That time has come: our last night aboard the Lady Maryland.
We had an awesome last day, sailing from Provincetown to Gloucester with some fun in between. We woke up bright and early, had breakfast, and set sail. The students finished their projects and continued to work on their scrimshaw technique. But who cares about all that, because we saw WHALES today!!! Okay, so the other stuff is still cool, but as we sailed across Stellwagen Bank, we saw a couple fin-back whales come up out of the water. One even made it within 50-100 feet of our ship! Throughout the afternoon we saw countless more, each more special than the last. The students were ecstatic to see some whales, and we will hopefully see even more tomorrow at our whale watch!
After lunch, it was time for field day!! On the last day of every trip, the students spend the afternoon cleaning the ship's every nook and cranny. This included scrubbing cracks with toothbrushes, taking out floorboards and cleaning the mung underneath, etc. These students truly have become expert cleaners, so put those skills to use when they get home!
After field day, the students got to test their sailing knowledge at the Schooner Olympics! The students competed (port vs. starboard watches) in a contest to test their knot tying skills, knowledge about the ship's different lines, what to do in case of an emergency, etc. Check out all of the pictures in the next post! By the time the Olympics had ended, we were ready to sail into Gloucester, MA. Unfortunately, it was our last time to strike the sails and pull into port. But it was pizza night! Chef Michael prepared ten delicious large pizzas for the crew; it was certainly a great final supper.
Now the students are putting the final touches on their projects, playing some games, and getting ready for their final muster from the captain and dock watch later tonight. It's been a trip to remember!
We're signing out now, but more pictures will be posted in the next couple of days! Also, keep up with this blog if you want to see what is happening on the final Whales trip of the Summer!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
CTY Bristol -- Day 7
Hello again! Hard to believe that we just finished the seventh day of our adventure. All of the students don't like bringing up the topic of going back to campus, but we still have some time left!
Today we spent the day in Provincetown, MA on the very end of Cape Cod. We began the day with a great breakfast and cleaning duties and quickly transitioned into a very UNclean activity: squid dissection. Captain Michael gave each student, and a couple crew members, a small dead squid, and the students learned all about their anatomies and behaviors. It truly was disgusting, but then again, it's science! All of the kids had a great time and it was an awesome way to begin the day. The students then got two hours to finish working on their articles for their projects, and are now in the process of making up their final drafts!
After lunch, the students were treated to ice cream by Captain Michael and then climbed up the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. Provincetown was the first town in the New World that the Mayflower reached, in 1620 (I could be very wrong about this, don't remember all of the historical details!), and it contains a lot of history. The students walked around the museum and climbed the tall tower overlooking the town. This took up most of our afternoon. Upon returning to the boat, the students tested the water quality of the harbor we're docked in. Then, it was beach time yet again! The students played frisbee and lounged in the sand for an hour and a half or so to relax after a long day of dissecting squid and climbing towers. Right now, they are finishing up their projects and getting ready for bed. We are in disbelief that tomorrow is our last full day of sailing.. more to come tomorrow!
Today we spent the day in Provincetown, MA on the very end of Cape Cod. We began the day with a great breakfast and cleaning duties and quickly transitioned into a very UNclean activity: squid dissection. Captain Michael gave each student, and a couple crew members, a small dead squid, and the students learned all about their anatomies and behaviors. It truly was disgusting, but then again, it's science! All of the kids had a great time and it was an awesome way to begin the day. The students then got two hours to finish working on their articles for their projects, and are now in the process of making up their final drafts!
After lunch, the students were treated to ice cream by Captain Michael and then climbed up the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. Provincetown was the first town in the New World that the Mayflower reached, in 1620 (I could be very wrong about this, don't remember all of the historical details!), and it contains a lot of history. The students walked around the museum and climbed the tall tower overlooking the town. This took up most of our afternoon. Upon returning to the boat, the students tested the water quality of the harbor we're docked in. Then, it was beach time yet again! The students played frisbee and lounged in the sand for an hour and a half or so to relax after a long day of dissecting squid and climbing towers. Right now, they are finishing up their projects and getting ready for bed. We are in disbelief that tomorrow is our last full day of sailing.. more to come tomorrow!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
CTY Bristol -- Days 5 + 6
Hello friends and family! Sorry for the brief hiatus!
Yesterday was Day 5 of our voyage at sea, and it was a blast. We spent the morning on Naushon Island, where we had anchored the night before. The kids even went seining and caught a couple jellyfish, some crabs, seaweed, and Rob even caught a piperfish with his own bare hands! The students learned about sailor's traditions of etching in whale teeth, using tagua nuts instead! But more importantly, the students got to go swimming with a bottle of Dawn dish soap. We played a game of splish splish splash (similar to duck duck goose) and soon it was time to go back for lunch.
After lunch, our usual sailing schedule continued with half of the students learning about whales and estuaries and the other half learning more about sailing, navigating, and how to properly run a ship like the Lady Maryland. We sailed into Martha's Vineyard by 5 PM, sailing off the hook and tacking the sails on and off. The captain sat all of the students down after sailing and said it was a day that would go down in the history of the Lady Maryland, and that it was one of his proudest days as a captain. The students truly were working hard all afternoon, asking questions, doing their duties, and having an open mind toward everything thrown at them. The students then, as many of you probably know, got to call home and make sure everyone knows that they were alive and well. It was also... movie night! The students gathered in the main hold with some popcorn prepared by the ship's cook and watched the narrated sailing film "Around Cape Horn" and got to see what living on a real sailboat in the 20s was really like.
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We woke up this morning bright and early, ate some breakfast, and separated into our watches again. Today and yesterday were some of the only days we have had with reasonably rough waters, so the students quickly had to adjust to that obstacle. Half of the students learned a great deal about plankton while the others spent time doing their necessary ship-life duties. We spent the afternoon sailing, going through the canal to get to Cape Cod, where we are now docked in Provincetown, Mass.
We can't believe tomorrow is already day 7 on our voyage! That's all for now. Check out some of these pictures below!
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Yesterday was Day 5 of our voyage at sea, and it was a blast. We spent the morning on Naushon Island, where we had anchored the night before. The kids even went seining and caught a couple jellyfish, some crabs, seaweed, and Rob even caught a piperfish with his own bare hands! The students learned about sailor's traditions of etching in whale teeth, using tagua nuts instead! But more importantly, the students got to go swimming with a bottle of Dawn dish soap. We played a game of splish splish splash (similar to duck duck goose) and soon it was time to go back for lunch.
After lunch, our usual sailing schedule continued with half of the students learning about whales and estuaries and the other half learning more about sailing, navigating, and how to properly run a ship like the Lady Maryland. We sailed into Martha's Vineyard by 5 PM, sailing off the hook and tacking the sails on and off. The captain sat all of the students down after sailing and said it was a day that would go down in the history of the Lady Maryland, and that it was one of his proudest days as a captain. The students truly were working hard all afternoon, asking questions, doing their duties, and having an open mind toward everything thrown at them. The students then, as many of you probably know, got to call home and make sure everyone knows that they were alive and well. It was also... movie night! The students gathered in the main hold with some popcorn prepared by the ship's cook and watched the narrated sailing film "Around Cape Horn" and got to see what living on a real sailboat in the 20s was really like.
\
We woke up this morning bright and early, ate some breakfast, and separated into our watches again. Today and yesterday were some of the only days we have had with reasonably rough waters, so the students quickly had to adjust to that obstacle. Half of the students learned a great deal about plankton while the others spent time doing their necessary ship-life duties. We spent the afternoon sailing, going through the canal to get to Cape Cod, where we are now docked in Provincetown, Mass.
We can't believe tomorrow is already day 7 on our voyage! That's all for now. Check out some of these pictures below!
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Thursday, July 18, 2013
CTY Bristol - Day 4: New Bedford, MA
Land Ho!
Last night we docked in New Bedford, Massachusetts after a long day of sailing. We parked right next to the Ernestina, an extremely historic and interesting schooner that the kids got a tour of today. Some of the students chose to sleep on deck again (third time in a row!) because of the cool weather, while others slept down below. The students took dock watch in shifts in the wee small hours, and by 7 AM we were up!
After eating breakfast (which was, once again, delicious) the kids had about an hour and a half to work on their projects. Each student has chosen a topic related to whales and/or estuaries, and using the materials we have on board, and the different museums and stops that we make, they research those topics and will collectively create a Whales & Estuaries Newspaper by the end of the trip. Some of the topics include 'Whales in Captivity' or 'Climate Change in Estuaries.' At around 10:30 AM the students headed to the Whaling Museum of New Bedford!
This museum was unreal. It is the largest whaling museum in the entire world (has 750,000 different objects) and our tour guide, Brian, was very knowledgeable and ready to answer any questions the students shot at him. We toured the museum and saw giant skeletons of a blue whale, humpback whale, etc. We passed around a humpback's tooth, saw carvings that sailors used to make in teeth in their spare time, took a tour of a half-size model of a whaling ship, and learned about the day to day life of seamen. The students had a great time at the museum, so check out some of the pictures below!
We then returned to the Lady Maryland, where we ate lunch and then took a tour of our neighbor, the Ernestina. Unfortunately I won't be able to type for hours on end, so I won't be able to tell you all of the truly amazing things this ship has done. It has sailed around the world to Cape Verdes, Iceland, Greenland, Northern Canada, the Arctic, Europe, along the Atlantic coast, etc. It even brought back a polar bear, yak, and walrus for the Bronx zoo, as well as serving as a transport ship in World War II. The ship now sits in New Bedford. New Bedford is the largest fishing port in the United States, as you will be able to see in one of the pictures below. There are dozens upon dozens of ships in the harbor.
After seeing the Ernestina, we all ventured over to a nearby center to learn more about Buzzards Bay. Buzzards Bay is in Massachusetts and has been at risk recently have high nitrate levels in the water. The students learned all about ways to prevent pollution in this body of water.
After this jam packed day of learning/touring New Bedford, it was time to set sail. We got off the dock in New Bedford and sailed a couple of miles just before dinner to Kettle Cove. The students are now getting a lesson in the art of sailor tattoos from first mate Joe (no worries parents, no students will be coming home with any tattoos). Some of the pictures might not save to this post due to poor internet connection, but they will be posted as soon as possible!!
Last night we docked in New Bedford, Massachusetts after a long day of sailing. We parked right next to the Ernestina, an extremely historic and interesting schooner that the kids got a tour of today. Some of the students chose to sleep on deck again (third time in a row!) because of the cool weather, while others slept down below. The students took dock watch in shifts in the wee small hours, and by 7 AM we were up!
After eating breakfast (which was, once again, delicious) the kids had about an hour and a half to work on their projects. Each student has chosen a topic related to whales and/or estuaries, and using the materials we have on board, and the different museums and stops that we make, they research those topics and will collectively create a Whales & Estuaries Newspaper by the end of the trip. Some of the topics include 'Whales in Captivity' or 'Climate Change in Estuaries.' At around 10:30 AM the students headed to the Whaling Museum of New Bedford!
This museum was unreal. It is the largest whaling museum in the entire world (has 750,000 different objects) and our tour guide, Brian, was very knowledgeable and ready to answer any questions the students shot at him. We toured the museum and saw giant skeletons of a blue whale, humpback whale, etc. We passed around a humpback's tooth, saw carvings that sailors used to make in teeth in their spare time, took a tour of a half-size model of a whaling ship, and learned about the day to day life of seamen. The students had a great time at the museum, so check out some of the pictures below!
We then returned to the Lady Maryland, where we ate lunch and then took a tour of our neighbor, the Ernestina. Unfortunately I won't be able to type for hours on end, so I won't be able to tell you all of the truly amazing things this ship has done. It has sailed around the world to Cape Verdes, Iceland, Greenland, Northern Canada, the Arctic, Europe, along the Atlantic coast, etc. It even brought back a polar bear, yak, and walrus for the Bronx zoo, as well as serving as a transport ship in World War II. The ship now sits in New Bedford. New Bedford is the largest fishing port in the United States, as you will be able to see in one of the pictures below. There are dozens upon dozens of ships in the harbor.
After seeing the Ernestina, we all ventured over to a nearby center to learn more about Buzzards Bay. Buzzards Bay is in Massachusetts and has been at risk recently have high nitrate levels in the water. The students learned all about ways to prevent pollution in this body of water.
After this jam packed day of learning/touring New Bedford, it was time to set sail. We got off the dock in New Bedford and sailed a couple of miles just before dinner to Kettle Cove. The students are now getting a lesson in the art of sailor tattoos from first mate Joe (no worries parents, no students will be coming home with any tattoos). Some of the pictures might not save to this post due to poor internet connection, but they will be posted as soon as possible!!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
CTY Bristol - Whales Days 2 + 3
Hello outside world!
Sorry for the delay on the blog post-- ship life is busy! We will start off by saying that everyone on board is happy and healthy! All the students are quickly learning about boat protocol and the crew's knowledge and assistance has been invaluable.
After lunch yesterday we sorted through what we caught trawling and dredging; we caught a mantis shrimp (look it up, it's crazy!), spider crabs, blue crabs, oysters, etc. We even watched a crab give birth! We continued sailing down from Rhode Island into the state of Massachusetts where we eventually took anchor. There, under the captains orders, the crew and students took a dip. Not only did we get to cool off in the 90+ degree heat, but we soaped off with a bottle of Dawn dish soap. We also bought a couple dozen oysters from a local seaman! The cook prepared a delicious dinner, after which the students were given a night class in weather and clouds by second-mate Nick. We learned about all of the different types of clouds as we watched the beautiful sunset next to Cuttyhunk Island. We all slept on deck for the second night in a row and awoke for our respective night watches.
We rose bright and early this morning, raising the anchor and setting sail for Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. After an exquisite breakfast, the kids were given a lesson in oysters by crew member Ronnie. The students dissected oysters and learned about their uses in society. One oyster that was ripped open for dissection is actually still alive sitting in a bucket on the boat. That's how we roll on the Lady Maryland. We then split into watches, Port and Starboard. Starboard learned more about estuaries and the animals living in them while Port learned a lot more about sailing! Students got to navigate the ship, keep watch at the bow, do boat checks (check engine temperatures, water levels, etc.). After lunch the watches switched. We then went trawling once again, only to discover another mantis shrimp, a big beautiful flounder, and even a couple squid! The students observed these sea creatures and identified them in their course readers. After this, we continued sailing into Massachusetts, where we ate dinner and eventually sailed into the gates of New Bedford, Massachusetts. We spent the entire day sailing, so everyone is looking forward to some well-deserved rest. Check out a couple pictures below. More to come!
Sorry for the delay on the blog post-- ship life is busy! We will start off by saying that everyone on board is happy and healthy! All the students are quickly learning about boat protocol and the crew's knowledge and assistance has been invaluable.
After lunch yesterday we sorted through what we caught trawling and dredging; we caught a mantis shrimp (look it up, it's crazy!), spider crabs, blue crabs, oysters, etc. We even watched a crab give birth! We continued sailing down from Rhode Island into the state of Massachusetts where we eventually took anchor. There, under the captains orders, the crew and students took a dip. Not only did we get to cool off in the 90+ degree heat, but we soaped off with a bottle of Dawn dish soap. We also bought a couple dozen oysters from a local seaman! The cook prepared a delicious dinner, after which the students were given a night class in weather and clouds by second-mate Nick. We learned about all of the different types of clouds as we watched the beautiful sunset next to Cuttyhunk Island. We all slept on deck for the second night in a row and awoke for our respective night watches.
We rose bright and early this morning, raising the anchor and setting sail for Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. After an exquisite breakfast, the kids were given a lesson in oysters by crew member Ronnie. The students dissected oysters and learned about their uses in society. One oyster that was ripped open for dissection is actually still alive sitting in a bucket on the boat. That's how we roll on the Lady Maryland. We then split into watches, Port and Starboard. Starboard learned more about estuaries and the animals living in them while Port learned a lot more about sailing! Students got to navigate the ship, keep watch at the bow, do boat checks (check engine temperatures, water levels, etc.). After lunch the watches switched. We then went trawling once again, only to discover another mantis shrimp, a big beautiful flounder, and even a couple squid! The students observed these sea creatures and identified them in their course readers. After this, we continued sailing into Massachusetts, where we ate dinner and eventually sailed into the gates of New Bedford, Massachusetts. We spent the entire day sailing, so everyone is looking forward to some well-deserved rest. Check out a couple pictures below. More to come!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Whales Trip 3 -- Out of Bristol, RI
Hello family and friends!
We are now on Day 2 of our 9 day adventure at sea aboard the Lady Maryland! Yesterday, the kids left Bristol, RI at around 4:00 PM, with the students helping set the sails, coil ropes, learn different boating commands, etc. They were put to work right away! They all have good attitudes and high spirits and are always excited to see what we do next. During sailing time, students were told instructions on proper sailing etiquette, how to maintain the boat, details regarding living quarters, what it truly means to "pump the head," and ground rules for the rest of our trip. The kids and crew played some name games, giving them the chance to meet Michael, our captain, Rohan, the education coordinator, among others.
At dinner time, Chef Michael Delacruz prepared some delicious broccoli, mashed potatoes, chicken, and home-made bread. The students were amazed by the quality of the food and quickly realized that they would not be going hungry on this trip. The students were then taught the process of cleaning all of the dishes used for cooking. After dinner, the students were given their chores based on their watches (Starboard watch vs. Port Watch). These chores include swabbing the deck, cleaning the head, picking up any extra food or trash laying around, etc. The students will get very used to these chores, so maybe you can start implementing their new skills when they return home!
The boat then anchored in Greenwich Bay, west of Bristol, for the night. There, the students began to get ready for bed as we viewed the gorgeous sunset over the ocean. Because of the heat, especially in the lower cabins, the students slept on deck under the stars. It was cooler both in temperature and in experience! After learning about some of the boat's and crew's traditions, the students were given their night watch assignments. Each night, one or two students accompany a crew member for night watch, to make sure that the anchor is not dragging on the ground, measuring wind force, monitoring the weather, etc. Night watch is normally for about an hour at a time, but we try to make sure everyone gets their 8 hours one way or another!
This morning we woke up bright and early, got the anchor out of the water, and set sail! When we reached Patience Island Gap, we took samples of the water, testing temperature, pH levels, phosphate and nitrate levels, etc. They then spent the rest of the day trawling and dredging in the ocean, picking up crabs, worms, and even a mantis shrimp! We have to sign off now, for it's lunch time! More info to come.
We are now on Day 2 of our 9 day adventure at sea aboard the Lady Maryland! Yesterday, the kids left Bristol, RI at around 4:00 PM, with the students helping set the sails, coil ropes, learn different boating commands, etc. They were put to work right away! They all have good attitudes and high spirits and are always excited to see what we do next. During sailing time, students were told instructions on proper sailing etiquette, how to maintain the boat, details regarding living quarters, what it truly means to "pump the head," and ground rules for the rest of our trip. The kids and crew played some name games, giving them the chance to meet Michael, our captain, Rohan, the education coordinator, among others.
At dinner time, Chef Michael Delacruz prepared some delicious broccoli, mashed potatoes, chicken, and home-made bread. The students were amazed by the quality of the food and quickly realized that they would not be going hungry on this trip. The students were then taught the process of cleaning all of the dishes used for cooking. After dinner, the students were given their chores based on their watches (Starboard watch vs. Port Watch). These chores include swabbing the deck, cleaning the head, picking up any extra food or trash laying around, etc. The students will get very used to these chores, so maybe you can start implementing their new skills when they return home!
The boat then anchored in Greenwich Bay, west of Bristol, for the night. There, the students began to get ready for bed as we viewed the gorgeous sunset over the ocean. Because of the heat, especially in the lower cabins, the students slept on deck under the stars. It was cooler both in temperature and in experience! After learning about some of the boat's and crew's traditions, the students were given their night watch assignments. Each night, one or two students accompany a crew member for night watch, to make sure that the anchor is not dragging on the ground, measuring wind force, monitoring the weather, etc. Night watch is normally for about an hour at a time, but we try to make sure everyone gets their 8 hours one way or another!
This morning we woke up bright and early, got the anchor out of the water, and set sail! When we reached Patience Island Gap, we took samples of the water, testing temperature, pH levels, phosphate and nitrate levels, etc. They then spent the rest of the day trawling and dredging in the ocean, picking up crabs, worms, and even a mantis shrimp! We have to sign off now, for it's lunch time! More info to come.
Friday, July 12, 2013
More CTY Trip 2 Pics
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| Provincetown! |
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| Squid Dissection |
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| Happy Birthday to one of the students with Lady Maryland cupcake :) |
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| Seaman's Bethel in New Bedford |
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| Blue whale skeleton at the New Bedford Whaling Museum (it's still juicy) |
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| Inside the Bethel |
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| The Ernestina |
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| The results of a dredge and a trawl |
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| Mystic Seaport |
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| Climbing aboard the Morgan for a chantey concert |
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| Schooner Olympics! |
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