At 1200 EST the T/S Empire State was enroute to Willemstad, Curacao and located at 31 degrees and 46 minutes North Latitude and 72 degrees 06 minutes West Longitude. (Cape Lookout bears 308 degrees true at a range of 280 nautical miles). She was steering course 197 degrees true at a speed of 16 knots. The skies were cloudy with winds out of the southeast at 05 knots. Barometric pressure was 1020 millibars of mercury. The air temperature was 61 degrees and seawater was 69 degrees. Seas were 3 to 6 feet. Depth of water beneath the keel was 2800 fathoms.

CAPTAIN'S LOG:

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; Love illumines it.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sea Term continues to progress better than expected. The Fourth Class Cadets are settling in quite nicely and each hour that passes moves their confidence several notches higher. Eating and sleeping are now routine but I suspect that some continue to take the ladder to nowhere from time to time. The more senior Cadets are providing them with all of the necessary "scuttlebutt" so I am certain that they will continue to improve.

Classes began in earnest this morning. Divisions One and Two swapped places in the rotation with First Division assuming the watch, Second Division Training, and Third Division retaining Maintenance duties. The alternating schedule is designed to provide 4/C cadets with opportunities to more closely observe practical aspects of each academic major. That knowledge helps them to make intelligent decisions about future aspirations and prevents anything from becoming routine.

Maintenance quickly teaches them the details of basic life support that they have long taken for granted. Nothing like a day in the scullery washing dishes to make one appreciate mom's kitchen. Sweeping, cleaning, and dealing with the mountainous volumes of trash generated by 500 hundred people each day seems to spawn genuine hatred for every species of litterbug, as well.

Those who are standing watch in the uncomfortably hot engineering spaces making water and power, become very cognizant of the value of drinking water and a kilowatt. Woe unto the wastrel who might erroneously assume that water springs forth freely from the tap or electricity flows without cost from the wall socket.

All are learning to appreciate the natural beauty of the sea as well. Many sit pensively staring at the seemingly endless expanse of open ocean. Coming to grips with how personally insignificant we are when compared to the awesome power and expanse of nature is a lesson worth learning at any age.

While we constantly look to the future on Sea Term, one cannot sail these waters without remembering significant events that shaped our rich Maritime History. For example, today is Doctor Martin Luther King Day and, as we pause to remember his important contributions to our country, we sail back through history to an event that occurred in these very waters. In 1839, the powerful northeasterly currents of the Gulf Stream carried the famous slave ship Amistad up the North American Coastline to Long Island. There the slaves were captured and tried for piracy but the Amistad Trial caused national debate over the slave trade. Today, the new Amistad is berthed in Mystic, Connecticut not far from the original trial site.

Most people recognize Mr. Benjamin Franklin as a great inventor and distinguished political leader. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. However, did you know that he was the first person to map the Gulf Stream? In 1753, Benjamin Franklin was appointed by England, to the position of Postmaster General for North America. He was puzzled to learn that mail ships traveling to England from the Colonies made the trip seven to ten days faster than those coming from England. He researched the phenomena and produced a surprisingly accurate map of the Gulf Stream.

We often emphasize the importance of continuing advances in the sciences and technologies and these changes do enhance our daily lives. Certainly technology helps us to draw more accurate maps and we can measure ocean currents from space in ways that Mr. Franklin never dreamed. However, the words "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happinesshave yet to be improved upon. Benjamin Franklin believed them when he courageously signed the Declaration of Independence and Dr. King's believed them when he bravely delivered his I Have a Dream Speech. They bound both great men together, as they bind us. No technology in that.

Well folks it is once again time to work for a living. Surely, these astute cadets will leave one problem for me to solve.. See you tomorrow.

Cadet 2/C Megan Kearns, Daily Thoughts

Finally, our first day at sea. The weather is already warming and cadets are meandering out of the holds to enjoy the day. The stern is packed with cadets studying, playing cards, and their guitars. The first timers are gazing at the never-ending ocean view. Last night we slept like babies while being rocked gently to sleep; so far so good, no one has fallen out of their rack. We will give it time and some rougher seas. This is the perfect first day at sea, the water is calm and we saw the first school of dolphins. Some of us are sad to have left, but all are glad to finally be underway!

QUESTIONS FOR TUESDAY 16 JANUARY 2001

MATH:

TSES is traveling at a rate of 12.5 knots. One nautical mile per hour (knot) is equal to 6,080 feet per hour. One statute (land) mile per hour is equal to 5280 feet per hour. What speed is the ship traveling in statute miles per hour.

SCIENCE:

Weather observations are very important at sea and the cadets use several instruments to measure and record weather observations. Name the following four instruments. An instrument used to measure wind speed. An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. An instrument used to measure relative humidity.

GEOGRAPHY:

The Gulf Stream flows from south, at the Straits of _________, to north and is generally said to dissipate at the Grand_________.

HISTORY:

Name the famous American who is credited with first mapping the Gulf Stream.

ANSWERS FOR MONDAY 15 JANUARY 2001

MATH:

1 Long Ton = 2240 pounds 2,240 X 900 L.T.= 2,016,000 lbs 8.30 lb/gal = 242,892 Gallons. The fresh water capacity is 959 L.T. or 258,814 Gallons.

SCIENCE:

TIDES: These result from the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun upon the water and upon the earth itself.

GEOGRAPHY:

The northeasterly ocean current is called the Gulf Stream.

HISTORY:

The USS Monitor sank in a storm on the night of 31 December 1862. The ship was not yet one year old.