SST: June 04, 2009
June 3 was mostly overcast, but otherwise the weather was pleasant. We sailed away from Gibraltar, so the Rock no longer loomed in the background for the most of the day. We returned in the late afternoon to anchor up once again following a full day of training.
Gibraltar, the southernmost tip of Europe and the entrance to the Mediterranean, is a British Crown Colony and has been for three hundred years. It is a naval base and played a major role during the Napoleonic and World Wars. In the ancient world it was known as Mons Calpe, one of the two Pillars of Hercules. Roman tourists visited St. Michael’s Cave, the largest of Gibraltar’s 150 caves with its stalactites and stalagmites. We look forward to docking on Friday.
Off-shore exercises continue for our deck students. These consist of simulations of on-board crises. Yesterday, I watched cadets learn how to repair a breach in the hull. Today I observed them go out on lifeboats to rehearse safety procedures. Tomorrow I’ll watch them practice rescuing a dummy – “Oscar” in a maze during a simulated fire. This is important material! Watching cadets receive experiential learning on-board learn makes me understand why Maritime’s maintenance of a training ship is crucial to keeping up the superiority of our curriculum.
Speaking of crises, quick thinking and professional knowledge on the part of Dr. George Macris and Captain Tom Greene averted a potential on-board issue. In one of the cadet holds on Monday two cases of conjunctivitis were reported. Our regimental officers and medical personnel responded quickly and aggressively, isolating the infected cadets and performing massive wipe-down of living quarters. Efforts were successful. On Tuesday, there was only one case reported and on Wednesday none
Our movies tonight are Slumdog Millionaire, which some officers had watched in our lounge last night, and Dark City. The films are selected and operated by librarian Rich Delbango. Rich is also a gifted photographer and I was able to send several hundred of his efforts before we left Ponta Delgada. A hearty thanks to Rich.
Rumors abound in tight quarters, of course, and the T.S. EMPIRE STATE is no exception. Here’s a good one. The Police Chief of Ponta Delgada was heard to remark that the Maritime cadets on his island were far better behaved than the cruise ship passengers that dock there. Personally, I don’t doubt that.
Although it was but a week ago that EMPIRE STATE was in Ponta Delgada, all onboard are looking forward to tomorrow’s arrival at the Royal Naval Dock at Gibraltar. The Captain has planned and scheduled full-day tours to Morocco for the staff and students, and a half day excursion up the rock to see the old fortress, caves, and yes, the Barbary monkeys. At the mornings meeting, Captain Smith also mentioned that we would be bunkering on Sunday, before departing for the north land, and what promises to be a very different part of the world.
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NOON POSITION REPORT – 04 JUNE 2009
T/S EMPIRE STATE KKFW
LAT: 36° – 17.8’ N LONG: 005° – 04.2’ W
LENGTH OF DAY: 24 HRS
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 170 BBLS
FUEL ROB: 10163 BBLS
MDO ROB: 599 BBLS
POTABLE WATER ROB: 531 T
DISTILLED WATER ROB: 237 T
SEA STATE: SW/5
WIND: WSW/5
NEXT PORT: GIBRALTAR PORT
ETA Anchorage: 0730 LT/ 05 JUNE 2009
