Sunday, 21 February 1999
As of 0800, the Empire State was located in Cape Cod Bay making final preparations to enter the Cape Cod Canal and return to home port at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay. The air temperature is 33 degrees F. Water temperature is 48 degrees. The skies are cloudy. Winds are out of the North-Northeast at 18 knots. Water depth is 68 feet. Barometric pressure is 1009 millibars and steady.
CAPTAIN'S LOG:
We were up early this morning. In fact, many did not sleep at all, sitting at anchor, watching the flickering lights of home, but the excitement generated an excess of help when pre-underway start up procedures began in the Engine room and on the Bridge. The Chief Engineer reported, steam at the main engines, ready to answer all bells, at 0730 and we weighed anchor at 0800 and started home; 1300 was only a few hours away but it seemed like tomorrow.
The Canal transit is always a nice experience. Nearly everyone aboard lives nearby but many have never seen the Canal banks. They appear as foreign to them, as any port we visited with one major exception... our friends and families standing along the way cheering, waving, and hoisting colorful banners and signs of welcome. It's a wonderfully heartwarming sight... you folks make homecoming so very special.
This is the final entry into the Sea Term 1999 Captain's Log and I will miss my daily correspondence with you. Writing about our adventures and life's work is a true pleasure. Your consistent stream of letters, cards, and messages were wonderfully inspiring and entertaining. I particularly want to recognize the remarkable contributions of our many student friends at grade schools and middle schools through out the Northeast. You proved to be very astute when answering the daily questions and the Valentine cards were beautiful. I want to encourage you to visit the Academy at any time.
From Captain Tom Bushy, the Crew, and most especially the Cadets, "Fair Winds and Following Seas." Thanks for sailing on SEA TERM '99. Please join us next year for exciting, new adventures as MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY'S SEA TERM 2000 sails into the next millennium.