Programs Blog

Tuesday, 07 April, 2026.

Noon Position: (Lat and Long): 18 degrees 03.5’ N, 064 degrees 45.6’ W

Log (nm): 20 nm

Weather / Wind / Sail Plan (from 1300 Watch Change): sunny, 29C, Beaufort 4 wind, on course for St. John’s

Description of location: en route to anchorage at St John’s

Today we set sail and are underway on our voyage into the Atlantic. It is a good feeling to finally be here. When we flew into St. Croix on Sunday, I was chomping at the bit from six weeks of work onshore at Woods Hole, and I was worried that I would feel that things were moving too slow. In hindsight that was rather naïve of me.

Yesterday we spent nearly the whole day learning the basics of life aboard the ship, from hauling lines to cleaning the bathrooms. I am consistently surprised by how the ship manages to feel both so small and so big at the same time. I think the paradox of space onboard is derived from the fact that the whole ship is sectioned off into very tight areas that are well-organized. For instance, the bunks are about the size of a twin bed, but the space is utilized so efficiently that they feel like a whole room (or at least a tent).

Today we had an amazing pancake breakfast (courtesy of the galley) to tempt our tired bodies out of bed. The tactic worked, even for those who had late-night dock watches and found it hard to get out of bed (such as myself). Afterwards, I began my first watch and we set sail. The sails look so magnificent, and the sea is so blue. We are already encountering Sargassum, which is cool to see even if it is very far south. I will miss St. Croix even though I was only there for a few days, but I am looking forward to what is ahead.

Fair winds,

Quin Seifert, B Watch

Learning to operate the winch for deployments.