All Blog!

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 Home, 4/C Paige Albertson (MENG)

Marine Engineering major 3/C Paige Albertson wishes that Captain Campbell could drop her off at home on the way to the Cape Cod Canal. Paige is a resident of the island of Nantucket, thirty miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Paige attended Nantucket Elementary School, Cyrus Peirce Middle School, and Nantucket High School. Paige has always loved fishing, boating and anything to do with the beach and life around it. She fished extensively on the island and early on took over the pond boats with her dad. At age twelve her Grampy gave her a 13' Boston Whaler that is her pride and joy. It is how she explores the island and shares the ocean with her friends and family. …

TSK Video Archives: A Medical Rate Explains AEDs (2017)

Today, we're stepping into the Video Vault and dusting off a video from 2017. By now, you know that safety is the #1 priority aboard the TS Kennedy. Listen as a Medical Rate talks about the ship's AEDs.

Happy 20th Birthday, 4/C Dylan Hunt!

Happy 20th birthday wishes are being sent across the sea from Barrington, Rhode Island to 4/C Dylan Hunt aboard the TS Kennedy. He'll always remember where he was when he celebrated #20.

Photo Gallery: Life Aboard The TS Kennedy - Monday, 6-14-21 to Sunday, 6-20-21

From bow to stern, port to starboard, Tank Top deck to the Bridge Deck, there’s always a lot happening aboard the TS Kennedy! Here are some highlights.

Ready To Cross The Finish Line: 1/C Deckies

In the blink of an eye, these 1/C Deckies are ready to graduate! In the fall of 2017, when they were cadet candidates, these cadets completed a questionnaire for me. One of the questions was, “What influenced your decision to attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy?” Here are a few of their responses… “Family friend and price.” Jeffery Gallo, Orange, Connecticut “I developed my love for the ocean when I lived in Scotland as a kid. We lived right on the ocean on an island off the coast of Glasgow. The weekly ferry to the main land was where I developed my love of the ocean. I have enjoyed traveling the world. I don’t like staying in one place.” Cameron J. Holmes, Enfield, New…

Happy Father's Day, Captain Campbell

Happy Father’s Day, Captain Campbell!

Happy Father's Day From The TS Kennedy - Photos By 3/C Jewel Nguyen Huynh

Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads, stepdads, grandfathers, uncles, and father figures that inspire our cadets to accomplish great things.

A Salute To Juvi: Breakfast Is Served

Breakfast is served! Earlier in the week, Captain Campbell urged cadets, to "Finish strong!" Juvi is doing just that by whipping up pastry on par with the finest Manhattan patisserie. What are YOU having with your morning coffee?

Sea Term Flashbacks: Coming Home 1946 - 1986

Sea Term 1946 “Someday those of us who have made the sea a career will appreciate those three months as among the best of our lives.” Sea Term 1953 “We arrived on the 22nd of April to find many of our folks waiting for us at Commonwealth Pier. Two days later the Chun returned to Buzzards Gulch, the throbbing engines dead, the rudders were stilled, and once again all reigned quiet and serene on Cape Cod Canal for the Middies were home again.” Sea Term 1958 “We had hoped for an easy and quick passage home, but once more Cape Hatteras was determined not to let us pass unscathed and threw the roughest water of the trip our way in the form of a left over gale. The ship bulled her way…

About To Cross The Finish Line: 1/C John Cronin

1/C John Cronin, will earn his degree in Marine Transportation on Saturday. When John was a 4/C cadet, he wrote, "My dad went to this school and worked on ships which made me fall in love with the ocean." Now John is just days away from beginning his own career at sea. John grew up in Foxboro, home of the New England Patriots. He attended Foxborough Regional Charter School, Ahern Middle School, and Foxboro High School. His proud mom explains, "John has always loved just being on the water. Either being on the Cape at a beach or at his family’s home on a lake in Maine he is always at his happiest. His father graduated MMA in 1981 with a degree in Marine Engineering. He sailed for…

Hello, Followers!

Climb aboard the TS Kennedy for Sea Term 2021! On behalf of the cadets and crew, I would like to welcome the many elementary school, middle school, and high school students participating in the Follow The Voyage Program. Throughout Sea Term 2021, be sure to log onto my Captain’s Log. I am looking forward to providing you with daily updates and answering as many of your questions as possible.

I am a 1987 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. In December 2013, I was hired as Second Mate of the TS Kennedy. A year later, I became the Acting Chief Mate. At a Change Of Command Ceremony in August 2016, I became the Master of the TS Kennedy . My position merges my Chief Mate responsibilities with that of captaining the ship. As Chief Mate, I am in charge of implementing safety management for all personnel. I am also responsible for the planned maintenance of the ship’s interior and exterior spaces, including the machinery. It is a demanding job, but I couldn’t be happier.

When I am not on the TS Kennedy, I treasure my time at home with my wife and children in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

I welcome your comments and questions throughout our voyage. Please send them to me via ftv@maritime.edu.

Thanks again for being a part of Sea Term 2021!

Sincerely,
Captain Michael J. Campbell
Master, TS Kennedy

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