“Skylark1,” Jessie calls at me through the wind. I lift my head and watch my crewmate as she shimmies toward the shrouds and climbs down the mast. I step aside and allow her to pass, but for a moment she pauses beside me and we look around in silence. There is no sight greater than the ocean from above. The water is clear clear clear and I bet we can see a hundred feet beneath the surface before the blue and green turns to complete darkness. The bow of our ship splits the waves and brings forth white ocean spray like torrents of sea glass. Evening renders the clouds pink2 and crisp against the setting sun, and there are tears in my eyes from the wind whipping my face and hair about. The air is clean and dry and warm. Everything is perfect. I turn and Jessie is gone, already on deck, another sixty feet down.
Emily at the helm.
For the past few months, this elegant brigantine has been my home. Our homeport is San Pedro, in the heart of the Port of Los Angeles. The surrounding cranes, cargo ships and industry are a stark contrast to the wooden hull, canvas sails, and thick fibrous lines of our tall ship. Every morning, we depart our berth appearing to be caught in the wrong century. With calloused hands we spend the day hauling lines; lifting sails we hope will fill with wind. By day we coil lines, furl sails, mend tears, scrub the deck, and at night we bunk up side by side in our humble crew quarters. It is a unique lifestyle: definitely out-of-date, but probably kept alive for its uncanny ability to build character in just about anyone and the unparalleled beauty of it all.
Crew leaders after their completing our first voyage.
I am leaving this boat and heading East3 where I will spend six weeks aboard the R/V Atlantic Explorer as a MATE Intern. It has been three years since I was aboard a Research Vessel; in college, I signed up as a volunteer scientist through NOAA to survey Atlantic Scallops on the R/V Hugh R. Sharp. In fact, it was on that cruise that I first heard of the MATE program and internship, and first became interested in the role of a Marine Technician.
My formal education is in Biology, although through my college, I was fortunate to participate in opportunities across the globe that also touched upon Geology, Oceanography, Art, Religion, and Anthropology. My interests span across many subjects, and one of the reasons that I find a career as a Marine Technician so appealing is because it combines my love for travel and life at sea with my interest in high quality, peer-reviewed, ground-breaking marine and oceanographic research. Above all else, I thrive when I am in an environment that challenges me to learn and problem solve. As a Marine Technician in training, I hope to do just that.
My day of departure creeps closer and closer. My bags are (almost) packed, my work visa is secured, and my passport has been located. Soon, I will be on a plane headed towards new adventures, new challenges, and new seas!
Fair winds,
Emily
1 A term used by mariners to describe the act of playing around while working up in the rigging of a ship.
2 Red skies at night usually indicate moisture to the West. Unfortunately, in Los Angeles vibrant sunsets are more often than not, attributed to smog and pollution instead of weather.
3 Travelling 4,879 miles by car and plane from San Pedro, California to St. Georges, Bermuda.