Barry the Bird

An Update from our ship's librarian Laurel

8/7/14

We struck anchor last night off of Montauk, Long Island – a pit stop on our way to Virginia where our MARAD “sea trial” begins. The color of the water here feels extremely familiar, reminding us that we are indeed close to home! The ship was so close to shore, in fact, that many of us picked up a bar or two on our phones. As a result, the library was rather empty last night, with everyone up on deck and chatting away. Cruise B is now clearly winding down and the cadets seem much more relaxed with many having already completed the "sheer torture" of their three-hour final exams. 

Awhile ago I mentioned our carrier pigeon-visitor, who sailed with us for a time and has finally re-entered the races. In his place, we have a new feathered friend to care for known as “Barry the Bird.” An ambitious sea gull, Barry suffered a minor concussion while diving down for food scraps and is currently being cared for in our avian sick bay on Boat Deck. Doctors say he has a healthy appetite and is right now enjoying his fill of imitation crab meat and sliced apple. Stay tuned for further updates on his progress and more news about the arrival of Empire State VI back to US shores! As for our present location, we’ll remain anchored until this evening for “quarterly drops,” the 4x yearly lowering of lifeboats into the water, and tomorrow will head south to Norfolk, Virginia.

Barry the Bird

Homeward Bound

An Update from our ship's librarian Laurel:

08/04/2014

It’s been smooth as polished glass these past few days, allowing for our easy passage past the steep and rugged cliffs of the Portuguese Azores, and continuing onward to the middle of the Atlantic. We are the only floating island on this calm sea, with not a glimpse of another mass of land in any direction – although discussions have often turned to the ocean territories beneath our feet. Flying fish leap ahead of us regularly, and a few cadets on bow lookout have even spotted an occasional blow from a whale!

Taking advantage of the sunny weather, our enthusiastic caterers from Chartwell’s decided to host  a barbecue not once, but twice yesterday, dishing up an endless supply of tasty burgers, hot dogs, corn, baked potatoes and more than half a dozen barrels of mouthwatering ice cream. Needless to say, our Sunday-at-sea was spent rather lazily, with cadets and faculty sprawled out across the decks to catch some z’s, or hanging out and playing music from each of the ship’s sunny hatches. 

There has been quite a bit of excitement lately around on our upcoming stop in Norfolk, Virginia, where we will pick up members of MARAD (the U.S. Maritime Administration) for a test of the ship’s capabilities while at sea. Although the Empire State has regular “dry dock” inspections to make sure its propeller and attendant parts are working effectively, these “sea trials” only happen once every couple of years. The main reason we find this so exciting is because the test involves a speed-trial, during which we will get to go fast! Although our typical speed runs between 8 and 12 knots, rumor has it we may push 20 during the trial and hopefully catch some ‘real’ waves.

For the mean time, we will continue our calm pace slightly northwards in the direction of the Canadian Maritimes. We are keeping this northerly course to avoid any encounter with tropical storm Bertha which is heating up along the Gulf Stream; for us now, it’s nothing but bright and cloudless skies!

Great Advice for Female Cadets

 An update from our ship's librarian Laurel,

08/01/14

When the men aboard the Empire State VI heard about the meeting that was taking place for women in the maritime trades, they joked. “Are you ladies conspiring?” one said. “Will there be boxing?” another grinned.

The informal lecture led by Mates Thayer and Chmielewski concentrated on the challenges of being a woman working in the maritime trades, an employment sector in which women are largely outnumbered by men. The twenty-five or so cadets in attendance, all of them women, were not there to vent about the men around them at all, but instead, came to discuss some positive tactics for building a career on equal footing. They came to hear what their post-regiment life would be like, a time when they will join a ship with people they may never have met before.

Mate Thayer began by talking about the extra scrutiny that women often face in her industry, where women stand out among other professionals aboard a ship. “It’s not a balanced environment and you will be watched with everything that you do, so you have to be on it, you have to be confident. The best way to deal with it is knowing how to do your job.”

While voicing similar ideas, Mate Chmielewski also mentioned the challenges of working as the only woman among men during her employment stints on commercial ships – and the need to be aware of your own particular circumstances. “You want to make sure that you set your boundaries. Don’t have relationships with anyone on the ship.”

Later on, the two Mates discussed what can happen in cases of sexual harassment and discrimination. “The first time anything like that happens you have to come down hard, and go to captain,” says Thayer. They both stressed the importance of keeping a written record in any such instances. “Stick to your guns and keep a log of anything that happens to you. If you let things go it won’t hold up in a court of law.”

In case of on-the-job injuries, they also gave solid advice, reminding the cadets to always let someone know, and never pretend like they aren’t injured. “Don’t feel like you have to prove something,” said Mate Chmielewski.

The mates also took questions, which ranged from advice about unions, contracts and more. Through the answers they gave and the stories they told about their own experiences, they gave a truly positive outlook on their lives as women in the maritime professions. The cadets in the audience were all ears – and looking forward to a rewarding career.

Cadet Shout Out: Martin Masterson, a 3rd class grad student, says “Hi to my Family and Maria Rose! I love you and I’ll see you soon.”

Lisbon

An update from our ship's librarian Laurel:

 

7/29/14

Lisbon is now in our wake and we are once again steaming ahead across the wide and windy Atlantic. As we take some long but gentle rolls, let me tell you a little about the fun times we had in this last exciting port, which were awash with sunshine and almost endless activity! While some us would have been content to sit in a café eating classic dishes such as bacalhau (cod) prepared in a thousand and one ways, Lisbon itself was waiting!

The first thing most  visitors to Portugal’s capital city will hear about is the Great Earthquake of 1755, which destroyed much of what was then one of the wealthiest cites in Europe. After the devastation, the city was rebuilt on a grand scale and much of what we see today still retains this early splendor. Sprawled across seven hills, Portugal’s capital requires impressive legwork to explore in a mere three days. Fortunately, public transport options abound in the form of trams, buses, trains and the occasional elevador, which kept our calve muscles from screaming too badly and let us experience some mind-blowing views!

 

Docked right next to the Alfama – Lisbon’s ancient section which was left standing after the earthquake  – most of us began our wanderings through the city’s  narrow becos (alleyways), which gradually ascend towards the Castelo de São Jorge for a spectacular glimpse out over Lisbon’s traditional red-roofed buildings. From here it was an easy stroll through the tiled streets and buildings of Baixa, the shopping district, to pick up souvenirs before hitting the student-friendly bars and high streets of Bairro Alto. Those cadets who weren’t too tired from their ‘night shifts’ out in the city headed the next day to Belem, a neighborhood steeped in maritime history where explorer Vasco de Gama set sail for India in 1497. The impressive Mosterio dos Jeronimos commemorates his return, and was once home to monks from the Order of St. Jerome, whose job it was to comfort weary sailors. Maybe they too had “Q’s” to pass or something as hard as the Coast guard licensing exam to study for?

 

Many among our shipmates also ventured further afield, preferring to take day trips to see sights beyond Lisbon’s urban landscape. One group ventured as far as Fatima, a sight important to Catholics where visionary peasants are said to have glimpsed the Virgin Mary. They returned with wonderful shots of the town’s basilicas as well as of the beautiful countryside. Another contingent of cadets and some crew headed north to the beach town of Cascais to soak up some sun, and to try some paddle boarding. Once a small fishing village, this fun little coastal town now boasts three beaches, a pedestrian-friendly old section and a great shore-side bike path, as well as lots of post-beach activity. Belonging to the frigid Atlantic, however, the water was almost spine-tingling! A quick dip in these clear but icy seas was enough for me, but not for the enthusiastic Dive Club, whose members slipped on full wetsuits with hoods for a two-tank scuba diving trip to a nearby island.

The divers are still talking excitedly about the types of fish they encountered, which included at least one octopus!

A different type of scenery altogether awaited yet another pack of my shipmates on a jeep tour of Sintra village, a World Heritage site full of narrow cobbled streets, nearby mountains and royal palaces dating to as far back as the 9th century.

Following hiking trails through the mountains and around nature preserves such as Parque da Pena, we wandered among the redwoods, lakes and valleys covered with ferns and often surrounded by a cool tropical mist. Along the way, castles rose mysteriously out of the fog!

A mere 10 miles west of town, we made a final stop at Cabo da Roca, the 150-meter sheer cliff that is the westernmost tip of Europe. Although New York City wasn’t exactly visible on the horizon, we snapped some pictures and waved to you all back at home. We are now on our final homeward stretch with only the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean to go!

 

Cadet Shout Out: Chris Marshall, 3rd class, says hi Mom and Dad! Miss you see you soon. Love you much & got you some great gifts.

 

 

 

 

Getting Closer to Lisbon

An Update from our Ship's Librarian Laurel:

 

07/22/14

 

The horn has been blowing every two minutes or so for the past two days, but we are now finally emerging from a dense enveloping mist, as well as a fair amount of boat traffic down the English Channel. For those of us who aren’t busy navigating, standing on deck with only that whiteness around you is a truly awesome experience! As of this afternoon, it’s finally clear again however as we zip across the Bay of Biscay.

 

Our Sunday-at-sea was spent lounging around the aft sundeck, as well as reading, watching movies, playing dominoes, and hitting the gym (or thinking about it). While watches were still on, all classes were cancelled. The extra time gave many cadets the welcome opportunity to catch up on homework, study for license exams, and read over their notes for any midterms still to come.

 

Everyone’s thoughts have now turned to Lisbon, with its beautiful beaches and amazing views from the summit of the city’s seven hills. Yesterday evening, Henry from Chartwell’s – born in Lisbon– gave us a slideshow and lecture in the cadet lounge about all the activities available in the city of his birth. The cadets certainly sound like they are ready to tackle Lisbon, and I’ve been hearing lots of intense discussion. Tours are also scheduled for outside the city, including a bus trip to the local beach town of Caiscais, and a jeep tour of Sintra, a hill village with a fairy tale-like palace and lots of nature trails. Around town, Henry also mentioned a great many sights and neighborhoods worth exploring, in addition to some lovely parks, museums and restaurants worth visiting. His pictures were outstanding and we thank him for his many fine suggestions!

 

No sight of our feathered friend today, who yesterday was spotted roosting in one of the lifeboats. Maybe he left us for the beaches of France, or some English scones along the way.

Look out for plenty of pictures and more news soon after our upcoming break in Portugal!

 

Cadet Shout Out: Matt Hayes, from the 2nd class, says “Hi mom and dad, having a blast on the TSES 2014! Miss you and see you soon.”

Headed through the Channel

Update from the ship's librarian, Laurel.

7/20/2014

 

We have a stowaway!

Fortunately, he eats like a bird of his (or her?) size should, and is not large enough to require a full-size plate at meal times. He also has yet to request a berth, preferring instead the slight winds at our port side as they blow gently through his tail feathers. We have yet to name our visitor, a homing pigeon, but he is very friendly and unafraid of his fellow shipmates. He has two small bracelets on either foot, one black and the other green.

As Britannica tells me, pigeons were first domesticated in Egypt around the year 3000 BCE, served as post carriers during the conquests of Genghis Khan, and were widely used as message couriers throughout many wars of the 20th century. The first pigeon races began in Belgium in 1818, and are still held regularly between Toulouse, France and Brussels, Belgium and also around the UK.

We can’t tell just where our little friend traveled from, but we hope that safe passage aboard the Empire State VI gets him just a little closer to his intended destination. Homing pigeons have been known to fly for several thousand miles to reach home, but even they can’t beat a free ride by sea.

 

In other news, our route has changed, and we are now headed through the English Channel. Tomorrow is a Sunday-at-Sea, which means a BBQ on deck! Check back soon for more updates and news.

Address for Portugal:

TS Empire State

c/o Marmedsa - Agencia

Maritima, LDA.

Av. D. Joao II - Lote 1.18.01 - Bloco B

Piso 2

Edificio Art's - Parque das Nacoes

1990-084 - Portugal

Kattegat

Update from the ship's librarian, Laurel.

7/19/2014

 

We’ve had a calm few days at sea with lots of activity down here in the library, due in part probably, to midterms. All the students are busy studying, carrying around their rolled up charts, checking and re-checking tables, and burying themselves in colossal engineering textbooks. Of course, there is always the massive ongoing 3-table-long foosball tournament happening in the lounge for those in need of a little diversion.

 

 

In my spare time, I’ve actually started to half-understand my way around the TS Empire State VI, which – for those of you who don’t know this already – is actually a converted cargo ship. Although it’s always possible to wander around using the ladders outside the ship, inside it is easy to get turned around – until an instructor points out the schematic drawing hanging right in front of your nose! Now I can vaguely understand the layout of the ship’s “watertight bulkheads,” which isolate cargo holds in case of emergencies, but require lots of extra stairs when going from one hold to the next. From all this I can guess that we are presently in hold #3, and that the roof above us once opened up on a regular basis so that cars, sacks of grain, or all manner of other goods might be carefully and efficiently transported from one country to another.

 

 

We have left the Baltic and are presently somewhere in the Kattegat, the broad arm of the North Sea in Scandinavia. I hear we may be “bunkering” soon, which if I understand correctly means that we are stopping to refuel close to Skagen, on the northern tip of Denmark. From there, we are heading back around Scotland and down the calm Irish Sea.

 

 

Cadet Shout Out: John Hannon, 2nd classman, who already said hi to his parents, now wants remind them to send him lots of treats for his birthday. He says he has a cold but will hopefully get better soon, and candy will help. He misses Tootsie! Love you, see you soon.

Baltic Sea bound!

Update from the ship's librarian, Laurel.

7/17/2014

We are now staring into the mouth of Baltic Sea, somewhere between Germany and Denmark. With lower salt content than many other oceans, the Baltic has sometimes been seen as one big river mouth which often gets covered with ice in the winter.

Fortunately, it’s quite warm now with very sunny conditions for those on watch at the weather deck to lookout for other vessels and for those of us on break to scan for porpoises and chat.

I’ve been trying to learn a little bit more about how this ship gets from point a to b, and the cadets have been very happy to demonstrate the use of various kinds of instruments and computer equipment that’s required. So far I can understand just one thing clearly, which is that navigation is complicated business.

Hanging out in the aft chart room, a young lady mug explains to me that looks can be deceiving – the maps on the wall are apparently not “maps” at all, but are instead known as charts, which reveal key information such as ocean depth, currents, shoals, rocks, and other obstacles using various symbols. We talk a little about what I still refer to as “maps” as she shows me what she is up to on “ECTIS” – the “electronic chart display information system” that is used for paperless navigation.

The chart room is always one of the busiest places on the ship – full of cadets measuring the angles of the sun or the stars, finding the variation between true and magnetic north, examining our progress on charts of varying scales for various purposes, plotting our course based on way points and compass bearings, and doing what amounts to some very complicated math. (Thanks to instructors Lou Muno and Rick Martucci for helping me understand the tiniest fraction of what I’m looking at, but I think I will leave all the navigation business to the hardworking cadets!)

Shout out: Zac Curtis, Ist classman, says “Hi Mom and Dad! Finally made it to the library to study ! Love you!”

Copenhagen...July 14, 2014

We are off to a slow, but still functioning, start today as we leave the port of Copenhagen behind in search of more temperate waters. As you may have heard, our time in Denmark’s capital city has been a blast, chock full of visits to great museums, outdoor music shows, and glitzy amusement parks. Now, it’s back to the ship life, but also time to rest and recap!

Berthed only a half mile away from the popular Nyhavn area, we were all pretty pleased with our close proximity to the city’s many incredible eateries, drinking establishments, and free outdoor concerts, which took place along the canals and in public squares as part of Copenhagen’s Summer Jazz Festival. Many of us enjoyed grabbing a few of the local version of the hotdog – topped with fried onions and sweet pickles – and listening to the music, which ranged from bluesy singer-songwriters to rock and New Orleans style jazz.

By day, we were busy either exploring the city on foot or by bicycle – locals’ preferred mode of transport. Although Copenhagen is a relatively small city, it’s spread out like the boroughs of New York with many smaller island neighborhoods.

Happy to roam beyond the central areas, we ventured further afield in search of youthful vibes in places like Vesterbro and Christiania, stopping at the palaces of Rosenborg and Amalienborg to watch the changing of the guard.

With three full days to spare, a large contingent of us escaped the city for at least a day to visit the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, home to ocean-going vessels, warships, and fishing boats from the 11th Century and an excellent exhibition about Viking-era maritime technology. Another group of us opted to wade through literary history with a visit to the busy port town of Elsinore and Kronborg Castle, setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. While it was possible to scramble underground through the dark dungeons, the apartments upstairs were obviously a little nicer, adorned with beautiful tapestries and sumptuous banquets fit for kings and queens. 

In addition to the unusual green gargoyles adorning the sides of many buildings and parks, Copenhagen’s phenomenal art museums were another big draw. Some of us headed to the Statens Museum for Kunst, which spans seven centuries of European art, while a few of us explored the modern (and phenomenal) sculpture garden of Louisiana, a short train ride away from Central Station or 20 minutes by car (thank you to my friend Liss, a local, for taking me!). Closer to home, there was also the impressive and free Danish Naval Museum, which spans Danish maritime history with more than 400 model ships, charts, walk-through displays, and a variety of navigational instruments.

As if all that wasn’t enough to exhaust the heck out of…well…just me, we also had the colossal grounds of Tivoli to contend with, where at least few of us (I hear) got hopelessly lost amidst neon-lit carnival rides, food stalls, and a wicked roller coaster known as The Demon.

Check back soon to hear more about our next adventures on cruise B, after a couple good night’s of rest!

Cadet shout out: Casey Ford, 3rd class mug from Owego, NY, says “Hi to my parents and my brother! I’m giving it all she’s got!”

Cruise B Photos

Photos from the Empire State VI at sea taken by our ship's librarian Laurel:

Gibraltar..next stop Cobh

Update from ship's librarian, Oleg:

The Empire State VI  is bunkering in Gibraltar.  The Engineering cadets are responsible for that task.  As it is standard procedure, smoking is secured all over the ship.

Mid-terms are underway for first class cadets.  The second and third class cadets are taking their finals as well.

First class deckies are preparing for CWO (cadet watch officer) watch.  Guidelines for preparation for said watch have been distributed via thumb drives.

Safety notes from the Regiment office are being added to the Plan of the day.  Cadets are receiving reminders such as "Always use handrail when ascending and descending ladder wells" by Cadet Miranda and "Always wear PPE and carry rates at all times" by Cadet Shaw.

As the change over is fast approaching, many students are making their travel arrangements from JFK.  Some are carpooling while others make alternate plans.

The ship will be berthing at the Cobh Passenger Terminal (for cruise ships) at the end of the month.

Shout out from Anonymous: "Hartford Whalers, we're #1!"

That's all for now.

Training in the Mediterranean

A report from our ship’s librarian, Oleg:

While drifting in the vicinity of the Balearic island, Mallorca we conducted an exercise with the Spanish Coast Guard. Their helicopter hovered over the ship and deposited a training item and then proceeded to pick it up.

The plan is to return to Gibraltar on Sunday to bunker. Fire drills and abandon ship drills are conducted on a frequent basis. For some fire drills, cadets roll out fire hoses and spray water on the deck to help prepare them for this kind of emergency.  In addition to this hands-on training 3^rd classmen are also required to view fire safety training videos at the library.

 As final exams approach, the weather remains fair and general morale is high although some cadets show some traces of homesickness.  To help combat this some students play chess and other board games in the library. A foosball table just stationed outside of the library sees a lot of action as well.

 

Strait of Gibraltar

An update from our ship’s librarian Oleg,

The Empire State VI approached the Strait of Gibraltar on Tuesday. We were able to obtain a cell phone signal there so the ship was full of students rejoicing in the opportunity to use their cell phones in order to contact loved ones at home.

The plan is to circle the island of Mallorca at low speed, to allow the cadets plenty of time for navigation practice. We will then head back to Gibraltar for bunkering and proceed to set course for the Strait of Cobh.

Shout out from Cadet Whitney Taylor: “I love you, AC”

Mailing Address in Cobh:

Cadet John/Jane Doe

TS Empire State

c/o Burke Shipping Cork

Westlands House,

Rushbrooke,

Cobh, Co. Cork.

Ireland

Tenerife!

We docked at Tenerife, which is the largest populated Spanish island and also the largest island in the Canary chain. Everyone enjoyed the Tenerife port and the weather treated us very well.
Some cadets explored the capital city of the island, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, by foot, bike, and skateboard. While other cadets headed for the beach. The ship was not docked near swimmable waters so a bus ride to the area was required. The Regiment  also organized an excursion to Teide National Park which is centered around Mount Teide, the highest mountain of Spain. At the park, some cadets participated in activities such as diving and went on a jeep safari expedition.

 We left Tenerife at 8am on Sunday, and are now back in the Atlantic.

The sailing plan is to complete some circles in the Atlantic and then enter into the Mediterranean Sea where the cadets can conduct some piloting and navigation exercises - afterwards we'll be heading to Cobh, Ireland.

Now that we are back at sea everyone has resumed their regular duties.

Special greeting from Cadet Mercante: "Hi MG, love".

Cruise Photos

Dear Readers,

We at the library received a wonderful surprise today when the mail arrived.  Oleg had mailed to us prior to the departure from Baltimore a collection of photographs he took during the first part of Cruise A.

Enjoy!