Even though there have been a few challenges on Sea Term 2020, they cannot begin to compare with what happened in 1958, 1959, 1968, and 1976. As Captain Campbell always reminds cadets, a career at sea requires patience and flexibility.
Check out these cadet stories...
Sea Term 1958
“The trip down the coast was cold, and rough seas plagued the forward progress of our ship. We reached Cape Hatteras without incident, but it was here the fun began.
In the midst of howling gale, our engineers lost the plant, and for nine to ten hours we were lying helpless at the mercy of the waves. Many of the less indoctrinated Third Classmen that sure that this was the last they would see of their girls and their parents. The plant was finally regained amidst much confusion, and the cruise began again. Two hours later, we broke down again, and this set the mode on which this cruise was patterned. At last, we reached our first port of call, St. Thomas, in the Virgin Island group.”
Sea Term 1959
“With Panama now only a memory, the Bay State entered the blue Pacific and steamed north to Acapulco. We were surprised to find out that due to President Eisenhower being there, all traffic had been rerouted, whether for his safety or to avoid diplomatic conflict. As such, the Bay State continued up the coast to Long Beach, California.”
Sea Term 1968
“Something went wrong with the cold water, or was it the hot water? We couldn’t tell the difference. Countless hours were spent trying to find the cause, but it will forever go down in the annals as The Big Mystery Of The ’68 Cruise.”
Sea Term 1976
“The days of being in South Hampton began to be a bad joke, as the problems with our generators intensified and rumor had it that we might be staying a wee bit longer.”