Day 2

The crew started off our nation's independence day at anchor off beautiful Provincetown, a port the boat has now become familiar with due to its close proximity to Stellwagon Bank. The crew was able to enjoy their breakfast with only a minimal amount of fog and after the dishes were cleaned up and put away and the duty chores done, the Captain found a window of us to go straight into the city dock.
The spot was previously occupied by a barge, a very special barge for the occasion of the Fourth of July because this was the barge from which all of the fireworks are going to launch later in the evening. A tug boat arrived and hauled the barge into the anchorage thus freeing up a spot.

At the dock, the crew was able to start performing some water quality experiments where the students were able to get their hands on various materials to test the water for salinity, turbidity, phosphates and nitrates, dissolved oxygen, and acidity (pH). This will be an ongoing experiment where students will test and compare findings from different environments they will experience throughout the trip.

The dock also allowed the students much closer access to the Dolphin XIII, the whale watching vessel where the students will spend the afternoon.

The weather was great and the students enjoyed being able to sit up on the top deck of the boat going 25 kts. Right off the Atlantic side of the Cape, almost immediately, a finback whale breached the surface and excited the students.  They were well within 50 feet, almost so close that we could feel the spray of the blowhole (but just almost). Shortly after we ran across another finback displaying its long beautiful dorsal as it stretched through the water. Then, news came from another ship that a humpback whale was in the area. We sped off in the direction of other whale watching boats to gather around the humpback, Nile, named for a streak on its tail resembling the Nile River - a common traveler in the Bank. She put on quite a show for the students so much so that the boat stayed out an extra hour, without hearing one complaint from the students.

After disembarking, the students meandered around Provincetown soaking up the jovial atmosphere of the town including many little shops, artisans, and beachy decorations.  They slowly made their way back to the vessel, prepared to leave the dock, and anchored just outside of the harbor, had the traditional fourth of July meal of hamburgers and fries, and are now preparing for fireworks that are going to be starting at any minute now...