Whales and Sharks and Dolphins Oh My!

This has been an action-packed 24 hours. Our evening watch began at 1900 last night, where we saw a spectacular sunset accompanied by many shooting stars. Out in the ocean, there is no light pollution to block the stars, so we were able to view the Milky Way in its entirety. Because of the perfectly clear sky, we were even able to take out the sextant, an instrument used to find location at night using the angle of the stars above the horizon. The end of our watch at 0100 created the perfect opportunity for a "1:00 AM ramen sesh" before a good night's sleep.

We were awoken around 0600 by a call from above. "DOLPHINS OFF THE PORT SIDE BOW!" We rushed on deck, especially excited as many of our watch members had missed the previous two sightings. The view that met us was breathtaking. At least 50 dolphins leapt less than 200 feet from the ship, as if they were there just for us. The day continued in this fashion, with more dolphins, sharks, and whales visiting those on watch. One brave mako shark even ventured less than 5 feet from the boat. Despite the lack of wind, nobody on deck had any boredom because of the fantastic mega fauna around. After lunch, the weather dramatically shifted. Once we had all practiced striking the Mains'l, the captain pointed out the wall of fog slowly approaching. We were introduced to the foghorn, which blares every two minutes to alert any surrounding boats of the Cramer's existence. Because of the gusts of wind accompanying the fog, we were forced to strike some of the sails. The most exhilarating experience of the day was furling the jib on the headrig while the boat rocked up and down through the fog. Throughout the past day and a half, B Watch has deployed the neuston net twice. Last night, when Piper, Aiden, and Soog set the tow, the most beautiful set of plankton was lifted onto the boat. The net was dazzling with a glorious green glow, and the 'cod end' jar was lit like a neon forbidden Gatorade. Throughout the night, bioluminescent plankton filled the water, lighting up like lightning bugs. Lookout, a normally dull task, was exciting due to the blue flashes throughout the sea. This afternoon, another neuston net was deployed, this time by Alice, Isabella, and Mason. This haul will be analyzed and counted by C Watch this evening, despite the rapidly on-setting fog and bad weather.

Before we finish, we would like to leave you with a riddle that has been circulating the ship. The answer will be revealed the next time B Watch takes over the blog.

Two penguins are in a canoe in the desert. The first penguin says to the second, "Where's your paddle?" The second penguin responds, "Sure does!"

Best,
B(eautiful) Watch: Alice, Isabella, Aiden, Piper, Amy, Mason, Jerry, and Soog.