Spring 2003 SEAmester East Journal
Sent weekly from sea by students on-board SEAmester ...
SEAmester Log, Part 2
Dominica
March 12, 2003
Hey Everyone!
Just another quick update about our adventures. Again, we are all doing
well, though the sunburns are getting more severe. A few things that you
might like to know that you didn't get from Matt and Julia's e-mail - our
cook is incredible! Everyday she makes the most amazing dish even though she
gets sea sick too. Besides being well fed onboard, the local food on the
islands has also been outstanding. My personal favorite is the local juices
that are so flavorful it feels like a rainbow in your mouth.
Back to the adventures - While on Antigua we hiked to Shirley Heights for
sunset through a dry arrid dessert environment. It was a pretty rough
terrain, but the best part was picking out the cactus spines from your shoes
at the end while looking at a postcard view of English Harbor. Next we went
to the Pillars of Hercules, which is the amazing geological feature caused
by the volcanic lava flows, wind, and crashing waves. It really looks like
giant pillars are cut into the rocky coastline! I have to say that it was
the most interesting field lab class I have ever had. We all ran around
finding organisms and identifying them and drawing them. ONe snail even
squirted me with some creamy repellent that turned my fingers purple and
then smell like garlic for 2 days. Our last night in Antigua was spent
checking out another SEAmester type program's boat. It was really cool to
hear and see the differences between the two. Although they had air
conditioned bunks and a shower onboard, I have to say when I got back on the
Spirit, I felt really proud of my shipmates and crew as we sang sea chanties
into the night.
Our first morning out of Antigua was definitely the most terrifying. We had
our first man overboard drill, which, of course, was a surprise. For almost
the entire drill I really thought that someone had fallen overboard! I was
so scared because I couldn't see them. However, we performed well on the
drill, and the Captain was satisfied. Knowing that we are ready makes me feel
very good!
We're now anchored in Dominica and yesterday we hiked for 8 hours in an
incredible rain forest. We saw a Valley of Desolation, which is so colorful
because of the algae and mineral deposits, and a boiling lake in an old
volcano crater. On the hike down we stopped for a dip in the hot springs,
but the waterfall jump at the end was a perfect finale. Today we had a lot
of free time, some people went to see birds on another hike, and others
caught up on school. I was the first student to go aloft on the boatswain's
chair. I oiled the fore stay, which is a pretty smelly job, but the view
from the top is breathtaking!
SO again, we all hope things are well at home and everyone stays safe up
there!
Nancy Scarlett Arbuckle
So far the only complaints that I have heard involve the smelly fo'c's'le
(or forecastle where 9 girls sleep) which is due to a leaky head
(bathroom)).
Log 1: Matt and Julia
Prof. Hamilton's Journal Archive
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