CBay Trip 2--Day Four

Hello from the Sigsbee! We are now on the fourth day of our journey, and we have been so busy for the past three days learning how to sail and set up camp that we haven’t had time to blog! We have been having tons of fun though. Here are some highlights from the first three days of our trip.

            On our first day, we met the Sigsbee out at St. Mary’s City. There we first met the crew and Captain Joe, and learned how to help get the boat off the dock and raise the sails. Once we were underway, we went over some boat rules, and got to know the crew a bit better with some fun games. After a relatively short sail, we pulled in to dock at Point Lookout, and learned how to set up camp. We cooked up a delicious dinner of tacos, and then gathered to discuss the day. We hashed out the plan for the next day, and then it was time for bed.

            The next day, we woke up bright and early to get ready for a long sail. We learned how to break camp, ate a quick breakfast, and then were sailing away by the time our on-land counterparts were just waking up! Since this was our first full day on the boat, we were able to do lots of cool stuff. We started our day learning about sail theory, and asked tons of good questions in order to understand why the boat moves the way it does. We learned the different points of sail, and were able to successfully identify where the wind was coming from. Then we learned the basics of navigation at sea. We found our position using landmarks around us, and learned how to chart a course. Next, were broken into two groups, or “watches,” in which we will learn and work on the boat for the rest of the trip. The watch groups were labeled “Port” and “Starboard,” after the sides of the boat, and a temporary watch leader was appointed. Then, at the very end of our morning, we got do something really cool—trawling! We ran an otter trawl net, a special kind of fishing net, from our boat into the water, and then worked as a team to haul it in. We had quite a catch—two different species of jellyfish, a variety of sea grasses, a croaker, and two searobins! After a break for lunch, we got to hold many of the things we caught, and we learned how to draw and label them scientifically. We helped to dock the boat at Crisfield, our next campsite. We set up camp, and then cooked a delicious 4^th of July dinner of burgers and hot dogs. After a very intense game of ultimate Frisbee, we were tired enough to head to bed and prepare for our next big day.

            On day three, we slept in luxuriously until 7 am! After breakfast, we headed out for our next day of sailing. This was the first day that we got to be “on watch”—we helped to navigate, look out for objects on the horizon, check the boat, record the conditions in the log, and even steer! While Port watch was “on watch,” Starboard watch was “off watch,” but they were still busy doing other educational activities with the crew. They learned about the Chesapeake Bay and performed some interesting water quality tests. They measured the pH, nitrates, and phosphate content of the water using a variety of scientific instruments such as colorimeters. After this instructive morning, we all ate a quick lunch and then docked at Tangier Island, a small, isolated island in the bay. We were able to leave Sigsbee for a few hours in order to explore the island. We learned about the local history through conversing with the island’s inhabitants, and we even got a chance to buy some cool souvenirs. Then, right before we left, we got a surprise treat—ice cream! After this delicious snack, we piled back onto the Sigsbee to sail back to our campsite. On the way back, the watches switched, so that Starboard watch was “on” and Port watch was “off.” Then, as we got close to the dock, we experienced a freak rainstorm—that came from the Sigsbee’s hose! A good time was had by all as we cooled off. We helped the crew dock and headed back to our campsite at Crisfield. After dinner, we watched a beautiful sunset over the wetlands at Crisfield. But our evening wasn’t over yet—we still had fun to come! After discussing the ups and downs of the day and the plans for tomorrow, we made a fire and got yet another treat—we made s’mores! After everyone enjoyed their second delicious snack of the day, it was time for bed.

            On day four, we were able to set up all the lines and fenders on the boat to leave without the crew’s help! They helped us to actually get off the dock, but we are definitely learning our way around the boat. We were also able to set sails much more smoothly, and learned how to actually tie the sails off after we pull them up. Then it was time for more tying—we learned several new knots that are used around the boat, and practiced some knots and coils that we had been taught already. We then jumped right in with more advanced sail theory, where we learned about the center of effort and began to be able to predict how the Sigsbee would move based on how many sails were up and where we were. We also learned about tacking and jibing, the two ways to turn the boat. Then we got some watch time, with Port watch "on watch" and Starboard watch creating models to demonstrate the effects of runoff. After watch it was time for lunch. The afternoon brought some chill time, when we played games on board and enjoyed another freak rain shower. Then we dropped anchor and got to swim! After our swim, we docked at Solomons Island, and got an awesome surprise for dinner—pizza! When we were all full, we made camp and worked on our Frisbee game some more. (Our goal is to toss a Frisbee 96 times without dropping it. We’re not there yet.) Finally, we settled into bed.

            It’s been an awesome trip so far! I can’t wait for the rest of it! Stay tuned for more blog posts in the coming days!