Summer 2007: Before Going to Sea!

The Sea Education Association's Science at Sea program was divided into two components – the land component and the sea component. On land we had three classes every morning - Oceanography, Nautical Science, and Maritime Studies. We are were constantly hard at work - either on homework, assigned chores, or science research.

I learned many new things, including: how to tie knots, how to classify cloud types, how to steer and navigate a tall sailing ship in all different wind conditions, how to explain the chemistry of ocean water, how to explain how the sails work in terms of physics, the geography of the ocean floor, the differences between degrees (true, magnetic and compass degrees in terms of compass error), the anatomy of our ship and all its parts, how to talk like a sailor, and much, much more!

The group of 24 students was divided into three "Watches." These watches occurred on land and at sea. On land I was responsible for watches that included cooking, cleaning, and cleaning the head (the bathroom, in sailor talk). I was also occasionally "mate of the day" and helped with miscellaneous chores. I am well equipped to help clean my house and cook meals for my family! Aboard the ship, we helped navigate and steer the ship, took water samples to test for and collect data for salinity, temperature, fluorescence and studied the marine organisms on our course. We used various scientific instruments while we were hove to, or stopped, on the water: a hydrographic winch to lower the CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth recorder); the Secchi disk; the carousel water sampler; various plankton collecting nets (Neuston Net, Phytoplankton Net, and Meter Net).