2004 Voyage of Discovery Daily Log

Presentations

As their personal voyages of discovery onboard the Half Moon neared conclusion, each student presented the assembled crew with a report on some aspect of Hudson river life, history, or science that inspired their interest. Each report was followed by a Q&A session that always helped to shed new light on the topic.

Quicklinks:

First Leg Presentations

Second Leg Presentations

Ms. Davis & Mrs. Fountain

September 22nd: First Leg Presentations

The first student crew gave their reports while we sat at anchor off Georges Island in Haverstraw Bay.

Abel graphed the diurnal air temperature variation, charting the rise and fall of air temperatures over the course of a 24 hour period.

Alex examined the relationship between air and water temperature. His presentation included a graph of temperature readings he had taken at the water's surface.

Alison informed the ship's crew about several species of flora & fauna native to the region.

Charles compared wind speeds and river current speeds, probing for a possible link. He could find no correlation between the two, but in scientific theory, eliminating false possibilities is just as important as demonstrating valid ones.

Jeanette contrasted the original Half Moon's 1609 Hudson River expedition with our own 2004 voyage of discovery. She created maps of the Hudson based both on modern charts and those of the 17th century, comparing the average speeds, travel distances, and anchor points of the original Half Moon with those of our replica.

Like Alex, Jessica studied the relationship between air and water temperatures. Here Jessica presents the captain with her independent findings.

Kristin graphed the peak wind speed during the course of the day, searching for patterns.

Laila used an instrument called a sling psychrometer (also known as a wet & dry bulb thermometer) to gather data on relative humidity levels.

Nora presented a comparative glossary of Dutch and English terminology.

Peter studied the gradient of salinity as we moved up the Hudson River. Testing at different depths and different current speeds, he reported that salinity levels rise as one moves downriver toward the ocean, and that the water is comparatively saltier at lower depths than at the surface.

Ryan used a lead line to perform soundings at each of our anchor points, comparing their relative water depths.

September 28th: Second Leg Presentations

Our second student crew presented their reports while we were docked at the Port of Albany. In some cases, the student crew studied the same topics their counterparts had researched on the first leg, but their work still presented new insights.

Ceili documented procedures for several tasks aboard the ship, including setting the foresail, weighing anchor and cleaning the head.

Hannah studied dissolved oxygen levels in the open river and compared them with levels near the marshes.

Jared developed a glossary of English terms for parts and actions aboard the ship, then obtained Dutch equivalents from a dictionary and from our Dutch crew.

Justine measured water depths throughout a tidal cycle, and used a lead line to map the bottom contour of Rondout Creek.

Nicole studied tidal currents, measuring the current speed at flood and ebb.

Rosa compared technological levels and living conditions on the original Half Moon in 1609 with those of our modern replica.

Samantha compared wind speed aloft with wind speed on deck, charting its rise and fall throughout the day.

Tevon tested the mechanical advantage provided by blocks (pulleys) of different configurations and number of leads.

Thanasi used the Van Dorn sampler to test water temperature at various depths in the water column, presenting a chart of his findings.

William collected and described plants from two habitats, the Open River and Freshwater Tidal Marsh.

Ms. Davis and Mrs. Fountain wrapped up the festivities with a presentation on their project, Clew. By now, they had playtested it with several crewmembers and were already thinking of new ways to refine the game.

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