Tuesday 12 January 1999
As of 0800 this morning, the Empire State was located at 30 degrees 50 minutes North latitude, 072 degrees 08 minutes West longitude. That puts her approximately 490 nautical miles due east of Jacksonville Florida. She is heading 195 degrees true (SSE) , doing 14 knots. The depth of water under the keel is 2810 feet. The weather at her position is partly cloudy, wind out of the East @ 10 kts, sea state 3 (6 feet), air temp 62 degrees F, water temp 72 degrees F. Barometric pressure 1026 millibars, rising slightly.
Captain's log:
Ahhhh, summer; sixty two degrees, warm easterly winds, and the ship gently rolling on pleasant six foot swells. Most enjoyable, especially when compared to the wonderful winter weather at home today. If the cadets were more experienced at sea, or on a merchant ship, this would be a lazy day. They are not, of course, and the demands of the training schedule preclude much relaxation. Cadets continue to acclimate to their new surroundings and to each other. Learning about the ship and becoming familiar with the academic course load is sometimes easier than learning about your "shipmate". Most have already learned that privacy is truly a luxury aboard a ship . They have been quick to observe that their treatment of each other, whether good or bad, operates according to Newtonian Physics: every action has an equal and opposite reaction...particularly if you happen to leave a mess for the next person to clean up.
Speaking of learning things, the cadet engineers knew very little about the Empire State when we departed. Now, one would think that they have worked aboard forever. They are doing a wonderful job. I am not just saying that to curry favor, however, with it warming by the hour, their air conditioning units will become more and more important very soon.