Today is the beginning of the end for S-283; we began the last leg of our voyage from Napier to Auckland. It is simultaneously bittersweet and exciting to think about how far we’ve come. This morning, all hands were on deck to help us get underway.

During a cruise with SEA Semester, there are many truly amazing things that happen and (for some reason) they always get all the attention on the blog. So this blog post is about a mundane comfort on the ship that is hardly ever mentioned. The title requires an explanation.

Greetings from the Corwith Cramer!

SEA Expedition Session I has arrived safely in Boston! We were lucky to find many family members waiving excitedly as we emerged from the thick fog.

Ahoy!

Day four here on the SSV Corwith Cramer.  Today we finally left anchor, and are taking on the open ocean!  A relatively relaxing day here, filled with sunny skies and a gentle breeze from the south-east. After a fantastic breakfast of cheesy grits and a spread of fruit, we embarked on our daily watches and learned all about Neuston Booms with J-bear (our first scientist).

Hi Everyone! My name is Rosie Wigglesworth and I’m bringing you the 6th installment of the S-281 blog series!  We’re almost a week and a thousand nautical miles into our journey.

Good evening all!

After leaving the dock, the afternoon progressed nicely from stowing dock lines to retrieving the rescue boat and, after some explaining from many a person in a blue polo, we set the fore and main staysails as we motor-sailed Southeast along Marthas Vineyard.

We’ve whipped our way out of Bermuda, wearing a little extra paint off of our starboard side from the steady port tack. After sailing for the last four days set for maximum sail area, the trip towards the coast has been pushing a zesty seven or eight knots. After taking our stop ashore and watching the little island of Bermuda fade into the distance, it has strange to take in how familiar and consistent the ocean can sometimes be.

The wind has picked up and there are sizeable swells today - not the smooth, sunny conditions we’ve enjoyed since leaving Bermuda. It’s just after lunch and conditions may be classified as “sporty” as we approach the counter-current of the Gulf Stream - about Force 7 on the Beaufort Scale.

Hi,

Three days out from Bermuda. I’ve found that the first three days out from port prove to be the most taxing, both mentally and physically, as we have to readjust to the watch schedule, motion of the ocean, and extreme self-containment of sea life. That said, tomorrow is looking up. After a long dawn watch and 3 total hours of sleep last night I’m more than ready to sleep from 0100 to 1100 tonight after evening watch.

This morning C watch had the pleasure of being on watch for our departure from Bermuda. We were able to sail out of St. George’s (without motoring—a first for even our Captain), and I was lucky enough to be posted on bow watch as we coasted through the channel. From there I was able to look back and see everybody hustling to set sail, and able to wave to everyone who came out to see us depart! It was so satisfying to see the jib and stays’ls come back up, followed by the tops’l and the mains’l.