We all knew this moment was coming. As the sun set over the East River, those of us leaving tomorrow began packing our belongings and cleaning our bunks. I can hardly believe that we’ve concluded our voyage already; the Cramer became our home, and it’s hard to leave such a familiar place behind and to readjust to the rhythms of life on land.

Welcome to Pacific Reef Expedition (PRX) - cruise S280 onboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans!

Today we welcomed onboard our new shipmates - 21 students from across the United States and from around the world. Everyone’s excitement is palpable as they begin their life aboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans.

We made it through New York Harbor! With last night’s sunset it dawned on us how close we were to land. Our lookout began report lights off the port and starboard bow and suddenly we realized we were sailing straight towards an expansive Long Island. Having heard the light pollution of the city is cause for some beautiful sunsets, all the ship’s company stood on the port side and watched as the lights faded through yellows, pinks, and reds, and finally the sun disappeared in the haze on the horizon.

Today is the last full day that we spend in Bermuda and we spent a lot of it getting Mama Cramer clean and beautiful, so she can carry us to New York tomorrow. With time throughout the week to explore Bermuda, I was able to converse with many locals about their ideas on the current states of the ocean and what they think about current policies.

Yet another beautiful day in Bermuda! Today we got to go to the Aquarium and learn more about Bermuda’s unique marine ecosystem! They had a few radical exhibits, including one about the Sargasso Sea! Alex, Kendra, and I geeked out at the hydroid section of the poster because that is what our experiments are on- check out that Clytia species (surprisingly not noloformis) and that Aglaophenia latecarinata!

What a beautiful day it was today here in Bermuda. The sun was shining bright over the azure waters, and was accompanied by a cool breeze that kept the temperature warm but comfortable. Being on solid ground after 20 days on the Cramer is still a bit odd, I sometimes find my body bracing for a swell unconsciously, but it’s refreshing. We’re all beginning to adjust to the port call schedule which is very different from at sea. Here there are only two watches, port and starboard, and each person only has an hour and 15 minute deck watch instead of the 6 hour long watches at sea.

LAND HOOOOOO!!  Yes, that’s right.  Land has been spotted.  And even better? We are docked.  We have officially finished the first leg of our at sea component. Coming into port was a busy and exciting experience.  Our main engine was secured (meaning turned off) at 1033, and we cleared customs at 1120!  The water in Bermuda is so incredibly lovely.  The truest definition of crystal clear aquamarine I have ever seen. Gorgeous. We are now on Bermuda time, that’s 5 hours ahead of the west coast, Family.

We, class S-278, have reached our final day here on the SSV Robert C. Seamans. And what a day it has been! This morning, we anchored in Moorea, an island so insanely beautiful it adorns the French Polynesian currency. After a long day of scrubbing the boat, we were rewarded with a swim call. Amongst the stark mountains and intermittent downpour, our lives hardly felt real.

And that has been a common theme throughout this trip — beauty, emotions, and experiences that are so rich and complex that they defy reality itself.

The siren call of a port stop is upon us.  We’re all looking forward to talking to loved ones and friends, eating some ice cream, and stretching our legs, but there’s something bittersweet about losing the simplicity of a life underway.  Land represents connectivity,  turning on the phone and the alarm clock and the laptop, replugging after all this time.

Waking up for morning watch today, there was no question that we have experienced a change in our horizons here on the Robert C Seamans.

I, and I am sure a majority of my fellow students, were tired from the day before as we worked furiously to finalize the research projects into which we have put so much time over the past 10 weeks.