On this warm autumn day, the Half Moon is berthed at our frequent host, King Marine in Verplanck, NY. The students aren't due to arrive for the first leg of the journey until tomorrow, but before that happens, we thought we'd bring you "behind the scenes" to show some of the preparation that went into the 2006 Fall Voyage of Discovery.

(L-to-R): Woody Woodworth, Elden Miller, and John Mangrum work on the barge.	Mr. Miller spot-welds a steel brace onto the barge.

Before we can leave Verplanck, we need to prepare for our arrival in Albany on the 19th. At the beginning of September, several Half Moon supporters, including Captain Reynolds, Colin Campbell, John Mangrum, Elden Miller, and Woody Woodworth, gave their time to add steel reinforcements to a barge we use to help position the ship while docked at the Albany Pumping Station. The upright "arms" prevent wear and tear as the barge rises and falls on the tide.

But back to today. The Half Moon has been docked in Verplanck since late August, undergoing standard upkeep. However, since the ship has been so active this year, it's had a steady supply of crew members tending to its maintenance all season. The ship is in great shape, so there isn't much left to do.

1200 hours: Over the course of the past few days, the adult crew has gathered on board to go over any necessary last-minute preparations.

We've recently received a donation of a new outboard motor for our inflatable "tender," or support boat. Captain Reynolds and Mr. Smit spend part of the afternoon fine-tuning the new engine.

Success! The new outboard runs much more smoothly -- and quietly -- than the old one did.

Now that the tender is up and running, Captain Reynolds instructs Mr. Smit on its use. The tender serves the Half Moon much like tug boats help larger ships; by nudging us to one side or the other, the tender helps us make fine maneuvers when needed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dawson and Mr. Weisse go through the ship, making safety inspections. Here, they're installing a new bracket to hold the fire extinguisher in the fo'c'stle.

Mrs. Barton and Mrs. Lawler spend most of the day off provisioning the ship. When they return in the mid-afternoon, we load enough supplies to feed the entire crew, 24 people, for two weeks. That's enough groceries to feed one person for nearly a year!

Later in the afternoon, our science officer, Mrs. Jacobs, arrives. She and Captain Reynolds inventory the scientific gear.

As the boatswain, Mr. Morel is in charge of all of the ship's rigging. As such, he has spent the day inspecting all the lines to ensure that each one is in its proper place. Once he's done, he leads the remaining senior crew through a quick review of sail handling. Even crew members who have been working on the ship this summer can use a little refresher course.

By late afternoon, we've completed our preparations for the voyage. Our cooks prepare dinner, and we settle down to an early night, looking forward to greeting the students late tomorrow morning.

On this date in 1609:

The eight, was very faire weather, wee rode still very quietly. The people came aboord us, and brought Tobacco and Indian Wheat, to exchange for Knives and Beades, and offered us no violence. So we sitting up our Boate did marke them, to see if they would make any shew of the Death of our man; which they did not.

-- Robert Juet's Journal.

[As we join the voyage, the Half Moon has entered Raritan Bay, nearing what is now New York Harbor. Just two days earlier, on September 6, 1609, the crew suffered their only casualty during this voyage: an English sailor named John Colman, killed in a hostile encounter. Yesterday, the crew buried him at a locale they named Colmans Point (Keansburg, New Jersey today). Juet and the crew are now particularly suspicious of everyone they encounter.]