Lady Maryland: The City that Never Sleeps

Salutations to our fellow travelers-in-spirit! We have had a busy couple of days here on the Lady Maryland, but have finally found time to work on a blog entry to keep you filled in and sailing right along with us! Yesterday we sailed toward New York, and trolled for fish off the coast of New Jersey. What a catch we had! Captain Michael was so excited about the array of marine life we caught, that he insisted on fishing later in the day as well. Between the two trolls the students caught a number of squid, spider crabs, flounder, skates, and a variety of fish. It was very exciting for everyone on board! The kids then spent some time identifying them before releasing their catches back into the ocean. Shortly after we sailed into New York Harbor, and anchored near the Statue of Liberty for the night. There are no words to describe the feeling of sailing into New York other than, “wickedly epic.” The students were thrilled to be there, and to be anchored in such a historic spot. All of the students chose to spend their night sleeping on deck, enjoying the sounds of the city that never sleeps. They were all startled awake around 5 am by a huge thunderstorm! They hustled below to their little bunks and continued our rest.

Early this morning we set off through the streets of New York to catch a ferry to Governor’s Island, where an abandoned Coast Guard establishment is being converted to a national park. Here we visited the New York Harbor School, which is a school dedicated to marine science and study. Here our students toured the wet lab and got a peak at the oyster reefs that this school is trying to reintroduce into the harbor. The students also toured Castle William and the fort on Governor’s Island. It was a very busy day! Our weary travelers got back to the boat, had some well deserved down time, and a hearty meal. We are all excited for our next adventure, and look forward to sharing it with you!