brackish water (complete with illustration!), the different types of estuaries, and the similarities and differences between different whales.  While "on watch" the students learned how to complete a boat check (which includes checking the bilge, weather, etc.), how to navigate, the look out system, and how to steer the Lady Maryland.  Both watches completed each cycle until about dinner when the captain declared it was time to go fishing!  The net was cast over the side, and then a catch hauled in.  The students searched the net for living creatures and placed them in buckets of water to keep them safe and living.  They then cracked open the books, and set to work identifying an array of creatures.  Before they knew it, dinner was served, and the cook Michael presented his specially prepared dish.  Before the ship had left Cold Spring Harbor, the crew acquired fresh, live clams from a clam boat that was working in the harbor.  The students helped to keep them alive for the day and then Michael cooked them for the students and crew.  Incredibly fresh, and incredibly tasty! It was a true treat.  Tonight the students will enjoy a movie called "Around Cape Horn" and a snack of popcorn.  It will be a relaxing and engaging evening for sure! 

New Summer, New Students, and a New Adventure

Hello all those out there in blog land!  Welcome aboard our 2013 season on the Lady Maryland!  The crew has been rearing to go, and the educators have been preparing all spring for this moment, and we are under way!  Yesterday a group of new students came on board.  They traveled up from Baltimore, MD in a 15 passenger van to meet the Lady Maryland at King's Point Maritime Academy on Long Island.  The ride was pleasantly passed playing car games and singing along to the radio.  One student even commented that his favorite part of the day was "when the AC was on full blast, eating fruity snacks" in the van!  Little did they know the adventure that awaited them.  After the students ate lunch aboard the Lady Maryland yesterday, the ship set sail, and made for Cold Springs Harbor, NY.  The students were introduced to the ship and her crew, as well as the rules that are in place to keep the Lady M safe and fun.  Night fell swiftly, and after explaining night watch, they were sent to bed down for the night, some choosing to sleep on deck while others nestled in their bunks.  Thus today dawned, sunny and bright, and the students appeared just as chipper as the sun.  After doing the daily chores, the students sat down for class with the educators, and learned how to perform a water quality test.  Then after lunch the students and crew shuttled in Lady M's small boat, "Swamp Fox," unto shore to visit the Cold Spring Harbor whaling museum.  What a sight!  Housed in a quaint building, the museum exudes New England charm.  Our students were given a tour of the museum, as well as shown a video that included actual footage from a whaling vessel in the early 20th century.  They also got to see different parts of a whale's skeleton, learn about the art that sailor's created, and experience some New York hospitality.  The students also are working on their own version of scrimshaw, which is a form of art commonly practiced by the whalers of old.  While original scrimshaw would be done on ivory or whale bone, the students are using a special nut to etch their design into.  So far, the projects are looking great!  It will be fun to see them completed.   After the whaling museum, our students shuttled back to the Lady M and helped Captain Michael "sail off the hook," or raise anchor and leave the anchorage without the use of motors.  The crew was dually impressed by the CTY student's hard work, willingness to learn, and energy put in to accomplishing their tasks.  So for now, the Lady Maryland sails on, prepped and ready for another great day tomorrow!  

Welcome to summer 2013!!

Hello campers, friends and families!!

With great excitement the Lady Maryland is getting ready to set sail on their 2013 Summer adventures!  A little bit later this morning, the crew will be getting underway heading up to New York City where the CTY campers will meet them Monday morning.  This is a new twist to our normal programming; but
we're hoping that by starting the programs further north we'll get to spend more time exploring estuaries and whales with students and less time transiting.

Check back every so often for updates of how things are going, but please remember, this blog is a low priority item.  The boat isn't always somewhere that they have a strong enough Internet connection to post.  Additionally, there is so much learning and fun to be had that blogging often gets forgotten.

Have a great summer everyone!!!!

~ The LADY MARYLAND Crew