A professional mariner knows to expect the unexpected. Mechanical problems, inclement weather, rough seas, crew illnesses, and scheduling changes can change even the best laid plans.
Step into our the FTV-STX time machine! Discover some challenges that occurred on Sea Term 1958, Sea Term 1959, Sea Term 1968, and Sea Term 1976. The following quotes appeared in Massachusetts Maritime Academy yearbooks.
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 how 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.”