Underway to Riga

June 2, 2011

It only took a few days after Aalborg for us to get back into our underway routines. Some cadets are painting, some are standing watch, and others are studying. Depending on the day, the cadets rotate their duties. The instructors are putting in eighteen hour plus days between teaching class, grading papers, and standing their own watches. At first I thought of the Empire State VI as a floating classroom and while she is educational, the experience is really an exploration of maturity for the cadets. Participating in Summer Sea Term is really a study of finding the right answers unexpected questions, showing initiative and tenacity, and always being prepared for the unknown.

Over the weekend the cadets trained in practical deck and engineering exercises which included damage control, seamanship, boat rescue, block and tackle, search and rescue, etc. One of the instructors helped to take pictures of these exercises and will assist again during the ship's "Carnival."

Cadets have been avid readers of C.S. Forrester’s Hornblower series, and some attention has been paid to the local wildlife at sea. Of note have been a few unique gulls and osprey. I'm writing the final draft of the port brochure for Riga, Latvia with input from officers, cadets, and librarians on shore. Riga is a modern European city and the second largest in the Baltic. There will be plenty of museums, cafes, shopping, and entertainment. Personally, the Botanical Garden, Bikeernieki Forest, and the Art Nouveau in the Centre district are on my list. The ports of Gdynia, Poland and Cobh, Ireland will be here before we know it.