Day 95. Workin towards the end of academics

Like I said like 3 months ago, it's very easy to forget that we're at school here. Still, aboard a floating university, the faculty always like to remind us, and we're in the heat of the work right now.

We have 2 more days of classes, and then our looming Global Studies final exam. After that, we have our A-day final exams before our last port-of-call, Guatemala. After 3 days there, we have B exams, and then its our smooth sailing all the way north to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

Today, I spent my time writing FDPs for classes and starting to study for global. I napped, watched some scrubs, and hung out with friends like we always tend to do on our days at sea. The water has calmed out after a rough departure from Hawaii, and we've got nothin' but 3,000 miles ahead of us before arriving in "the Guat."

Yesterday, the entire ship was privvied to a great evening function, called "Dirty Jobs: the Cast and Crew of the MV Explorer." The four top-ranking officers (Capt. Jeremy, the Staff Captain, Hotel director and Chief Engineer) sat at a long table and answered our questions about everything from recycling aboard the ship to pirate defenses. I took a bunch of notes so I could type up some of the most interesting answers, and here they are below!


Q: Tell us about water usage
A: The ship produces up to 500 TONS of water a day through de-salination techniques. Average ship consumption is 120 tons of water per day while we're at sea. It's slightly less while in port (many people sleep off of the ship)

Q: How many potatoes does the ship use (We eat a lot of starch)
A: The ship plans on 500 g of potatoes per person, per day at sea. That averages to almost 400 POUNDS of potatoes consumed daily

Q: Does the ship recycle?
A: There is no recycling on board; but glass is crushed, cans are compacted, separated, and then delivered to reclycling centers in each port-of-call

Q: How much does it cost to traverse the Panama Canal?
A: For our ship, it's approximately $114,000 to cross the canal

Q: What about fuel usage?
A: The ship can hold 1,190 TONS of fuel in its tank. It takes approximately 700 tons to go from Hawaii to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (about 3,300 miles). The ship gets about 8.5 to 9 miles per ton on average.

Q: What's the most fuel-efficient speed?
A: Stopped.      No, but seriously, about 14 knots, when 1/4 engines are running at 85%

Q: How is electricity generated?
A: The ship has 4 major generators. 2 are used while at sea, and all 4 are used while entering and leaving the harbors (because the ship takes a lot of power to get into such tight berthing places)

Q: Tell us about Pirates!
A: We utilize the 'Monty Python defense mechanism' : "Run away! Run away!" <laughs>. Seriously though, we can travel up to 30 knots, and anything over 17 knots is pretty much impossible to board the ship. We also have a newly acquired magnetic acoustic device that can produce a... quite uncomfortable intense beam of sound at anybody trying to board the ship. We also utilize old-fashioned methods such as high-pressure fire hoses and water jets to prevent anybody trying to overtake us.

Q: How many man-overboards have you had in your four years as captain of the MV Explorer? What's the craziest thing students have done in your tenure?
A:  None. And you all pretty much 'shape up' when you see me coming, so I don't see too much craziness

Q: What are the stabilizers, how do they work, what do they do?
A: They are 4 meter long aerofoils that extend in the water on each side of the ship. They are equipped with a gyrosphere that can tell how the ship is pitching and rolling. If the ship rolls to the starboard side, the starboard fin would angle up, and the port side would angle down- returning the ship to normal position.

Q: Captain, if you're here, who's driving the ship?
A: I don't actually "drive" much. I get to "Park" the ship when she comes into harbor, but other than that, 3 first officers rotate on 4 hour shifts to drive the ship from port to port.

Q: What about your function as "the law?" Since we're in international waters, do you have the final say in everything?
A: I technically represent the flag-nation of the ship, the Bahamas. If a major crime was committed, though, I would alert US Authorities. Other than that, SAS would deal with minor discipline issues.

Q: Can you marry people while at sea?
A: My wife doesn't let me.

Q: How far can the ship roll safely (my question)
A: Amazingly, the Explorer can roll all the way to 67 Degrees in either direction and return safely. Any more than that, we would face a possible capsizing.
Q(Follow up): How far did we roll when we hit the massive wave at the harbor in Casablanca?
A: I'm not sure, because I was clutching anything i could find in the bridge. However, based on the horizon line, I would estimate nearly a 40 degree roll. It was pretty bad.





... Alright, that about does it! It was very interesting, and I walked away saying "I want to be the captain of a ship!"

To clarify on the Morocco incident, the harbor is very shallow, and rough waves went straight to the surface into a major groundswell that rolled the ship. I asked the captain afterwards if he was worried at that point. He laughed and said no, and that it would take a lot to worry him.



... Okay. Time to go to sleep. Shout out to Elyssa's mom, who apparently reads my blog!

Good night from the Pacific,

Greg


FYI: we move an hour, and are now at EST -4 !