Lauren’s Guide to Surviving at Sea

Author: Lauren Messner, B Watch, Roger Williams Univeristy

Tip 1: If the galley makes double chocolate chip cookies, don’t eat 5 in a row.

The galley has been making good snacks and is very much needed during watches.

Tip 2: When they say learn your lines, learn your lines!

Today we had a line chase, where each watch participated in a race to identify the lines. A watch won bragging rights. B watch was a close second. During line chase we lined up in our watches and can handed a paper of a line, like Course Brace or Tops’l Clewl’n. And each member would have to go find where the line was and your teammates can help you by saying hot or cold. It was a very fun game and great way to learn the lines. By the end of this we will be pros!

Tip 3: Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen! and water

As we get closer to Palmyra and the equator it’s getting hotter every day! Today the highest was 34°C! Everyone reapplied sunscreen and drank plenty of water. During mid-day snack we had pineapple and grapefruit!

Tip 4: Do lots of science!

Lab is one of my favorite parts of the day. We are doing 4 deployments before we hit the marine protected area. In this area close to Palmyra, we have to protect the corals and ecosystems so no fishing is allowed. At night watch I got to be the driver and deploy the hydrocast in the water for water samples. We also got to deploy the neuston net and saw bioluminescence being caught. It has been very exciting seeing what we catch. I’ve seen a baby flying fish and tiny man-o-wars. I also love doing a pteropod swirl were we can capture all the pteropods we caught.

Tip 5: Time flies by so appreciate every moment

We’ve made great sailing time this whole trip. We are due to arrive to Palmyra early. On Saturday we traveled a shorter distance because we were hove to for a good part of the day for field day.

Notes for back Home: Hi Mom, Dad, Natalie, Daniel, and Rusty. Miss you guys!

Only 26 more days! Can’t wait to tell you so many stories from this trip. I’m living the sailing dream!

- Lauren Messner, B Watch, Roger Williams University

Contact: Douglas Karlson, Director of Communications, 508-444-1918 | dkarlson@sea.edu