Programs Blog

Friday, 24 April, 2026.

Noon Position: (Lat and Long): 29 degrees 39.3’ N, 065 degrees 28.5’ W

Log (nm): 1417 nm

Weather / Wind / Sail Plan (from 1300 Watch Change): Wind WxN/4, 2/8 Cu, four lowers with shallow-reefed mains’l

Description of location: 153nm SxW of Bermuda

What a beautiful day for a sail, as I sit on the small wooden stool in the aft cabin. We found the fresh westerly breeze (now West/Beaufort force 5= 15-20kts) we were hunting for earlier in the day and now are dreamily sailing along at 6kts on a port tack with the four lowers (shallow reef in the mains’l) and the JT. Compared to yesterday’s bob around in the ocean with everything set, this is quite a treat!

I have a couple of random thoughts to share on this fine Friday afternoon:

I don’t think I expected to spend so much time on a computer as a Captain, but I definitely spend a lot of time at this small desk with the glow of a bunk light mounted above the keyboard, always attempting to stay upright on the stool that I sit on. Some days are easier than others: today I can have one leg crossed and only have to push a little on the foot at the floor when the ship rolls to starboard; while other times, like earlier this week when we were hove to for the N’ly on the backside of a cold front, I had both feet down and wide, braced for the heavy rolls side to side. I could only then do computer work for short amounts of time because looking at a computer screen while the whole boat is moving like that doesn’t do much for one’s stomach. I made the mistake that day of standing up to grab something from the printer and the stool promptly careened to the other side of the aft cabin the split second I stood up making a horrible noise. That stool! Other times, it falls over in the night and I have the mate on watch lay it down on its side so it doesn’t slide back and forth, keeping the Chief Scientist and I awake all night. And just now, I sometimes go for a slide for a couple of feet while still on the stool…

I found a really great reference in the library onboard called Weather, Water and Boating by Donald A. Whelpley, which is a book I have been trying to find for years! Published in 1961 by Cornell Maritime Press, surprisingly little is out of date except perhaps the cost of the cloud guide from some now-defunct federal office. What’s so great about it? After learning some really great tidbits about teaching global air circulation and the formation of fronts, I finally understand how clouds are formed and why they have different shapes and qualities. You’d think they’d include these details in most meteorology textbooks that I’ve combed through over the years but that is not the case. And it’s written for sailors so with an eye for what you see and observe in your location that prompts accurate local forecasting. I have learned these things over time but have never read them in such a succinct and understandable way. It is quite a joy to digest, though may prompt a nap if tired enough!

Next month will be my 20^th sailing anniversary – since I left my office job to do “something fun for a few years.” It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed so fast and it’s all been such a blast, even though at times its challenging. I lost track of the miles sailed after the first ten years or so, and also stopped recording the lat/long in my journal every night. Sailing for science, here with SEA, has kept my interests elsewhere than counting miles and logging locations. On other ships, I’ve sailed quite far in a straight line with a bunch of people and I have to say that having a reason to stop, here for science, keeps everyone’s skills much fresher than otherwise. The academic program makes conversations fascinating and also carries some purpose to the voyage, not to mention dispelling much of the interpersonal conflict that seems to arise when smart people don’t having enough to do, think about or teach (my experience elsewhere). The voyage planning is more complex too because we lose a couple of miles to leeward and/or in the wrong direction twice a day, so we make fewer miles in a day and often are fighting back to windward, sometimes more successfully than others. I also hate motoring so will let the ship sail slowly as long as we can afford to. I do talk about the weather any chance I get because I’m looking at the forecasts all day long and making decisions about where to sail and how slow or fast we need to go. Luckily this group is more interested than most! My SEA shipmates have also been the best that I’ve sailed with in the industry, coming from lots of different backgrounds and with varying interests in sailing or science or outdoor education or even just community building, leading to plenty of interesting conversations. And all of the students that I have enjoyed teaching and sharing my passions for all things sailing and the ocean! Thanks to all of you, my shipmates, for the great times and many more – I look forward to sailing more slow miles at sea with you.

I’ll sign off for now and enjoy the last bits of this glorious afternoon. A big happy birthday to my mother!! I wish I could be there with you today but I’ll see you soon. And a big hello to all of the staff’s friends and family – they’re all the best and having a great time!

Allison Taylor, Captain

Sailing!

Testing the fire hoses on drill day while hove to on a stbd tack