0700 hours

Starting Position: Anchored at Newburgh Bay.
Latitude: 41˚ 28.8' N
Longitude: 073˚ 59.9' W

Day Two of the second leg of the Fall Voyage of Discovery.

Our new crew rises bright and early to greet the first full day of their Voyage of Discovery.

0915 hours

After rummaging their gear and a pause for breakfast, we launch straight into orientation. Throughout the day, the students will familiarize themselves with the instruments and principles they'll be using for their presentation projects and the Deck Log.

At the moment, Mr. Prime is showing Ntando how to use a quadrant to track celestial objects like the sun.

While the Half Moon remains at anchor in Newburgh Bay, Mr. Woodworth is also taking groups of students out in the Zodiac, the ship's inflatable tender boat, to explore the nearby wetlands.

1000 hours

Orientation continues! Kevin is monitoring the wind speed and direction for our AMVER SEAS weather updates.

Meanwhile, Mr. Brudos is helping groups of students (including Mylah and Jerryangelo at the moment) rig up block-and-tackle simple machines to study the concept of mechanical advantage.

Although we were able to sail off the dock yesterday, the winds didn't remain in our favor for long. In fact, the steady northerly winds have continued through the night, and even through today! Despite this, however, we're detemined to seize any opportunity for sailing that comes our way. To that end, Cassie and Tahjha spend a few free minutes studying a sail handling diagram prepared by Ms. Waiboer.

Down on the weather deck, more students are lined up to complete harness training and receive clearance to climb aloft. Ntando here has just climbed into the shrouds and is about to take her hang test.

1015 hours

Mylah and Jerryangelo are making progress with their block-and-tackle rig. Along with Colton and Jacob, they are both members of a research team that will study the effects of this simple machine on the force needed to lift a bottle of water off the deck.

1100 hours

Another research team will track the sun to determine the moment of true local noon. Kevin's a member of that team, but Ellie and Mylah are still learning their way around a quadrant as part of their orientation.

1200 hours

The second Zodiac team has ventured out to explore the woodlands south of Beacon, NY, on the eastern shore of Newburgh Bay.

1230 hours

After collecting a few local plant samples, the Zodiac team heads back to the waiting Half Moon...

1245 hours

...and just in time, because lunch is served!

The crew eagerly digs into a spread of subs, beans, macaroni and cheese, and the lovely potato salad you see above.

1315 hours

Peter is another member of the celestial tracking team. The sun has already reached its zenith and is starting to set toward the west, but the students will continue to monitor its course until sunset to grow comfortable with using the instruments.

1330 hours

With lunch wrapped up, the students are getting back into their activities. Let's take a tour of the ship and see how things stand this afternoon.

On the weather deck, Cassie is geared up to join the third Zodiac expedition, while Courtney patiently waits her turn.

Over on the port side of the weather deck, Ms. Backman and Mylah continue to monitor the wind speed for the Deck Log.

On the fore deck, Mr. Hensel is offering knot-tying lessons to any interested students. At the moment his class consists of Jerryangelo, Ellie, Lilly, and Jacob (sitting just out of frame).

The students will need to know their knots to advance in the ranks.

It looks like the Zodiac team is boarding. Cassie will shortly join Kevin and Ntando in the boat.

Mr. Brudos' mechanical advantage orientation continues on the orlop deck. Tahjha is learning how to use a spring scale to measure the force needed to lift a weight with the rig.

And the third Zodiac expedition is off! They'll continue to explore the shoreline south of Beacon, and when they return, they'll bring some crab samples with them.

As we conclude our race around the ship, Peter has finished taking his celestial tracking reading and is entering his findings in the records.

1345 hours

Mr. Hensel's knot lessons continue as students filter in and out between other responsibilities.

Ms. Backman and Mr. Brudos are still working on simple machine rigs with a new batch of students. Along with Lilly and Tahjha, Ellie and Courtney form the second mechanical advantage research team. For their presentation, their team will study the role of lead distance in a simple machine.

1400 hours

As we check back in on the foredeck, we see that Colton and Tahjah have joined the knot class.

1430 hours

Orientation has grown... creative down on the orlop deck. The ladies of the mechanical advantage teams have discovered that they can easily lift themselves off the floor using the block-and-tackle rig, putting the theoretical principles they're studying into practical use.

1445 hours

Captain Reynolds convenes the crew around the capstan. Our orientation layover is at an end. The tides have shifted, and it's time for the Half Moon to move on to our next destination.

This is our new crews' first exposure to the process of weighing anchor, and they'll have to work for it. The steady winds have been pushing on the ship all night and all day, so our anchor has thoroughly dug itself into the river bottom.

Captain Reynolds shows everyone how to use the capstan bars, and then our primary bosun, Ms. Waiboer, assigns everyone to their positions.

1500 hours

Weighing anchor is a complex process that requires the cooperation of all hands on board, working in conjunction on four separate decks.

On the foredeck, Mr. Hensel will indicate the lay of the anchor rode (line) for the captain on the Quarter deck. According to the Duty Roster, this is Tahjha's hour at lookout, but we're about to temporarily reassign him belowdecks.

Courtney, Cassie, and Ms. Niehaus are in charge of tending the lower capstan, around which the we turn the anchor rode, hauling it back into the ship. It's their job to prevent overrides, or tangles.

Peter is poised for action on the starboard side, tending to the inbound rode. His job is to keep the rode clear of obstructions on its way to to the capstan.

1515 hours

We've started the process of weighing anchor. Mylah is on duty in the helm hutch, steering the ship.

Mouse over to walk the capstan!

Just outside, the capstan team is dutifully turning the capstan, a massive winch.

Back down on the orlop deck, Tahjha has been assigned to the port side rode. His job is to help haul the rode from the bits back forward in the ship, toward the bits.

Mr. Prime is tending the bits, also known as the Sampson bar. It's a massive kleat capable of withstanding the immense pressures the anchor rode can bring to bear. Lilly feeds the rode to Mr. Prime, who then feeds it around to Ntando and Jacob, his "fakers." (To fake a line is to neatly fold it.)

1530 hours

The capstan team earn their keep, having to truly put their backs into the job of raising the anchor to the surface. They soon succeed, however, and the Half Moon is once again on its way.

With the ship underway, the capstan team takes a break to enjoy the scenery.

1545 hours

As the Half Moon continues north out of Newburgh Bay (and under the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge), it enters a long, straight, and narrow section of the Hudson traditionally known as the Lange Rack, or Long Reach.

Ellie checks the hygrometer to record the relative humidity for our ongoing AMVER SEAS reports.

1615 hours

As we continue on our way, we find Jerryangelo and Mr. Brudos and chatting up on the fore deck. Mr. Brudos, an experienced sailor on board the Half Moon, is explaining principles of the running rigging to Jerryangelo.

1630 hours

Not everyone is free to relax, however. The belowdecks anchor team is still on duty, waiting for a command while the fore deck team secures the anchor on the channel.

When the command comes, Peter will help haul about fifteen feet of heavy chain back out the hawsehole (the access port for an anchor rode or mooring line), giving the fore deck team the necessary slack to haul the anchor onto the channel.

Mouse over for stirring action!

Taking a moment to see what's cooking in the galley, we find Colton stirring soup for tonight's dinner.

Word has come down that the anchor is secure and that the belowdecks team can "break the chain." Ms. Niehaus disconnects the shackle fastening the chain to the rode, freeing the rode to come off the capstan. Once the fakers are done prepping the rode, the chain is reattached and the anchor is ready to be redeployed.

1745 hours

With the ship now underway, the students have time to focus on shipcraft training or personal interests. Ms. Niehaus looks on as Cassie climbs into the rig to perform her hang test. By the end of the day, all of the students will be cleared to work aloft.

Below decks, Mylah, Ellie, Jerryangelo, and Kevin relax, chat, and update their journals.

1800 hours

We've reached Poughkeepsie, and are making good progress.

Jerryangelo, Ntando, Courtney, and Jacob use Poughkeepsie's distinctive dual bridges to locate themselves on a large navigational chart on display for the students' use.

A few minutes later, Peter, Colton, and Jacob look on from the fore deck as we pass under Walkway Over the Hudson, an old iron railway bridge that Poughkeepsie has recently renovated into the nation's longest pedestrian bridge.

As we travel under the bridge and on past Poughkeepsie, we find Mr. Burmester and Ms. Niehaus working online in the great cabin, updating our AMVER SEAS reports and sending out e-mail bulletins.

1815 hours

Mr. McLaughlin serves dinner on the weather deck. Everyone lines up for tuna casserole.

1830 hours

As the late afternoon sun sinks toward the western shore, we continue on through the Lange Rack.

1845 hours

Peter seems to have grown comfortable at the helm as he finishes out his first shift steering the ship.

On the fore deck, Cassie, Tahjha, and Mylah get to know each other as they stand lookout (or just hang out).

1930 hours

In the last light of the day, Jerryangelo and Captain Reynolds have discovered a major philosophical schism between themselves: Jerryangelo is a Giants fan, while the captain favors the Redskins. Can they find a way to coexist?

Meanwhile, Ntando stands lookout as we approach our destination for the day.

In the galley, Kevin is already working on slicing bread for tomorrow's dinner.

Ending Position: Anchored south of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge.
Latitude: 41˚ 56.3' N
Longitude: 073˚ 57.1' W

We set anchor shortly after sunset, coming to rest in a side channel off of Kingston.

1945 hours

Congratulations, crew! You've completed your first full day on the Half Moon!

Captain Reynolds calls all hands on deck for tonight's Anchor Watch briefing. In addition to collecting weather data through the night, we have a new assignment for the Anchor Watch crew; they'll practice their quadrant skills by tracking the elevation of a star in Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper).

2045 hours

After the briefing, the students retreat to their quarters on the orlop deck, spending the remainder of their evening relaxing and updating their journals. 2200 hours brings lights out, and the crisp, crystal clear night passes quietly.

Next: Data Collection!

Robert Juet's Journal

d'Halve Maen passes through the Hudson Highlands before anchoring in what is now known as Newburgh Bay, the same course our ship followed yesterday.

On September 14th, 1609:

The fourteenth, in the morning being very faire weather, the wind South-east, we sayled vp the Riuer twelue leagues, and had fiue fathoms, and fiue fathoms and a quarter lesse; and came to a Streight between two Points, and had eight, nine, and ten fathoms: and it trended North-east by North, one league: and wee had twelue, thirteene, and fourtene fathomes. The Riuer is a mile broad: there is very high Land on both sides. Then wee went vp North-west, a league and an halfe deepe water. Then North-east by North fiue miles; then North-west by North two leagues, and anchored. The Land grew very high and Mountainous. The Riuer is full of fish.

— Robert Juet's Journal.