Programs Blog
Final OC Projects and Aloft Training
Sunday, 10 August 2025
Present Position: (Lat and Long): 41 deg 21.4’N x 070 deg 46.8’W
Ship Heading (degrees): Anchored
Ship Speed (knots): Anchored
Log (nm): 490.7nm
Weather / Wind / Sail Plan: Lite SSW winds, Beaufort Force 1-2, clear to partly cloudy with high cirrus clouds
Description of Present Location: Anchored in Menemsha Bight
The past couple of days have been busy onboard the SSV Corwith Cramer. We have completed our scientific mission to the Gulf of Maine and made the return trip around ‘the horn’ of Cape Cod to the warm and familiar waters of Vineyard Sound. While comfortably at anchor in Menemsha Bight students learned how to safely climb aloft on the foremast while also assembling their final Oceanography project posters.
A Watch started us off with a detailed description of the marine mammal and seabird observations made during the voyage and related those patterns to sea surface temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a levels. C Watch did an excellent job deciphering the complex processes that determine the abundance and diversity of zooplankton collected in our neuston net. B Watch did a deep dive to the seafloor and examined the relationship between sediments and the variety of benthic organisms collected. Meanwhile, the multi-talented steward department assisted the Chief Scientist in sharing the results of their search for Phytoplankton City (yes, we did find it, many times, but always at different depths).
The student-crew has shown their natural curiosity, determination, and grit during the voyage. They have worked tirelessly to sail the ship, deploy the equipment, process the samples, analyze the data, and finally to tell a compelling story about what they have learned. I could not be more proud of their accomplishments!
However, the more important lesson each student will take away from the experience is what it means to be a good shipmate. They have all risen to the occasion and sacrificed personal comforts to embrace the ways and culture of the ship; thus ensuring the safety of their shipmates. I would welcome the chance to sail with each and every one of them again!
Cheers,
Jeff Schell, Chief Scientist.
PS. Almost home my darling rose, I have missed you!
Recent Posts from the Ships
- Ocean Classroom 2024-A collaborative high school program with Proctor Academy
- Collaborations and Long-term Commitments: SEA’s Caribbean Reef Program Sets a Course for Coastal Programs that Compliment Shipboard Experiences.
- Sea Education Association students prepare for life underway using state of the art nautical simulation from Wartsila Corporation.
- SEA Writer 2022, Magazines From the Summer SEA Quest Students
- Technology@SEA: Upgrades Allow Insight into Ocean Depths
Programs
- Gap Year
- Ocean Exploration
- High School
- Science at SEA
- SEA Expedition
- SEAScape
- Pre-College
- Proctor Ocean Classroom
- Protecting the Phoenix Islands
- SPICE
- Stanford@SEA
- Undergraduate
- Climate and Society
- Climate Change and Coastal Resilience
- Coral Reef Conservation
- Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
- MBL
- Ocean Exploration: Plastics
- Ocean Policy: Marine Protected Areas
- Oceans and Climate
- Pacific Reef Expedition
- The Global Ocean: Hawai'i
- The Global Ocean: New Zealand