Cobh, Ireland to Portland, Maine

Thursday,  15 June  Day 50  Daily Log   Voyage #  0806

I have lined up a series of GUEST EDITORS which will grace this space on some of our remaining days.  A mix of Faculty, staff and students to give you a bit of a different perspective of Training Cruise 2006.

Today's guest editor is 2/C, Paul Grindle

2/C Cruise Perspective   

           Typically, when at sea, an object or point of land which has a constant relative bearing and decreasing range, tends to arouse a watch standers attention, creating a sense of quandary, simply because basic Rules of the Road deem this situation a possible "collision target" if there is no action to avoid it.  In this case, Maine is the target, and I can assure you as the T.S. STATE OF MAINE closes in on Portland Harbor, there is no sense of quandary from anyone on board, or action to avoid it.  We are steaming in on good memories, and hopes for a safe return to Castine. 

            As the last few weeks of cruise wind down, you can't help but think about what a great experience you have had.  It's overwhelming to realize how much you and your shipmates have accomplished in 60 days, and how many interesting stories we all have to tell.  As a junior deck student, I will say my junior cruise has outweighed freshman cruise immensely due to the simple fact you are more focused on your area of study, whereas freshman cruise is intended as more of a familiarization to life at sea.  One perk of junior cruise is the responsibility, which is literally placed on your shoulders from "last line" the moment you depart Castine.  To me, junior cruise is one of the last chances you have to learn hands on without your coast guard license (what you will have worked four years for) isn't on the line, and you can ask questions, develop confidence in yourself, and learn your environment.  Cruise is structured in a way where everyone works together to accomplish one ultimate goal: To maintain a safe voyage through due diligence, good work ethic, situational awareness, and a good attitude.  This makes for a successful cruise, which has definitely been the case of cruise 2006, and I think this is where the regimental life style helps keep us on track.  Some people may disagree, but if you look outside the box, the regiment is what helps us achieve this goal.  

            Junior cruise has been a great experience for me, and I concur with 4/C Vatsinaris when he says it's hard to be away from home.  It is very hard to be away from the "ones you miss and love"  but there are ways to stay in touch, which helps.  What is most rewarding about cruise for me is the fact that you learn about all aspects of shipping for 8 months in the class room, and then on cruise you actually apply your knowledge to hands on situations.  Just to name a few: line handling, terrestrial, celestial, and electronic navigation, watch standing, and most importantly, the responsibility and respect you must have for the ship, the sea, and everyone on board.  Cruise has definitely brought people closer together, and has been an unforgettable experience for me.  I'm grateful for the patience and accommodating nature of the ships crew and watch officers, whom I have learned a lot from.  Cruise has fulfilled my expectations, and my advice to the freshmen is to keep working hard.  I remember how freshman cruise was frustrating for me at times, but what you put into cruise and school will be superseded tenfold by what you get out of it.  Think of how many people our age have been through the Kiel Canal, Straights of Gibraltar, Dover Straights, Baltic, Mediterranean, North, and Celtic Seas on a sixty day training voyage..... Not many.

            Cruise has flown by.  It seems like just yesterday we let go the Castine Gangway and headed for Spain.  Thank you to those who have been following our voyage on line, and for taking the time to read our cruise perspectives.  We are looking forward to returning to our home port of Castine, Maine, with fair winds and following seas.

 Regards,

2/C Paul Grindle

Alpha Company Commander

Cadet 3/M                    

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Flat Stanley and Flat Stella

Flat Stella & Flat Stanley in their HIS / MMA Shirts

Position at 1200 Local Time (LT)                                                   Zone Description +1 hours
 Latitude  39-06.6  N   Longitude   041-00.9  W                                          3 hours ahead of Castine

Noon to noon (or Departure to Noon or Noon to Arrival):  
Distance:     366.7 Nmiles
Time run:     24 hrs  00 min
Average Speed.   15.3 Kts
Total passage distance:     1842.8 Nmiles       (to date)
Total passage Time:    05 Days    05 Hours     00 Minutes
Total Average Speed:    14.7  Kts

ETA Portland Maine  21 June 06 at 0700 Local time

Training  Company:            

Maintenance Company:      

Utility Company:                   

Duty (Watch) Company:       

Bravo

Charlie

Alpha

Wind:  WSW'ly 8 Knots
Sea:  Small WSW'ly
Swell:   W'ly
Sky:    Mostly sunny  & Fair Weather after morning mist.
Temperature:  71 Air    70 Sea    (in and out of the Gulf stream meant sea temps from 66 to 71)

Synopsis: .  On the West side of the Azores High

Testing this morning of the Electronic Chart Display System (ECDIS) actually allowing it to "drive" the ship.  Displayed is a one mile radius turn through waypoint #11 of our track.  Although a lot of ships today use this mode of steering for their entire voyage we do not; as we must train our students to be helmsmen.  We do, however, want them to see the available technology and be able to use it in their future careers at sea.

Our wake as we return to our track under the guidance of our ECDIS.

So, I wonder if the old Blarney Stone dispensed the gift of "DOWNEAST" Eloquence to this group?

Portland Info:

BERTH:  Maine State Pier, East Side

Portland/Castine  Excursion:

Portland to Castine the day we arrive back at our home berth has been designated as a possible "excursion day".  The U.S. Coast Guard has been asked to grant us a permit to take extra persons on board above our vessels certification.  To do this we have to have certain lifesaving procedures and equipment on board.  Accordingly the numbers we can take are strictly limited.  We, of necessity,  have limited our guests to 2 persons per upper class student on cruise (immediate family members only) plus official MMA invitees and crew member guests.  We can not offer more because we do not have the lifesaving capability.  Also this is always a tentative adventure which because of weather, security, operational difficulties etc. may be cancelled up to the last moment.  The security issue is becoming a big item in how we offer and execute these excursions, so for those who are planning to attend please be patient with the necessary procedures.

Schooner BOWDOIN Summer Cruise Itinerary:

01 June Underway Castine
03 June Brown's Bank
06 June Sable Island (weather permitting, if not we may stop on the way back)
08 June Strait of Canso
09 June Charlottetown PEI
11 June Summerside, PEI
14 June Isle de Magdeline
17 June Bras D'Or Lakes, Beddeck, NS
24 June Lunenburg NS
30 June Castine

UPDATE

Bowdoin Update from Captain Worth

June 14, 2006 2:20 PM

"We are four (4) hours off of Isle de Madelines. In thick fog, with no wind. We saw a lot of windmills on a wind generating plant on Prince Edward Island. All is well."
 

FURTHER E-MAIL UPDATE

6/14/06 Bowdoin Update

We are 58nm from Isle de Madeleine and motoring in light North winds, overcast and cool.

Last night watch reported impressive phosphorescence and schools of unidentified fish at the bow. We went by Cape North at dusk and saw a huge array of wind turbines. We hope to make landfall at 1500 today if the wind cooperates.

Best, John



 

 

Castine to Barcelona

Barcelona to Barcelona (Training)

Barcelona to Gibraltar

Gibraltar to Gdynia

Gdynia to Kiel

Kiel to Cuxhaven

Cuxhaven to Cobh

Cobh to Portland

Portland to Castine

TOTAL Cruise Mileage:      

    3614.6   Nautical Miles

      248.6   Nautical Miles 

      519.1   Nautical Miles  

    2442.4   Nautical Miles   

      357.4   Nautical Miles   

        99.0   Nautical Miles   

      841.7   Nautical Miles  

    2675    Nautical Miles   (Estimated)

        90    Nautical Miles   (Estimated)

    10,887.8  Nautical Miles  (Estimated)