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!