Programs Blog

Sunday, October 13, 2024
Position (Lat and Long): 40°35.7’N x 071°18.7’W
Log (nm):  463.5 nautical miles
Weather / Wind and Sail Plan:  Wind Direction: SSE, Beaufort Force 3, Sea height: 2 feet/ Sailing with the Fore Stays’l, Main Stays’l, and Mains’l
Description of where we are sailing:  South of Long Island, New York

Marine Traffic: SSV Corwith Cramer

For A-watch (Olivia (me), Sophia, Bella, Aubie, Dylan, Freya, and Linden) our day started bright and early  at 0600 for breakfast and morning watch from 0700-1300. Half of us were on deck participating in our usual hourly rotations of steering the helm, being lookout on the bow, boat checks, and navigational plotting. The other half of us were fairly busy in lab. In lab they deployed a Shipek Grab (grabs sediments off the ocean floor), a Vertical Tow (a net that collects organisms vertically in the ocean), a Neuston Tow (collects organisms horizontally in the ocean), and a Secci Disk deployment (measuring how far down into the ocean light is going). The morning started off slightly chilly but soon turned into one of the most beautiful days we’ve had since boarding the Cramer. Since the beginning of our time on the Cramer people have been layered in long sleeves, pants, and coats, but today we were able to put on our tank tops, shorts, and flip flops! We had a surprise muster on the quarter deck today and the reason being my 18th birthday!! The steward (Murph), assistant steward (Sara), and student steward for the day (Molly), baked me my favorite chocolate chip brownie cupcakes with chocolate mousse and sprinkles! Everyone sung happy birthday to me and made me a “Happy Birthday” sign and gave me a signed card (HOW SWEET of everyone!). Although I wish I was with my family, friends, and loved ones on this huge milestone of a birthday, the C-318 crew is my second family and I am so blessed to have been able to celebrate today on the ocean with everyone here! Additionally, I was on bow watch this morning and Kendall pointed out a slightly abnormal Monarch Butterfly to me because she knows the significance of what a butterfly means to me and I know it was my Auntie Analise wishing me a special happy birthday from heaven! We closed out tonight with the weather conditions being a Beaufort Force 7 (out of 12) on the Beaufort Force Scale. EEKKKKK!! As Captain Pamela said earlier, “Today is only the calm before the storm.” PRAY for A-watch tonight as we have dawn watch from 0100-0700!!!!!!!!AHHHHHH!!!!

-Olivia K. (A Watch)

PS to family and friends.
Olivia K.- Also, family please wish grandma Koko a happy birthday for me too (and papa budge <333).