0700 hours

Current Position: Docked at Peckham Materials in Athens Channel.
Latitude: 42˚ 16.3'
Longitude: 073˚ 48.1'

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

Today marks the climax of our student's educational journey. Not only is today the final full day of the voyage, this is also the day when they will deliver their student presentations to the entire crew.

With the calm weather we've had the last few days, the students have taken every opportunity to sleep under the stars on the weather deck. Dawn makes for a gentle alarm clock as well.

0930 hours

After breakfast, the students plunge into their work. By now all of their data has been collected, so all that remains now is to graph their raw data into a presentable format.

0945 hours

The orlop deck is similarly dedicated to graphwork and note taking.

The students have a deadline; the captain has requested that all presentation materials be complete by midday, when our layover here at Peckham Materials is due to end.

1130 hours

As the clock runs out, everyone can use a salty snack.

While preparing their graphs, the students have also been encouraged to seek advice from the educators and other members of the senior crew.

On the fore deck, Dr. Jacobs works wih Grayson and Jamie to fine-tine their celestial tracking presentation.

1145 hours

By now, most of the students have completed their work and are in need of something to do.

Mr. Prime recruits all interested parties into helping him mend the ship's flags. Just like everything else on a working sailing vessel, flags wear out through use and need occasional repairs.

1200 hours

As the deadline looms, John goes over his notes one last time. The students have all now completed their presentation materials, including a graph and data table.

Mouse over for another view.

1230 hours

With the students' work done, they find themselves with some free time before we depart. Many take the opportunity to try -- or revisit -- activities they enjoy, such as climbing the rig to take in the view.

1250 hours

Our climbers scramble back down to the weather deck when the hot dogs come out for lunch.

1330 hours

We are entering the flood tide, so at long last we must end our layover at Athens Channel.

Captain Reynolds steps over to shore to thank our hosts at Peckham Materials, and then tends our mooring lines upon his return.

Of course, once the lines are removed (and with a light westerly wind blowing the ship away from the barge), the problem of getting back on board becomes increasingly tricky.

Mouse over for a leap of faith!

With the assistance of Mr. Schuijer and a safety line, Captain Reynolds gets back on board by leaping into the shrouds. (Trained professionals only, student crew!)

As soon as the captain is on board, Alexis and Ms. Smith haul in Line Three and we're away.

1345 hours

With Peckham Materials and our layover behind us, the Half Moon travels north through Athens Channel with Mr. Hansen at the con.

Below decks, Captain Reynolds reviews our dock line procedures with the Line One team, Devin and Ms. Smith. Since the captain's stories are too long to repeat here, we'll just use this opportunity to show just how spacious the orlop deck really is.

Watch duties continue as soon as we complete our departure as well. Mr. Gorter has dedicated himself to thoroughly cleaning the galley today. For her hour on duty, Nicole is tasked with scrubbing the microwave and counter shelves.

With so much else to do today, we conclude our work with the Deck Log for this voyage. Cheyenne and Mr. Terry coil up the Secchi disk and put it back in storage, its duty done.

Before the Half Moon can physically reach our ultimate destination tomorrow -- the southern end of Corning Preserve in Albany -- we must lower the top masts on both the fore and main. (With the top masts in position, the ship is too tall to clear the Dunn Memorial Bridge.)

Completing this operation is our major shipcraft task for the day. While the Half Moon is underway, Mr. Morel and Mr. Schuijer work in the rig, getting everything ready.

While the top masts are down, we will no longer be capable of setting sail, so sadly this means we have already had our last chance at sail handling on this Voyage of Discovery.

1430 hours

While the student crew waits for the chance to give their presentations, some off-duty students slip off for catnaps. This includes Alexis here, who appears to have been callously discarded in a pile of luggage.

A few feet away, other students practice their oral presentations. While practicing, Mr. Prime, John, and Cheyenne decide to open a gun port to let in a bit more sun and air.

That done, Mr. Terry and Mr. Beiter have each team of students sit down with them to run through a dress rehearsal of their final presentation, offering tips on how to clearly present their data.

Mouse over for another angle.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gorter's cleaning project in the galley has grown intensive. While Derrick steadfastly washes dishes, Mr. Gorter vaccuums the bilge.

Mouse over to travel upriver.

1500 hours

As the Half Moon travels ever upriver, the crew relaxes on deck -- or rests down below.

1600 hours

We are now ready to lower the topmasts, starting with the main. As Ms. Smith tends to the bits as a failsafe, the capstan crew carefully walks the top mast down.

While the capstan team works, Mr. Hansen and Mr. Prime tend to the main top yard braces, keeping tension on the lines.

Mouse over for the "after" shot.

With teamwork, the main topmast is soon sliding down into its retracted position.

Once the topmast is low enough to rest against the main mast, Mr. Morel relieves the capstan crew. With Ms. Smith still controlling the safety line from the bits, we let gravity do the rest of the work.

Mouse over to belay two lines at once!

With the topmast lowered, much of our running rigging is now drooping slack on the deck. Our student crew leaps to the task of clearing, belaying, and coiling the lines.

It's been nearly a week since the students first boarded and learn how to handle lines; now it's become second nature to them.

1615 hours

We are now passing Coeymans and closing in on the I-90 bridge.

As we continue on our way, the crew relaxes on deck, just biding their time.

1700 hours

As we approach Henry Hudson Park, we once again encouter the Frisian Spring, a freighter whose path we've repeatedly crossed over the course of the past week.

During this encounter, we finally radio the Frisian Spring and discover that, like our chef Mr. Gorter, its captain is indeed a native of Friesland (a northern province of the Netherlands). When Mr. Gorter and the freighter captain speak over the radio, they discover that they once lived just a few doors down from each other and know many people in common. Small world!

While Mr. Gorter chats with his countryman, however, the Half Moon is rapidly approaching its destination for the day: Henry Hudson Park, a few miles south of Albany.

Mr. Mangrum takes a series soundings as we slip out of the river channel, calling back a depth of 16 feet (or two feet short of three fathoms). Since the ship has a draft of 9 feet, that leaves us with a few to spare -- all we need.

Devin acts as communicator to Ms. Smith, who is working the bits belowdecks. Captain Reynolds gives the command to let fall, and in a few moments the ship is anchored securely.

1715 hours

With the ship at rest, we still need to finish what we've started and lower the fore topmast. The capstan team reports back to duty and, after a brief debate as to who's actually facing the right way, is ready to go.

Lifting the topmast just far enough to remove its retraining pin takes every bit of the capstan team's strength. Fortunately, this part of the job only takes a few minutes.

When we next leave Albany, we'll need to raise the top masts again. Now that's heavy!

With Mr. Hansen at the bits, we maintain control and soon have the task wrapped up. The Half Moon is now ready to complete our journey.

1745 hours

At long last, it's time for the student presentations. Mr. Terry -- or the Terrysaurus, as the students dub him -- cannot contain his excitement.

1800 hours

As the ship rests at anchor, each team of students steps forward in turn to present their projects. After presenting their hypothesis, detailing their materials and procedures, and offering their conclusions, the students take questions from their peers.

During the presentations, Nicole and Cheyenne present a special demonstration of their mechanical advantage project by using a block-and-tackle rig to lift Jamie off the deck.

(Despite a great deal of photographic evidence to the contrary, we must assure the audience that the hook is fastened to Jamie's harness, not the back of her skull.)

Of course, Captain Reynolds presents the toughest audience, always finding challenging questions to draw out new avenues of research and ways to improve our procedures.

Once again, we've enjoyed another satisfying round of student research. Click here to see the students' presentations in greater detail.

After we conclude the festivities, the captain keeps the crew on deck to run through an anchor watch briefing before we completely lose our daylight. Anchored here off Henry Hudson Park, we are just a few hundred feet from shore, so anchor watch will be particularly vital tonight.

2000 hours

After the presentations, we celebrate with a final dinner on board the ship: chicken ala king, rice, and salad. Mr. Gorter follows it up with a special treat: Dutch pancakes and ice cream for everyone!

2200 hours

Lights out, and anchor watch begins. Tomorrow night, our students will be back in their own beds.

Next Time: Homecoming!

On this date in 1609:

The eighteenth, in the morning was faire weather, and we rode still. In the after-noone our Masters Mate went on land with an old Savage, a Governour of the Countrey; who carried him to his house, and made him good cheere.

[Note: A discrepancy exists here; according to a surviving fragment of Captain Hudson's own account, it was he, not his mate, who went ashore.]

-- Robert Juet's Journal.