Above: C-260 cruise track – Woods Hole to Ireland!; Below: C-260 class photo, with Cork in the background

It’s 0553. The morning has dawned crisp and clear, with the promise of warmer temperatures as the sun rises in the sky. We’re safely secured to the dock in downtown Cork, after a scenic transit up the River Lee from the Irish coast yesterday afternoon.

The ship is quiet and still at this early hour, but even in port not everyone sleeps. I just wandered through on a first morning walkabout. Marie is doing a boat check (I heard her enter the engine room moments ago), Ben
is standing watch (smartly, on course) on deck, and our beloved Jen is already mucking around below in dry stores acquiring ingredients for breakfast. She tells me that she’s baking cheesy biscuits and cranberry scones which, as usual, will be delicious. Rebecca is on the quarterdeck and she appears to be drawing the scene of the local quay in her notebook. We just exchanged whispered ‘good morning’ greetings, and she loaned me a copy of an inspired C260-themed science ballad she performed during last night’s swizzle; I used to consider myself a bit of a poet, but I don’t hold a candle to her ability to pen an engaging rhyme.

In less than an hour, someone will do morning wake-ups, and then the noise level of the ship will increase as sleepy shipmates start preparing for the day.  SEA Semester C-260 will be over when we gather on the quarterdeck for one last muster after breakfast.  It’s a bittersweet morning, as goodbyes to beloved shipmates are always sad.  However, even as we all get underway on new adventures elsewhere, we will always treasure the many great memories of sailing together 3360 nm (wow!) across the North Atlantic (see the first image accompanying this blog).

My heartfelt thanks to the parents who have followed our blog, for sharing your sons and daughters with us this past month; they’ve been a truly delightful group of students, and the professional crew and I are honored to have sailed and worked with them.  And a special HUGE thank you to my 29 shipmates for such a wonderful transatlantic voyage.  We successfully accomplished much good sailing and science together, and I look forward to hearing of your further adventures in the months and years to come. Please remember…

You only learn to live your dreams
When you get underway.

Fair winds and following seas!
-Audrey