Programs Blog

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Sea Education Association campus, Woods Hole, MA

Chilly, overcast day

I would like to share some recent activities from the past weekend that I’ve had the opportunity to experience here at SEA. My name is Sophia Weinstock, and I am a senior at Hawai’i Pacific University studying Marine Biology and Sustainability. I was born and raised on Cape Cod in a town about 45 minutes from the SEA campus. Since high school, I knew I wanted to study marine biology, not knowing that the renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute was a short car ride away. Through my university, I found out about SEA, and once I heard about the opportunity to study the ocean while aboard a sailing vessel ON the ocean, I thought that there wasn’t anything more perfect than that. 

I grew up sailing and continued through high school as captain of my high school’s team, but after graduating, I never really had another opportunity to sail. With the shore component of our semester just over halfway done, I can’t help but smile when thinking about being on a sailing vessel again, especially one of this size and for this amount of time. Hopefully, I won’t be so rusty when it’s my turn at the helm!

Other than the Mystic Seaport trip mentioned by some of my shipmates, we also had the opportunity to check out another sailing vessel, the other boat that SEA uses for at-sea classes: the SSV Corwith Cramer. Last Thursday, we got a sneak peak of what we can expect to see when we get to our boat, the Robert C. Seamans. Although slightly different in some ways (and, from what I’ve heard, not as cool as the ship we’ll be sailing), Cramer has most of the same amenities we can expect on the Seamans:bunks stacked on top of eachother, a surprisingly well stocked library, the ‘science deck’ where deployments will occur, and, of course, the sails and helm. Seeing the bunks was a real eye-opener to see how life will be like for 6 weeks in the near future and reality is finally starting to set in for me. I’m only hoping that I’m not sleeping below if anyone who gets seasick… 

Another activity was the first annual (mini) triathlon! After carb loading all week in preparation, Saturday morning we gathered at the registration table (picnic tables outside our cottages) to sign in (it was a blank piece of paper). We were given very official bib numbers to keep track of the whopping 15 or so participants. After a stretching circle, media coverage and interviews ensued (program assistant Sydney Lynch taking photos and videos from her phone camera) and then we lined up at the starting line. By your chosen mode of transportation (biking, running, walking, jogging, or ubering) we got to the beach for the swimming portion of the race. Luckily, we had access to immersion suits, which our program director, Jen, sported very nicely. After a grueling and cold swim-sprint (leisurely paddle), we raced back to campus to be met with a finish line to cross and Dunkin Donuts munchkins (not sponsored). Medals were awarded to the fastest racers as well as to anyone who even remotely tried. I am proud to say that I have completed a triathlon! Note: Don’t question the legitimacy of this triathlon. 

I have enjoyed my time living in a new area of the Cape, although Barnstable is better (not biased). I would like to give a shout out to my parents for encouraging and supporting me in fulfilling my wildest dreams, my brother Charlie for nothing at all, Fiona for being my favorite sibling and also everyone who is living or has ever lived at the 1653 house, I love you all!