my return to SEA! deckhand, S-234

As I mentioned earlier I was given the opportunity to volunteer as a deckhand this spring. I won't write too much about the experience as I talked about SEA a lot in my student  C-226 post, but it was an awesome trip and I was really excited to get some more time at sea. The students posted their experience on this S-234 blog for those who are interested, the trip ran from Honolulu, HI to Sandy Island, Midway Atoll, back to Honolulu. It was interesting getting to see the trip from a crew and operational perspective, also rewarding to discuss oceanography with the students (C Watch!!! you know who you are!) Pictures and captions to follow, also some text about our port stop in Midway Atoll. 

This is from turn-around week when crew preps the boat for new students. We are wrapping produce that will be stored on the ship for the next 8 weeks.

A clean boat is a happy boat! Different ships have different routines, SEA does a field day every saturday and a dawn clean up of below deck soles every morning.

This is from a field day, the hatch got grease all over my arm. It's also my actual hair color...

(before I dyed it dark brown in May)

Back to sailing, it's not all hardwork, there was lots of music onboard

And occasional fishing

This is from a line chase. The watches are tested on how well they know the rigging, here our chief mate  tries to expedite hesitation

Sheeting in the forestays'l 

Working on some navigation in the doghouse

Whenever you see this many people on the same line, it's the mains'l

Checking the hourly weather

Some students furling the jib

Yay science! That's me running the J-frame for a CTD deployment. Notice the "Zone of Death" sign which is hung whenever the hydrowinch is active

More science: winkle hats for winler titrations

 Our first day at Papahānaumokuākea National Monument setting up the gangway. We were fortunate to get to spend our time here, a locale that not many people get to see. On top of admiring the wildlife and albatross we also got to visit some Battle of Midway memorials.

Stopping gave us a chance to work in the rigging (I'm in the blue)

Now I'm way up there :)

You can see the SSV in the background, the island was literally covered with albatross

also charismatic megafauna

There are no cars allowed on the island, we biked everywhere

Checking out the visitor center

We got to help out working with some of the native plants

Baby albatross! SO CUTE!!!

We also took advantage of one of the only local hangout spots on a night off

During the trip we conducted several Man Over Board (MOB) drills

But for one day we got to launch the boat to see what the SSV Seamans looks like under sail as our only perspective had been from the deck

Most everything is set here (no sqaures, no rafee) but JT, jib, fore and main stays'l, and mains'l are up

We also got to do a swim call and jump off the bowsprit

I took advantage of snorkel time and stalked the fish

Unofficial state fish of Hawaii: Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

At the end of the trip the crew and students perform random skits (e.g. the human pyramid)

And once the students leave staff have one day to explore local haunts

All in all this was another great experience at sea, I hope to have another soon!