Current position of the SSV Corwith Cramer. Click on the vessel to view position history. Use the layer tools, top right, to change the map style or to view data layers. Dates and times use GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

SEA Currents: SSV Corwith Cramer

Johann Vollrath, American Samoa Community College

This entire journey so far has been such a blast. First off, I have been getting used to our watch schedules which are used to determine who will be up for every part of the day. From our watches I have learned that I am sleeping way too much at home then i should be. I get so much work done before the sun starts to rise over the horizon. Our steward is also such an awesome cook. I eat just as well as i do at home, and she surprises us each night.

Today I had watch from 0700 to 1300. My next watch is begins at 0100 tomorrow morning and ends at 0700. We are expected to arrive in the Caroline Islands sometime early tomorrow morning during my watch. This means i might get to yell “Land Ho!!!!!!” This afternoon I got to launch the Neuston Tow, Phytoplankton net, and Hydrocast. It was really fun sorting through the piles of copepods and the other hundreds of thousands of zooplankton we pulled out of the water. Also today we caught our first fish! It was a skipjack and it was tasty I got the first slice of it minutes after we brought it on board. Was bloody, fresh and delicious.

Sailing onboard Robert C. Seamans feels great. I’m very comfortable and I’m just very happy and excited to learn more. Everyone on the ship has their own personality, and i enjoy the company of every single one of them. Onboard it feels like we have our own little community. Everyone has a purpose, 24 hours a day. On the ship there’s always someone awake, and everyone is always working. We all do science of course, but it’s so much more than doing science. We’re washing dishes, cooking for two seating’s, we’re doing boat checks that include checking the engine room that has many gauges and gets up to 100 degrees. Every time i come out of the engine room I am soaked in sweat. We also brush and mop the sole (floor) of the ship from end to end every day, and clean the heads (bathrooms) as well every day. Then we’re hauling sails until our blisters get blisters. But the smiles on our faces only get bigger! Everyone on the ship works very well together and things go very smoothly. I just love this little community that i wouldn't mind calling my second family.

Soon after writing this I will be preparing to go on watch from 0100 to 0700. Sometime in my near future i will be screaming at the top of my lungs “LAND HOOOOO!” after sighting the Caroline Islands and immediately begin singing “Sweeeet Carolineeee Bum bum buuuuum. . .” I can’t wait to get in the water again and explore what the waters Caroline has to offer.

Best wishes,
Johann

American Samoa Community College

P.S
Birthday shout out to my sisters Rinna and Tammy. Be good and stay safe! Have a great time! And early congrats to my brother Patrick who will be graduating from High School soon. I love and miss you all. Have a great time! I can’t wait to see you!