0700 hours

Current Position: Anchored at Haverstaw Bay.
Latitude: 41˚ 12.5'
Longitude: 073˚ 56.0'

Day Five of the first leg of our Fall 2008 Voyage of Discovery.

Special thanks to Ms. Fountain and Mr. Woodworth for taking many of today's photos while Mr. Mangrum finished catching up in the "back office."

After breakfast, we begin the morning with mail call. Captain Reynolds musters the crew and reads them the e-mails we've received from you, the friends, family, and interested schools following our progress through these logs. And yes, indeed, parents, your lovey dovey messages were exactly as embarrasing as requested!

Here's a selection of reactions to your well-wishes. For a response, see the end of this log.

0900 hours

After mail call, the day truly begins. The teachers have introduced a new ethical Pillar today: Fairness. The students will consider and discuss its meaning and write about it in their journals.

0930 hours

The first Zodiac expedition is due to head out for some explorations. Mr. Woodworth straps Kathleen into a life vest for safety -- it's just her luck to get the one that always makes its wearer look like a puppet from a Punch & Judy show.

0945 hours

While the first Zodiac expedition heads out, the rest of the student crew return to their projects. We don't plan on leaving Haverstraw Bay until midafternoon, so the students have plenty of opportunity to continue collecting data before the layover concludes.

1000 hours

The students are working together as a team, covering each other for data collection to free their crewmates for other activities, such as Zodiac expeditions or climbing the rig.

Ms. Smith and Mr. Schuijer accompany Ericka and Mike up the rigging. This time, however, the students aren't just going aloft for the view; there's a job to be done.

We hope to set sail after we weigh anchor. To that end, we must first unfurl the sails, meaning to free the sails from their protective lashings.

1100 hours

The first Zodiac expedition has returned! They buzz the Half Moon a few times before approaching to snap a few photos.

Mr. Woodworth and his all-student crew hook the tender to its shackles and climb back on board.

1130 hours

For the students who've been away exploring Haverstraw Bay, it's time to return to their work. This is a crucial period for Kathleen and Tyler's celestial tracking project; to determine the precise time of True Noon, they must take quadrant readings with ever greater frequency as midday approaches.

1145 hours

The remaining students have been patiently awaiting their turn in the ship's tender. Having duly transferred their data collection duties to their peers, they gear up for the final Zodiac expedition on their Voyage of Discovery.

Once they're ready, the students eagerly climb down the Jacob's Ladder...

...and are away, treating themselves to a little high-speed maneuvering as they go.

1200 hours

By now, many student teams have collected their entire data set and are ready to move on to the next stage: preparing their final presentations.

The teachers set out a variety of materials to incorporate into their work.

The students must graph their data as well as prepare an oral presentation on their research and findings.

1230 hours

While everyone is at least headed into the final stretch by now, some students continue to collect data, doublechecking their earlier figures.

1430 hours

The final Zodiac team has returned to the ship, so we have all hands accounted for on board.

Captain Reynolds convenes the student crew to introduce them to the principles and methods of lines of position.

1500 hours

After an introductory briefing to teach them how to read a nautical chart, the students split into teams with directional compasses and site several nearby landmarks, comparing their readings.

1530 hours

For the Half Moon, this layover at Haverstraw Bay has come to its natural end. To begin the preparations for our departure, the students help haul the Zodiac up onto the side of the ship.

Mouse over to smile for the camera.

That done, they coil the lines to tidy the deck. For some old salts like Gabby, line handling is now a familiar skill, though these serious sailors may occasionally be so intent on their work that they may fail to notice their crewmates being goofballs.

Mouse over to walk the capstan.

1545 hours

Once again the capstan crew winds in the anchor rode. It takes every free hand to haul up the anchor, but just this once, we don't have to do it in the rain!

While the capstan crew toils at their bars, Mr. Gorter stands on the fore deck, indicating the lay of the anchor rode with his arm. One major advantage the Replica Ship Half Moon has over Hudson's original vessel is our engine, which allows us to maneuver over the anchor and reduce our load.

In Hudson's day, depending on the conditions, weighing anchor could easily become a three-day affair as the crew battled the wind and tide. In comparison, our usual 20-30 minutes don't sound so bad!

On the orlop deck, Jared helps haul the rode back toward the bits (a massive cleat also known as the Sampson bar) after it passes around the lower capstan.

Behind Jared, Chris and Tee-Ahna are today's fakers. Ms. Smith controls the rode at the bits (by being prepared to belay it at any moment), just in case of unexpected emergencies.

In fact, the anchor rises to the surface upside down, fouled in its own chain, but this is a relatively minor problem and easily remedied with a bit of extra time.

1600 hours

While the fore deck crew sets the anchor straight, Shannon patiently mans the helm, keeping the whipstaff hard right as ordered.

1630 hours

With the anchor secured, we continue upriver and indulge in one last opportunity for some sailing, giving the students an opportunity to try new crew positions. While Mr. Morel's fore mast team sets the fore course, Mr. Schuijer assigns Tyler S. to the position of mast captain for the main mast team.

1645 hours

With the sails set, the ship is soon taking care of itself. As we glide northward toward Peekskill, the crew turn their attention toward other concerns. Mr. Schuijer and Ms. Smith kick around a soccer ball discovered during the crab expedition. As far as river pollution goes, it's pretty fun.

1700 hours

While the senior crew plays, the dutiful student crew toils below, cleaning the orlop deck. When the anchor rode passes around the deck after being hauled in, it often leaves a wet, muddy mess in its path.

Mouse over for another view.

1715 hours

We're coming up on King Marine, where we began the voyage. We won't be stopping there today, but we do want to honor our frequent host.

Mr. Woodworth is in charge of firing the cannons, and allows an eager Alex to clean out the cannon's barrel.

1730 hours

To pick up a touch of speed, we've also set the top sails, and are now leaving Haverstraw Bay at a respectable pace.

As the students prepare their presentations, they consult with senior crew members, who critique their work and propose possible improvements. Captain Reynolds likes to personally review each presentation before "show time."

Meanwhile, directly below Kathleen and Tyler, Mia and Michael are consulting with Ms. Smith, who has advised them throughout their mechanical advantage project.

Mr. Gorter is suddenly summoned to the weather deck -- Mr. Shuijer has seen a ship full of his countrymen closing in on us!

That vessel is the Frisian Spring, a tanker motoring northward alongside us.

Mouse over to watch the river traffic.

At the same time, a tugboat hauling a barge is heading south. Should anyone wonder why the Replica Ship Half Moon needs an engine, it's because Captain Hudson never had to maneuver clear of river traffic like this!

Due to the nature of their experiment, Alex and Gabby are still collecting data. They will continue to measure the Hudson's salinity levels until we reach our anchorage tonight.

1745 hours

For the most part, however, the ship's atmosphere has grown quiet while everyone focuses on preparing their written work.

Even now, of course, students must report to their watch duties. Chris is contentedly finishing out his hour at the helm.

In case anyone's ever wondered where these logs are produced, here's Mr. Mangrum in his "Day Office" in the great cabin (officers' quarters), adding new photos to some Learning Pages.

(The "Night Office" is in the corner behind him, and sees about as much use.)

1800 hours

After much anticipation, we are now passing King Marine at Verplanck, NY.

The crew masses at the starboard rail and covers their ears as they prepare for our cannon salute.

Mouse over to give fire!

For obvious safety reasons, no students are allowed in the orlop deck when the falconettes (a small type of cannon) are fired (much to the students' regret). The duty of loading and firing the falconette falls to the ships' weaponsmaster, who on this trip is Mr. Woodworth, who is actually quite skilled and experienced at this sort of thing, his Charlie Chaplin reaction to the blast notwithstanding.

1830 hours

Tonight Mr. Gorter serves dinner in two courses. First, for starters, we begin with some of his famed mustard soup.

1900 hours

This is followed by a main course of pasta and salad.

1930 hours

As we round the bend at Peekskill and close in on Bear Mountain Bridge, we enter the Hudson Highlands. The mountainous slopes around us block the wind, bringing an end to our sailing day. As the last sunlight fades, we furl the sails.

1945 hours

Working by flashlight, Alex and Gabby continue their sampling into the night as we pass through the Highlands.

2100 hours

With the hour growing late, the students filter into the orlop deck, where their teachers have one more project waiting for them.

Ms. O'Leary guides a lesson on writing poetry, which the students will apply to the inspiration they took from the Waterfalls we passed at the tip of Manhattan.

After the lesson, the students retire to their bunks to settle down, update their journals, and unleash their creativity.

The students will recite their poems tomorrow before the science presentations.

2200 hours

Under cover of night, we've reached our anchorage: a section of river known as Newburgh Bay, just south of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. As the swift currents pull at the anchor rode, Ms. Smith becomes a blur of activity as she makes off the line, securing us for the night.

2215 hours

One last thing before the crew calls it a night: They would like to respond to everyone who wrote in to us and who is reading this now, potentially including the new crew members who will be joining us in just two days.

Thank you for your support, everyone!

Next Time: Student Presentations!

On this date in 1609:

The eleventh, was faire and very hot weather. At one of the clocke in the after-noone, wee weighed and went into the River, the wind at South South-west, little winde. Our soundings were seven, sixe, five, sixe, seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, thirteene, and fourteene fathomes. Then it shoalded againe, and came to five fathomes. Then wee Anchored, and saw that it was a very good Harbour for all windes, and rode all night. The people of the Countrey came aboord of us, making shew of love, and gave us Tobacco and Indian Wheat and departed for that night; but we durst not trust them.

-- Robert Juet's Journal.