C Watch (Julain, Yage, Marie, Sarah, Shannon, Lena, Kelsey and Tristan) donning safety gear

Hello friends and family,

Today was an exciting day on board the SSV Corwith Cramer!

The day started bright and early with 6 am wake-ups for A watch and 6:40 am wake-ups for B and C watches, and it's been a steady stream of new experiences and important training for the students-turned-crew of class C-273 ever since.

First on the list after rubbing the sleep from their eyes and eating a filling breakfast (and maybe a cup or two of coffee) was learning how to clean all the different parts of the ship, from scrubbing the upper decks to mopping the floors down below. Next the students got hands-on practice handling the lines that control all of our sails and deploying scientific equipment into the water.

After a snack (one of our favorite things to do on board the Cramer!), we focused on vital safety training and emergency response scenarios, including practice donning the red "exposure suits." With all of this new information marinating in the students' heads, we made the most of a rare lull in the cruise ship traffic to make our departure from the dock!  

And just like that, with a flurry of finely-coordinated activity from all on board, class C-273 said goodbye to solid ground for the next 18 days and got underway for the first time!

Within a few minutes of slipping away from the congestion of downtown Nassau, we had the wind in our sails and were cruising comfortably downwind at 4-5 knots. Four hours (and a few more training sessions) later, we dropped anchor just to the west of Nassau so everyone can rest up and be ready for tomorrow - when we make our final departure and head for the deep blue of the Sargasso Sea.

So far the students have taken to their new home like a duck to, well, water, and I can't wait to see how much they will accomplish in the next six weeks! Keep following our blog to find out!

Best wishes,

- Laura