The Training Ship Empire State is moored in Willemstad, Curacao, taking various services and repairs from the pier. The weather is wonderful. The temperature is a pleasant 77 degrees Fahrenheit, skies are clear; winds are from the East at 12 knots. Relative humidity is 70%. AND...WE'RE STILL HERE!

CAPTAIN'S LOG

Good Morning All,...I should like to chronicle the beauty of the open seas at sunrise but as one can see in the above paragraph, "Inertia" has us pinned to the pier in Curacao. There are many worse places to be. Let me bring you up to speed.

As one would expect, we devoted much of yesterday to refining our understanding of the number two turbo generator failure and completing the critical path analysis to get it fixed and Empire State out to sea. Making the decisions required input from every department. Everything that we do is so interwoven and this sort of problem rends the fabric. Truly, failure to maintain the schedule on a training ship can be a nightmare. However, I must hand it to the Cadets who have been involved in every aspect. They made significant contributions here while learning to appreciate the value of frequent communications and sound planning.

We are technically proficient and the engineers own more tools than Tim-The Tool Man-Taylor. However, few are of the unique variety necessary to "crack" the turbine casing and lift the rotor. Additionally, such repairs often require enough qualified people to work shifts and we just do not have that depth in our talent pool. Consequently, I decided that the most sensible course was to bring in the experts and shipyard people arrived this morning.

After unloading a truckload of tools, they set to work. With ship's force people assisting them, they began disassembling the machine to make appropriate repairs. The shipyard in Willemstad, frequently completes voyage repairs on Cruise ships and the technicians are well equipped in every sense, so I have complete confidence in their abilities.

Now for the other shoe; the Shipyard Production Officer's estimated time to repair; NOT LESS THAN SEVEN DAYS!

That unfortunate delay will disrupt our plans, but in the real world leaders view problems as opportunities.

First, for those who read the Captain's Log everyday, and now have some basic understanding of shipboard systems, let me be absolutely clear; failure of turbo generators does not pose seaworthiness issues; we float just fine without them. If both machines were to fail while underway, Empire State could still return to port using auxiliary electrical systems. For safety purposes, shipboard systems are inherently redundant. We have two steam driven, turbo generators and we produce electricity with diesel driven, auxiliary generators if need be. However, under normal operating conditions, both turbine generators share the ship's electrical load between them. This "parallel" line-up is the most reliable and enables immediate respond to any emergency or transient electrical demand. While Empire State could set sail with only one turbo generator, doing so would mean placing the electric plant in an abnormal configuration and that action would be imprudent.

Second, many are undoubtedly concerned about the Sea Term schedule. Clearly, something has to go but that will not be training and education. We will continue to teach classes and operate watchstations as closely as possible to our "at sea" routines. We will accomplish lifeboat training here on 27, 28, and 29 January rather than in St. John. We will open the Banco Carib on Wednesday 24 January, Friday 26 January, and Monday 29 January. That replenishment action will rejuvenate cadet cash supplies and enable everyone to take advantage of some additional liberty in Willemstad. Bear in mind, this is a busy port, and I anticipate berth shifts and going to anchor. Those very flexible details are now under review with port authorities and will change with each passing cruise liner. Remember, each new evolution presents additional opportunities to excel.

Third, our planned visit to Limon, Costa Rica is cancelled. Given the preliminary repair schedule, I would envision departing Curacao on Tuesday 30 January, proceeding to St. John with arrival on 02 February, remaining at anchor 03 and 04 February, and transiting to South West Passage, New Orleans. Arrival in New Orleans on 10 February should occur as scheduled. This is a dynamic event that we will manage to a successful conclusion. So, check the MMA web site for the latest... I will keep you informed as it happens.

P.S. Cadet navi-guessers are NOT so feverously reworking voyage plans to account for this unexpected delay. So much for my highly placed sources. Please, stay tuned.

QUESTIONS FOR WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY

MATH:

TS Empire State departed the dock in Curacao and traveled 10 nautical miles due west. She then turned due north and traveled 15 nautical miles. At that point, how far was she from the pier as the crow flies?

SCIENCE:

Hot Magma that moves upward and extrudes onto the earths surface is called Lava. A central vent through which lava, gases, and ash erupt and flow is called a volcano. T or F? Lava may be extruded through cracks and fractures in the earth's surface. What are these eruptions called and where do most often occur?

GEOGRAPHY:

The cadets will be in Limon Costa Rica during the wet season. T or F?

Name the months of the dry season.

HISTORY:

We in the United States just elected a new President. Name the President of Costa Rica. When does his term expire?

ANSWERS FOR TUESDAY 23 JANUARY

MATH:

Number of boxes: 4 x 5 x 5 = 100 boxes total.

Volume of freezer

V = L x W x H

V = 20 x 20 x 8 = 3200 cubic ft.

V = 3200 cu. ft.

Volume of one box:

2ft.x 2ft. x 2ft. = 8 cubic ft.

100 boxes x 8 cu. ft. = 800 cu. ft

3200/8 = 400 boxes will fit

400 - 100 = 300 more boxes of equal size may be stored.

SCIENCE:

The molten rock is called Magma.

GEOGRAPHY:

Tropical Climate Zone bounded by 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south latitude

HISTORY:

Spain