Programs Blog

Author: Leia Collado-Duff

Ship’s Log

14 December 2023
Current Position: 35 deg 31’S x 179 deg 07’E
Ship’s Heading and Speed: Hove to with a drifting speed on 1-2 kts.
Weather: 17 C, Very windy and cloudy with a chance your hat might fly off!

Good Morning from the middle of the ocean!

Life on the Robert C Seamans has made me realize something about myself: I’m
a fairly light sleeper that gets woken up to any sound or smell. Not the
best quality to have when living on a ship you might think. The ship is full
of many sounds, day and night. The sounds of my bunkmates getting ready for
dawn watch at 1am (wishing them luck from the comfort of my bunk), to the
sounds of drawers flying out of the galley at random times of the day. The
clanking sounds of harnesses walking throughout the vessel for a boat check,
which reminds me someone is looking out for my safety 24/7, to the waves
crashing on my bunkmate’s porthole. The intense flushing from the mid-ship’s
head (toilet), to the sounds of my shipmates trying to not knock into the
walls as they walk. These sounds are just a little tidbit example of what
life on the boat is like in my eyes. From my bunk in Shellback Alley, I also
wake up to the yummy smells of whatever marvelous baked good the galley has
come up with for the day, to the smells of the vat of meat waiting for me in
the dish pit. During watch I get to smell the infamous zoop goop in the wet
lab just waiting to be processed and the indescribable noises and smells
that come from the engine room on my hourly boat checks. And I can’t forget
to mention as I smell my stinky self from time to time, because let’s be
real, showering on a boat underway is no joke…

We are currently hove to due to the steady 12-15 foot waves. Life on the
boat feels like a hurricane day in Florida, I come up on deck for a moment
but tend to instantly run back below to hide from the wind. The deck is
restricted to the on-watch unless you are seasick or just absolutely crazy
enough to enjoy the wind and waves for a few minutes of fresh air. I would
put myself in that category, of course. While on deck a harness is required
and you must be clipped in at all times. It’s funny to see all of us clipped
in with harness tethers trailing behind; it reminds me of those parents that
would get their kids a backpack with a leash on it. (Thanks mom for not
doing that to me)

I’m a member of C Watch and we had the deck for the morning 0700-1300.
Although we were hove to, our watch was keeping up with the hourly jobs and
maintaining a positive attitude, from 6 minute bird observations, to boat
checks and regular confirmations of the wind speed. Nonetheless, we took it
upon ourselves to do 10 squats at the top of every hour with half hour 1
minute planks. Watch out world! I’m gonna be ripped when I get back on land…
I hope! I ended my morning watch with a spontaneous alphabet singing game,
where we would sing a song that starts with the letter of the alphabet. We
got to P before it was too annoying.

I would love to chat more but I have dawn watch and should probably catch
some Zzzzs.
All in all, the wind is strong and but so am I!

Shoutout to my Mami (Elaine),
Te quiero y te extraño muchisimo. Me estoy diviertiendo y aprendiendo
bastanto y no puedo esperar a verte!

Shoutout to my Dad (Blair) W-88,
Thank you for recommending this experience to me, I wouldn’t trade it for
the world. I’m really glad that I get to share this with you and learn a
little bit more about you. Can’t wait to see ya again Captain! Oh and Alum
of SEA.
 
Shoutout to my Partner (Mason),
Thank you for being so patient and diligent with me in this process. I know
I left you with two troublemakers to deal with back on shore. Tell the pets
I miss them, I’ll be back before you know it

And just a shoutout to my friends if your reading this, I’m so excited to
meet up again and tell you all my stories maybe at Prato or my favorite
spot… Cowboys

Much love and appreciation
Leia Collado-Duff

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