What a stunning sailing day! The sun and cool breeze made it abundantly clear why the Cape is reknown as a summer vacation spot. The ochre moon was our reference as we tacked at 5 knots in the middle of the night. For the first time, as I observed the pivoting of the ship, I had a rush of pure exhilaration. How ridiculous that we are here, at midnight on the edge of the Atlantic, a group of novice sailors being introduced to the concept of hoving to in order to maintain 2 knots duing a neuston net tow! This is no place for beginners to learn... or is it the perfect place?

During the day, the rudiments of sailing were presented at a reasonable pace, and each short talk was backed up with practice. The same technique was applied to shipboard safety drills: man overboard, fire, and prepare to abandon ship. Coated in sunscreen, donning our survival suits was a cinch.

I thought of Hurley as I ascended the foremast of the Cramer with digital camera in hand. It must have been difficult to get that tripod out onto the end of the yard. The bold illumination and new perspective aloft were visually inspiring. Here are my favorites: