Surveys. I think most people actually despise them. So much that sometimes they try to get out of participating. But try as they might to escape my pestering, I tracked down (nearly) everyone onboard for this one.

T’was the night before anchor, when all through the boat, MOST people were sleeping as we were afloat.

At precisely 11:43 this morning, C watch piled onto the elephant table amongst the sails alongside their current watch officers, Kevo, Geoff, and I, for our routine watch meeting-a tradition that occurs before every afternoon watch. The Cramer once more surrounded by land and calm waters, Virgin Gorda to the east, Tortola to the west, bright skies and blue-tinged cumulus clouds above.

As a SEA alum and former sailing intern/assistant steward aboard Cramer, I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend the past three weeks sailing with the students and crew of C-290 in a new capacity. With a background in music and environmental studies, I have always been fascinated by sound and most recently by underwater soundscapes and marine mammal communication.

Hello world, it’s been so long since I’ve last communicated with you. A BOAT LOAD of stuff has happened since the last time I wrote in the blog but you’ve probably heard most of it from some of the other wonderful people on this ship. I won’t hit you with all the details, I can tell endless stories as soon as I get home.

Pooh woke up to the sound of her name being repeated over and over again. She popped her head happily out of her bunk. The best thing about being woken up for morning watch was the chance to eat a little something (or perhaps a larger something) for breakfast before getting to work

Ever since the apocalypse proved to be a little bit of an inconvenience and we had to divert our course away from the shores of Dominica and past the really fun-looking white sand beaches of Saint Martin, we’ve all fallen into the maritime rhythm of things.

Were I challenged to summarize the sailor’s experience in a single word, I believe I would choose ‘dichotomous’.  The thought has indeed struck me many times over these last years since I took up this job – no, lifestyle – of being a sail training merchant mariner.  While not an easy lifestyle, it is a simple one – and in many ways, concrete as well as abstract, it is also quite dichotomous.

Life can really take you places. Physically, we have sailed over 1700 nautical miles, been to three countries/territories, and sailed passed countless more.  But also in what you see, do, feel, accomplish, and even eat, life can surprise you.

Not a day goes by on the Cramer which is uneventful. Today during our ship’s meeting, Bonnie started a game of boat clue. Each person on the ship picked a who (everyone aboard), what (a random object), and where (a spot on the ship) out of a bag.