Maine Diaries: Progress is made
Each spring students from
Maine Maritime Academy
set sail on their training ship the State of Maine
for a two-month cruise. One student, Paul Kemp*, has
agreed to share his experience.
May 13- Welcome to beautiful Searsport. As a result of our minor engine trouble, I say that loosely of course, we are proud to arrive at our first port of call only five miles away from our starting destination. Ironically, our cruise shirt that commemorates our trip shows our training ship beached on shore. We should have been more aware of the bad omen we clearly created for ourselves.
But as we sit here tied up at this terminal, we have peace of mind knowing that our parts are in place and all we must wait for now is the shipment of our turbo from New Jersey. With any luck, we can start this ship down south and prove once and for all to the world that this is in fact a training ship, not a float in a parade or something.
To her credit, any engine and boat that has an exhaust manifold blow out, yet manage to have such a short layover, shows how hard work and the experience of the ship's crew can minimize the damage. Expecting weeks, we should now be under way in less than two, and I cannot stress enough how the skills of those in the engine department--officers and students alike--are the reason why we are returning to sea so soon. The hard work they put in cannot be measured, nor can the pride we all took in getting our ship back to sea where she belongs.
Previous posts:
May 5
May 7
May 9
May 10
May 12
*Paul Kemp is a pseudonym. The student has asked that his name be withheld out of respect for those with whom he is sailing.
May 13- Welcome to beautiful Searsport. As a result of our minor engine trouble, I say that loosely of course, we are proud to arrive at our first port of call only five miles away from our starting destination. Ironically, our cruise shirt that commemorates our trip shows our training ship beached on shore. We should have been more aware of the bad omen we clearly created for ourselves.
But as we sit here tied up at this terminal, we have peace of mind knowing that our parts are in place and all we must wait for now is the shipment of our turbo from New Jersey. With any luck, we can start this ship down south and prove once and for all to the world that this is in fact a training ship, not a float in a parade or something.
To her credit, any engine and boat that has an exhaust manifold blow out, yet manage to have such a short layover, shows how hard work and the experience of the ship's crew can minimize the damage. Expecting weeks, we should now be under way in less than two, and I cannot stress enough how the skills of those in the engine department--officers and students alike--are the reason why we are returning to sea so soon. The hard work they put in cannot be measured, nor can the pride we all took in getting our ship back to sea where she belongs.
Previous posts:
May 5
May 7
May 9
May 10
May 12
*Paul Kemp is a pseudonym. The student has asked that his name be withheld out of respect for those with whom he is sailing.
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