Everyone wants to know:
What has been the training ship’s most often visited port?
We examined the data from 2004 – 2023. As you know, from 2004 – 2009, the training ship was named, TS Enterprise. From 2009 to the present, the ship has been named, TS Kennedy. One ship, two names.
At the top of the list is:
San Juan, Puerto Rico: 7 Sea Term Port Visits
The training ship docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2005 as the TS Enterprise. As the TS Kennedy, she docked in San Juan in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Bridgetown, Barbados: 7 Sea Term Port Visits
The training ship docked in Bridgetown, Barbados in 2007 as the TS Enterprise. As the TS Kennedy, she docked in Bridgetown in 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2019. On Friday, January 20, 2023, the TS Kennedy will make her seventh visit to Bridgetown.
I stopped and did the math. Since each port visit equals three full days, I figured out that the training ship had spent 21 days in Bridgetown and 21 days in San Juan.
Last week, when I announced to Captain Campbell that San Juan and Bridgetown were tied for the honor of the most often visited port, he immediately issued a tie breaker. Captain Campbell reminded me that in 2017, the TS Kennedy had spent six weeks in Puerto Rico providing hurricane relief. The ship served as a welcome refuge for workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The TS Kennedy provided the FEMA workers with 30,000 meals, comfortable beds, hot showers, and a place to do laundry.
I realized that six weeks was equal to 42 days. Those 42 days were the same as 14 additional port visits.
So, San Juan is the undisputed, hands down winner.
Here are the standings for ports with two or more visits:
Golfito, Costa Rica: 6 Sea Term Port Visits
Panama City, Panama: 5 Sea Term Port Visits
Roadtown, Tortola: 3 Sea Term Port Visits
Cartagena, Columbia: 2 Sea Term Port Visits
On Friday, January 27th, the training ship will make her Fifth Port Visit to Oranjestad, Aruba. The following week, on Friday, February 3rd, the training ship will dock in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas for her Sixth Port Visit.
Over the years, the ship made one port visit to the countries of Italy, Mexico, Spain, and Ecuador, and to the islands of Curacao, Jamaica, and Martinique.
On Friday, February 11th, the training ship will visit her last port of Sea Term 2023. In the state of Florida, Fort Lauderdale comes out on top. The training ship will make its Fifth Port Visit to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Miami and Tampa are tied with 4 Sea Term Port Visits. The TS Kennedy made a single visit to Key West in 2016.
Over the years, the ship made two port visits to Charleston, South Carolina. Recently, the TS Kennedy visited Charleston for dry dock repairs. The ship made a single visit to Norfolk, Virginia in 2006 to have its evaporator repaired.
Please keep your questions coming! Teachers may submit questions