Programs Blog

Thursday, 27 February 2025

Location: 36° 46.89’S x 176° 31.97’E

Log: 385.9 nm

Weather: SE winds, sunny clear skies, motor sailing (which quickly turned into sailing;)

Kia ora from the Robert C. Seamans!

We are currently on our way to Wellington and while I could go on and on about all the fun things my watch and I have been up to, I thought I would take a moment to talk about my new favorite spot on the ship!

The bowsprit/head-rig is starting to become a strong space for relaxation between watches and socialization with shipmates, but for me it has also become a place of comfort. It’s one of the few spots on the boat where you’re either out on it working really hard furling sails or you’re taking in the breeze and watching the boat cut through the water. It’s a dynamic spot and has allowed me to better understand the balance of living and working on the Seamans. Even though we are such a small speck in these deep, ever changing Pacific waters, there is still so much happening and so many things to do to take care of our “floating city” as Captain Sean likes to call it. This is especially true when you find yourself needing to step away from it all and remind yourself of the bigger picture. That’s where I have confided in the bowsprit. It has allowed me to challenge myself and take new risks, but it has also grounded me, keeping me present while letting me grow. It’s funny to think that the spot where you have to wear a harness, clip onto a rope, and stand on a net over moving water has allowed me to feel so secure in myself, my shipmates, and the ship.

Just today I was out on the head-rig at the very tip of the bow helping with lines. Being able to look back towards the boat was such a fulfilling feeling. Within only a week my shipmates and I have already learned the inner workings of this vessel. I am so proud of everyone’s progress thus far and it is motivating to see everyone putting in the time and effort to understand how the Seamans operates.

While I intend to spend more time on the bowsprit, I am already grateful for this initial perspective that I will carry with me during our time aboard. It is special, to say the least, and it gives me the chance to look around and breathe in the progress that has been made and the work that will continue in the lab and on deck through this adventure. 

I will leave you with this quote that my mom wrote to me in a recent card which embodies how I have felt sailing with this amazing community; “No ship makes the journey alone. She requires the wind and the stars and the sea. Nothing big or small must be done alone” -Unknown

Angelina Arcidi, B Watch, College of Charleston

A few shoutouts –

Mom, Dad, and Carmela I miss you all very much and am thinking of you often!

To my friends back home, especially Mayson, Lucy, and my roommates studying abroad I am sending you all so much love and hope your semesters are going well 🙂