SEA Semester in the News
“Semester at SEA Offers Chance for Trinity Student to Embrace New Interest”
by Lexie Axon, Trinity College News

Jessica Duong ’19 Researches Human Impact on the Environment Aboard Ship off New Zealand’s Coast

​Hartford, Connecticut, April 16, 2018—During a memorable study away experience, Trinity College student Jessica Duong ’19 spent much of her spring semester sailing the waters of New Zealand’s North and South Islands while completing oceanographic research. Throughout the three-month program, Duong analyzed water samples and ocean life in order to understand the influence humans have on the environment. Duong—from Lake Bluff, Illinois—was one of only 23 undergraduate students from across the country to participate in this semester’s Sea Education Association (SEA) program called “The Global Ocean.”

Read the full article.

There are some people who get lucky in life: They’re born into a good home with a close family and they’re content. There are some people who get really lucky, growing up around some great friends and finding their passion and going to school and getting a job they love.

Hello everyone! We continue on our route to Lyttelton today as we approach the end of our time here at sea. We plan to dock around 1300 tomorrow, leaving us with less than twenty-four hours of sea time.

Claudia D: Hey Emma G. How’s it going?
Emma G.: Hey Claudia! I’m great. So excited to go to sea for the last time with you. How’s C watch, loser??
Claudia D: Yikes.
Emma G: I didn’t mean loser I’m sorry I said that.
Claudia D: It’s ok. Water under the bridge. Or should I say bow lolololol anyway let’s write a blog together.

Nestled between rolling, shadowed hills that lay, kingly, crowned in pine, Dunedin sleeps, amber lights alight upon its streets, where bright stars lay etched across the sky as if holes pierced by silver lights in a veil of sapphire twilight. No voice nor laugh is heard, only the cries of early sea-birds who, as opposed to the worm catch the fish.

There is always so much going on when we’re underway. From navigation to science deployments, and chores to frequent and delicious meals, so much goes on at all hours. Our captain often paraphrases The Big Lebowski, who said “There’s a lotta ins, a lotta outs, s—t’s complicated.”

Only a few days ago did I appreciate the word “homie” as a reference to one’s closest companions being miniature semblances of home. One of my largest questions this semester has been understanding what is a home and where is it on a map. The whole college experience teaches anyone how to build a home in a new community and routine.

Today, the 14th of March, is International Pi Day. I was on morning watch so I was able to sleep in until 5:50 am and then stumbled, bleary eyed, to breakfast where we were treated to quiche pie. Pi Day holds a special place in many children’s hearts.

It’s been a rolling day. We are entering a cold front, and yep it does get colder. C watch had morning watch today just as we were transitioning into foul weather. We saw a cloud that perfectly illustrated this weather change. The cloud curved downwards, showing that the warm air was pushing the colder air down and curving the cloud into a slide shape

Hey! What’s up everybody, we are back at sea for the next leg of our journey. We left Wellington and started our next adventure with new watch officers. B watch is now under the command of first mate Allison and chief scientist Nick. Also, just want to start this post by saying happy birthday to my awesome momma, hope things are groovy back in Beantown.