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Aboard the Bobbie C

Spectrum producer Justin Gregory has just spent a week aboard a tall ship, sailing from Auckland to the Bay of Islands in the company of 22 American college students. The two-masted brigantine Robert C. Seamans, affectionately known as the Bobbie C, is one of two ships operated by the Sea Education Association which for more than forty years has been offering a semester at sea for students from across the United States.

Captain Elliot Rappaport supervises SEA student Eliza Thomas: "This is a training ship not a passenger vessel. (It’s) predicated on the expectation that (the students will) really join the ship as active participants."

SEA faculty member Dr Jeff Wescott: "Everyone needs to rely on each other but they need to understand that everyone is relying on them."

Chief Scientist Dr Ben Harden: "The students take ownership of what they’re doing and then they become the leaders."

SEA student Makenzie Michel: "I’ve learned that I’m very bad at Butt Wrestling."

1st Assistant Scientist Maia Theophanis instructs student Ella Dean at the helm.

SEA student Tim Dooley: "I could probably do this the rest of my life. It’s pretty awesome."

SEA students Alex Salesin and Sara Covelli. Alex: "I try to explore the things that I’m interested in, gather knowledge in as many different areas so I can help kids as best I can." Sara: "The biggest thing for me has been letting go the idea that I need to be in control of everything."

Jeff Wescott leads a class.

3rd Mate Eric Oransky: (on getting sea sick) "Everyone has a wave out there with their name on it."

SEA student Eileen Bates: "It’s a little frustrating to feel so inept at something. So I’m excited for that feeling to go away!"

SEA student Alina Nakano: "I’ve started really paying attention to how much energy and water I use every day."

1st Mate Will McLean: "It's a beautiful day for sailing."

SEA student Rachel Soudakoff: "Generally being deaf in a hearing world is going to be different. (But) in terms of the wind and the noise on a boat a lot of the time we can communicate more clearly than most people. We’re able to “yell” across the boat when (spoken) commands won’t carry."

SEA student Molly Stark-Ragsdale: "Working as a team has been really great. How everybody fits into the group and how everybody works together. And similarly looking at the boat - how everything is connected."

SEA student Jenna Lilly.

SEA student Johanna Bailey: "I've made my first offering to Neptune."

Justin Gregory, Jeff Wescott and the members of C Watch on the bowsprit of the Robert C. Seamans. Photo by Sarah Fuller.

The women of C Watch working together.

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.