0600 hours

Current Position: Anchored south of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge.
Latitude: 41˚ 56.4'
Longitude: 073˚ 57.1'

Day Four of the second leg of our Fall 2008 Voyage of Discovery.

Both the senior and student crews rise before dawn today for a special event. Our overnight guest, the photojournalist Rene Clement, wants to capture images of the Half Moon as dawn breaks.

As the first rays of sunlight creep across the sky, our photographer snap away.

While Mr. Clement is off in the Zodiac, the rest of the crew hustles to make the ship look its best.

0700 hours

Eventually, the Sun comes up -- and the cameras run out of film -- so the photo op comes to an end and the Zodiac returns to the ship.

This also frees our rig teams to return to deck.

Mr. Clement's return to the ship is brief. He collects his gear, says his thanks and farewells, and then returns to the ship's tender, where Mr. Schuijer runs him to shore at Rhinecliff.

0715 hours

With our guest gone, our crew members rub the sleep from their eyes and settle into the morning -- starting with breakfast.

1000 hours

Last night, the students completed their orientation by choosing presentation topics and devising a hypothesis to test. Now entering the data collection stage of their Voyage of Discovery, the students spend the morning practicing with the materials they will use.

Here, Cheyenne and Nicole test out the simple pulley rig they've erected to measure the effects of mechanical advantage.

1030 hours

Readings for the Deck Log continue on schedule as well.

Tyler W. and Ryan will be studying salinity for their presentation, using titration tests to recheck the samples we collected between Haverstraw Bay and the Hudson Highlands. Dr. Jacobs leads them through the steps of using a titration kit.

Mouse over for a
quick shoe repair.

1045 hours

Fashion emergency! One of Jamie's shoes has started to split -- from hard wear, we imagine, rather than a sudden growth spurt. Cheyenne leaps to her aid, taping the ailing shoe back together.

1100 hours

We're coming to slack tide, so it's time to run out the anchor rode.

Mouse over to walk the capstan.

1115 hours

Once again, our anchor teams leap into position. While the capstan team gradually walks the anchor home...

...the below decks team keeps pressure on the rode as it passes around the lower capstan to prevent overrides.

Mouse over to grip the rode.

Of course, the rode is already under immense pressure on the side where it enters the hawsehole and runs to the capstan. As Derrick handles the line, his tight grip is enough to squeeze sheets of water out of the taut line.

As the chain runs in and we near completion of the procedure, the faking team wraps up their work.

Mouse over to sweat the anchor.

The final step, as always, falls to the fore deck crew. Mr. Terry tails the line as Mr. Prime sweats, lifting the anchor from the water line one heave at a time.

On the fore channel, Mr. Morel guides the anchor as it slides up the hull, then quickly lashes it in place as soon as it reaches the channel. The anchor is now secure, and we can be on our way.

1130 hours

With the ship underway, the students return to their river science work. Ryan and Tyler organize their salinity samples while John check in with the Deck Log.

1145 hours

After unfurling the sails at dawn for Mr. Clement, we've left them down in the hopes of sailing today. Unfortunately, the wind isn't with us, so we send teams of climbers -- including Devin and Elora here -- into the rig to furl the sails.

1200 hours

We pass under the Kington-Rhinecliff Bridge right at midday.

Having finished furling the top sails, our rig teams now start working their way down.

1300 hours

Lunch is served! Today the main course is a spicy soup. Is that chicken curry we taste?

1400 hours

The students have spent the day preparing to collect data, but for the most part the actual work must wait until we reach Athens Channel. For now, the students work on their data tables and relax in the breeze.

1415 hours

Cheyenne and Nicole have no need to wait, however; everything they need for their experiment is hanging right from the mizzen stay. With Ms. Smith's assistance, they start collecting data.

1500 hours

As we enter Athens Channel, we pass the town of Athens itself.

We will spend our next few days moored at Peckham Materials, a frequent host for the ship during these Voyages of Discovery and for our summer maintenance projects.

As we approach their facilities, we bring out fenders to protect the ship's hull from wear and tear.

For this docking operation, Mr. Gorter has been stationed at Line Three. While he awaits a command, he practices his marlinspike.

Knotwork will have to wait, however -- we're approaching our mooring right now.

Mouse over to jump ship.

1515 hours

As we approach the floating barge, Mr. Schuijer leaps over to attend our lines. Don't try this one at home!

Once Mr. Schuijer is on the barge, we pass over our dock lines for him to secure.

In the helm hutch, Cheyenne and Dr. Jacobs hold the whipstaff at far right to help the ship sidle into position. Meanwhile, Grayson acts as communicator, relaying commands between the captain on the Quarter deck and the crew at Line Four.

1530 hours

We are now safely moored at Peckham Materials. Captain Reynolds calls the crew together for a meeting, and explains that we will layover here for the next 48 hours, giving the students ample time to concentrate on their projects.

1600 hours

While the students turn to their river science, the senior crew handles the shipcraft -- in this case, applying chafing gear to protect our docking lines from abasions as the ship gently rocks to and fro.

Mr. Beiter leads Devin, Elora, and Nicole through a titration kit demonstration. In this case, they're testing for the amount of dissolved oxygen in a water sample collected from the side of the ship.

The other students leap into their work as well. Tyler W. helps John tighten his safety harness before they both climb out onto the channel -- John to collect water samples for his project, and Tyler to test the channel's turbidity for the Deck Log.

1615 hours

Before John can start collecting samples for his water column project, he must calibrate his instruments. In this case, that means persoanlly measuring and marking the line he will use to lower the Van Dorn sampler into the water.

1630 hours

With his preliminary work done, John steps out onto the channel to collect the first of many water samples.

Meanwhile, Alexis and Derrick are literally working around the students on the channel. For their project measuring the channel's tidal patterns, they will work as a team, with one of them stationed at either end of the weather deck to time the current speed. Here they enter their data after their latest such reading.

Mouse over to rub
the Beiter Belly.

1700 hours

Although it's getting to be late in the day, we're sending out our first Zodiac expedition right now. Devin and Elora are studying dissolved oxygen levels in the channel, and for that project we need to collect samples.

Mr. Beiter is feeling a little plump after gearing up for the trip.

Mouse over to launch the expedition.

1715 hours

Devin and Elora head out with Mr. Beiter, Dr. Jacobs, and Captain Reynolds. For their project, they will collect surface samples from a transect of the channel. This means they will move in a straight line from one shore to the other, taking samples at set distances.

While the Zodiac team is away, Ryan has been accepting hairstyle advice from his friends. It's an... interesting look.

We continue collecting data for student projects and the Deck Log as night slowly creeps into the region.

1900 hours

The Zodiac team has returned, bearing all the samples Devin and Elora will need for their presentation. They'll spend tomorrow rigorously testing each sealed water sample.

1930 hours

Dinner is served just after sunset. Tonight we are treated to sausages with mashed potatoes and kale.

2045 hours

After dinner, the students retreat to their bunks on the orlop deck. It's been a long day, and after updating their journals the students are eager for some sleep.

We will maintain an anchor watch tonight, primarily to monitor our dock lines through an initial tidal cycle, but also to maintain our Deck Log schedule. With that in mind, we call it a day.

Next Time: A Day at Athens Channel!

On this date in 1609:

The sixteenth, faire and very hot weather. In the morning our Boat went againe to fishing, but could catch but few, by reason their Canoes had beene there all night. This morning the people came aboord, and brought us eares of Indian Corne, and Pompions, and Tobacco: which wee bought for trifles. Wee rode still all day, and filled fresh water; at night wee weighed and went two leagues higher, and had shoald water: so wee anchored till day.

-- Robert Juet's Journal.