Sailing Under the Stars to Reach Isle of Shoals

Jeff Schell, Chief Scientist

Yesterday and through the night the new crew of the SSV Corwtih Cramer proved that they have been paying attention to all of their lessons.  We sailed nearly 100 nautical miles in the past 24hrs using the fore topsail and the four lowers (Mains’l, mainstays’l, forestays’l and jib). We also completed several scientific deployments including the CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth profiler), Phytoplankton Net, Secchi disc, Sediment Grab, and Neuston Tow).

We celebrated our accomplishments by making a short visit to a special place, Appledore Island – one of the Isles of Shoals in Maine where we visited the Shoals Marine Lab (SML).  They offer high school and undergraduate programs in marine ecology during the summers. Many SEA crew have worked for SML in the past, and presently we have three living on the island. So we were all given a special tour of the facilities, learned of their sustainable island practices, and played in the extensive intertidal environments. All the while we respected that these islands are the original home to several species of gulls that currently have nests full of new born chicks squawking about. So we all stayed close to the walking paths and left the grass, brush, and rocky outcrops to the birds.

We wrapped up a great day with a superb pasta meal from the galley and a preparing for a quiet night at anchor and time to catch up on some sleep.

Cheers

Jeff Schell – Chief Scientist

Claire at the helm as Cramer sails on a glorious broad reach.

2nd Mate Thane gives the daily navigation report. Welcome to class on the quarterdeck!

Boat ride ashore!

Momma gull and her chicks.

Leaving the intertidal paradise in its place before returning home to Cramer.

Avery deploying the phytoplankton net with Nick (SEA Scientist).