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Climb aboard the 540-foot TS Kennedy for Sea Term 2021! Thanks to cadet blogs, the Captain’s Log, photographs, videos, special features, and a unique hands-on curriculum, you will virtually travel with Massachusetts Maritime cadets. Each day, you’ll read about and watch the shipboard responsibilities of cadets majoring in Marine Engineering, Marine Transportation, and Facilities Engineering as they tackle challenging topics such as weather forecasting, celestial navigation, ocean currents, rust removal, engine maintenance, sewerage treatment, firefighting, and seawater desalination.

You’ll feel like you’re right beside the cadets as the ship conducts anchoring drills off the coast of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico or cruises down New York’s East River and passes the Statue Of Liberty. For the health and safety of the cadets and crew aboard the TS Kennedy, the ship will not be making any port stops during Sea Term 2021.

This non-stop adventure begins on Saturday, May 29th when the ship departs Buzzards Bay. The TS Kennedy is scheduled to return on Wednesday, June 23rd. There will be posts each day – even on weekends.

Thanks for being a part of Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s free, one-of-a-kind, K-12, STEM adventure on land and sea!

Welcome aboard the TS Kennedy! The cadets, crew, and I are thrilled that you are participating in the 2021 Follow The Voyage program. I know that there are many nautical miles of learning ahead. Be sure to watch for daily entries to my Captain’s Log.

Please email your questions and comments to me at ftv@maritime.edu. I also welcome student drawings of the TS Kennedy.

Sincerely,
Captain Michael J. Campbell

Nautical Terms

Aft - The back of a ship. If something is located aft, it is at the back of the ship. The aft is also known as the stern.

All Hands - Entire ship’s company, both officers and enlisted personnel.

Aweigh - The position of anchor as it is raised clear of the bottom.

Bow - The front of the ship is called the bow. Knowing the location of the bow is important for defining two of the other most common sailing terms; port (left of the bow) and starboard (right of the bow).

Bridge - A structure above the weather deck, extending the full width of the vessel, which houses a command center, itself called by association, the bridge.

Deck Hand, “Decky” - A person whose job involves aiding the deck supervisor in (un) mooring, anchoring, maintenance, and general evolutions on deck.

Forward - The front of a ship. If something is located forward, it is at the front of the ship. This is also known as the bow.

Knot - A unit of speed: 1 nautical mile (1.8520 km; 1.1508 mi) per hour. Originally speed was measured by paying out a line from the stern of a moving boat. The line had a knot every 47 feet 3 inches (14.40 m) and the number of knots passed out in 30 seconds gave the speed through the water in nautical miles per hour.

Port - Port is always the left-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” can become confusing terms when used in the open waters, port is used to define the left-hand side of the ship as it relates to the bow, or front.

Rack - The term to describe a bed aboard a ship.

Starboard - Starboard is always the right-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” can become confusing sailing terms when used out in the open waters, starboard is used to define the right-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow, or front.

#followthevoyage

By The Numbers

Sea Term's Number of the Day

Questions of the Week

Do you know the answers?

Ship Shape

The Bits and Bobs of Your Training Ship

All Blog!

Thanks for being a part of Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s free, one-of-a-kind, K-12, STEM adventure on land and sea!