Sea Term 2023 has officially begun!
Cadets have arrived on campus and have boarded the TS Kennedy!
The morning began with a very quick drop off. 4/C cadets were expected to return by 0800. 3/C cadets had an additional two hours, arriving by 1000. All 1/C cadets in leadership positions had arrived on Friday, December 30th. The remaining 1/C cadets were expected to be on campus by 1100 today.
Most moms or dads didn’t even get out of their vehicle. All of the advice, motivation, reminders, and well wishes that parents wanted to impart had been shared over the past few days.
If you’ve already read our earlier post, Cadet Spotlight: Packing For Sea Term 2023, then you know just how much the cadets were expected to fit into their sea bags. Many cadets also carried a backpack and an additional smaller bag. Getting their load out to the car at home might not have seemed too challenging, but carrying everything across campus was a true test of strength and stamina. One cadet estimated that his duffle bag weighed 90 pounds.
You can be sure that the cadets were wishing that rolling luggage carts were available or that bellmen were standing by to transfer their belongings to the ship for a small tip. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The TS Kennedy may be heading to the islands, but this is certainly NOT a luxury Caribbean cruise. Every cadet was responsible for his own load. The final obstacle for cadets was getting up the gangway. They wabbled, winced, and stumbled, but did not give up. The deck of the TS Kennedy was the finish line and every cadet was determined to finish the race. Most cadets were smiling when they finally stepped aboard the ship. They breathed a sigh of relief as they swiped their ID and stepped onto the Quarterdeck. The next stop was the cadet holds. It was time to find their assigned rack and unpack.
Welcome cadets! Let’s get this adventure started!
