New York City as seen from the Bay Ridge Flats, September 11, 2006, 1945 hours.

In commemoration of this significant anniversary, Captain Reynolds wishes to offer a few words. The Daily Log follows.

The brilliant beam of light rising from the site of the World Trade Center today is a deeply moving, and most appropriate symbol – from our anchorage just to the south we feel both the reverence for the tragic loss of life five years ago, and the sense of hope gained from the heroic response by emergency personnel and average citizens alike just five short years ago.

Our student crew today is much like the student crew aboard in 2001, when we were anchored is this exact same spot. Have no doubt, they would respond just as effectively in an emergency, as did those aboard the Half Moon during the attacks five years ago. They are also just as perceptive, and understand the motivations that moved people to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help respond, and to rebuild. That should give us all hope for the future.

We began our day, and ended, much as Hudson did during his voyage: taking measurements of the world around us. Checking depth and tidal currents, measuring winds and recording directions, collecting samples of and recording observations of the land around us. The steady work of understanding the world goes on.

--Captain William Reynolds.

 

0630 hours

After rising to the notes of Mr. Weisse's reveille, the student crew stows their gear and once again prepars to weigh anchor.

0730 hours

After a breakfast of Mrs. Barton's "Moon Muffins," our crew is ready to attend their stations. Soon enough, the anchor is secured on the fore channel and we are on our way.

0800 hours

We cross the Verrazano Narrows, retracing Captain Hudson's route as we re-enter New York Harbor.

0900 hours

Current Position: Motoring north through New York Harbor
Latitude: 40˚ 41.821'
Longitude: 074˚ 01.33'

It is always a thrill to see New York Harbor; even though we were only in Gravesend overnight, it still feels like a homecoming.

1000 hours

With Shia at the helm, we soon reach our next destination: the Bay Ridge Flats. From this location in New York Harbor, away from the water traffice, we have a clear view of the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, Newark, Staten Island, and the Verrazano Narrows.

Mr. Dawson (out of view on the fore channel), Mr. Morency, and Mr. Terry form our fore deck crew. On the captain's command, they lower the anchor to the waterline, release the fid (or as our crew commonly calls it, the "carrot"), and the anchor is away.

Meanwhile, Mr. Smit and Mr. Morel carefully monitor the anchor rode as it runs out, making it off at 150 feet.

1030 hours

After a few spilled eggs at breakfast, we opt for a deck wash. The student crew work as a team, hosing down and scrubbing the upper decks.

With everyone's combined efforts, we complete the task quickly. Not only do these deck washes keep the ship clean, the wooden planks in the deck swell as they absorb the moisture, improving the ship's watertightness as well.

1100 hours

Toward the end of the morning, our educators produce the Matrix: A chart marking which members of the student crew have successfully performed what tasks on board. These tasks are a combination of watch duties, shipcraft, and river science. By the time we start marking off students' achievements, they had already fulfilled many of the listed tasks.

The first of our crew goes soon ashore to explore the Brookyln waterfront with Captain Reynolds and Dr. Jacobs. As each team of students returns from their expedition with their discoveries, we assemble an aquarium with crabs, barnacles, sea weeds, and such. Every student will have a chance to make collections from our small boat and add to our base of observations and samples.

On deck we cannot appreciate how we look to others. Once away, it is amazing to see our small home laying at anchor, and realize how unusual it looks.

While the small teams of students explore in our tender, those still on board use their time to expand on the knowledge they have already gained. As their educators advise them, the students once again focuse on lines of position. This time, each student individually sights landmarks and charts our position.

1200 hours

Current Position:Anchored on the Bay Ridge Flats
Latitude: 40˚ 39.9'
Longitude: 074˚ 01.531'

Experimentation with lines of position continues through midday.

1300 hours

As the afternoon begins, once all the students are back on board and a light lunch has been served, our teachers gather the student crew on the orlop deck to introduce them to their team presentations.

Mr. Beiter instructs each student to think about the enviromental phenomena they have witnessed on board -- including the rise and fall of temperature during the day, wind, currents, and tidal cycles -- and formulate a hypothesis to test with the instruments available on board.

With that goal in mind, the students then organize their teams to discuss possible projects for their presentations.

1500 hours

After the meeting, the students spend the rest of the day familiarizing themselves with their instruments, preparing their experiments, and collecting data.

Here, Rebecca B. is measuring the temperature of a water sample collected from alongside the ship.

Elsewhere, Robert uses a hand-held anemometer to help Zora with her experiment, measuring comparative wind speeds on deck and aloft.

Some instruments need a measure of fine-tuning before they can be put to work. Kaeli has discovered that the markings on our Van Dorn sampler don't correspond to the depths from which she wants to take readings. With the help of a measuring tape, she makes the correct markings herself.

1600 hours

Earlier today we drew the attention of the Fireboat from Staten Island. Firefighters Jim Kinncary and Bob Labas were on their way to Ground Zero, and stopped by to say hello. We needed to mail a parcel for ship’s business, and they were kind enough to help us. They've now returned to the Half Moon, mission achieved.

In return we open the ship for a fire inspection. Mr. Kinncary and Mr. Labas see every space on the ship...

Mouse over to see the water display in motion.

...and in departure use their water cannons to provide us with a special water display.

Along with working on their experiments, the students also have time this afternoon to achieve other goals, such as climbing the rigging or marking off tasks on the Matrix.

Here, Zora and Kyle are completing their harness tests -- the first step toward being cleared to climb aloft.

Sometimes, these tasks fulfill multiple requirements. Since Zora's experiment involves taking wind speed measurements from the main top, she can work toward her project and mark off her harness test on the Matrix at the same time.

1915 hours

Lasagna dinner (with salad and vegetarian alternatives) is served on deck. After dinner, Captain Reynolds convenes the nightly anchor watch meeting.

The anchor watch consists of two student sailors, who remain on deck together for an hour. At the end of the hour, two other crew relieve them, and so on through the night. Their job is to guard against problems aboard and ensure that our anchor light remains lit. While Hudson’s crew certainly kept an anchor watch, they certainly did not need to worry about a light bulb burning out.

As the sun sets, the dimming skies allow us to notice the great beam of light towering above the city. When the clouds break, the beam soars up, up, up, as far as the eye can see.

While on the Half Moon, life becomes very condensed. With all of one's immediate responsibilities present and accounted for on board, it's easy to allow one's mind slip into the 17th century and let the rest of the world fade into the background.

And yet as we stand here, aboard this symbol of New York City's origins, that powerful beacon of light draws us to the determination of its future, reconnecting us to the world. Our dinner conversation turns to quiet contemplation -- a tone of reflection that remains with us through the peaceful night.

On this date in 1609:

The eleventh, was faire and very hot weather. At one of the clocke in the after-noone, wee weighed and went into the River, the wind at South South-west, little winde. Our soundings were seven, sixe, five, sixe, seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, thirteene, and fourteene fathomes. Then it shoalded againe, and came to five fathomes. Then wee Anchored, and saw that it was a very good Harbour for all windes, and rode all night. The people of the Countrey came aboord of us, making shew of love, and gave us Tobacco and Indian Wheat and departed for that night; but we durst not trust them.

-- Robert Juet's Journal.