Provincetown!

It looks like our blog post on Friday July 8th did not upload completely, so today we are double posting! 

We just left Provincetown Massachusetts, the site where the pilgrims first landed before moving on to Plymouth. Our first night in Provincetown we spent anchored just outside the breakwater, with a fantastic view of the Pilgrim monument. During their time ashore, we visited the monument and even climbed all the way to the top! From the very top we had a great view of Provincetown and the cape, and we could even see the Lady Maryland at dock. While ashore, students had time to explore and play in the monument park. During their time on the Lady Maryland, each student works on their own unique research project. Using a combination of resources, such as the ships' library, sailing experiences, and museum visits, students develop their projects during their time at sea. 

In class students learned about humpback what's behavior. When they are young, humpbacks learn where to feed from their mother, not how to feed. Each humpback whale actually feeds in its own unique way. Students also learned about upwelling in estuaries, how the salinity of the water changes with tempature. 

After leaving Provincetown, we headed for the Cape Cod Canal. The canal is approximately 7 miles long and is still maintained today by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Construction started in 1909, and was first used in 1914. During class time today, students looked through what they caught in their trawling net.  Students learned about the anatomy of the crab, and identified other animals. Testing water quality, students measure water temperature and dissolved oxygen, as well as the ph levels. Students will conduct several of these tests at different locations, to compare and contrast water quality. 

Sailing away from Provincetown. A student on the port watch stands lookout, while the starboard watch has class on the deck of the Lady Maryland.  

The port watch on deck, three students plot out our course as another student takes the helm and steers the boat. 

The pilgrim monument. 

Our students standing in front of the monument. 

A view of Provincetown from the top!

Can you spot our ship?

Going through the gates at the canal.  

Our students are divided into watches, one watch operates the boat as the other watch attends class, and then they switch.