Navigating the Penobscot Bay

Last week, myself and fellow classmates had the honor of spending 3 days on the campus of Maine Maritime. Throughout this time, we were introduced to some of the programs they offer and what college life will be like.

On Thursday at about 9 am, we boarded the Capt. Susan J. Clark. We plotted a course on a chart then navigated the river using that course. As New York Harbor Students, we are used to lots of traffic on the water and using landmarks we recognize to guide us. None of us knew the Penobscot Bay well enough to navigate by site and regardless, it was filled with fog. We did not see another vessel the whole 2 hours we were out. It was a big change from the New York Harbor.

Captain Chase and Captain Jergesen gave us the helm and helped guide us through the trip. They gave us handy tips are navigation and plotting courses. Captain Chase even allowed Michael Mongiello, a vessel ops sophomore, to dock the vessel. Penobscot Bay was peaceful and had beautiful islands all along the river. This trip was a highlight of my time at Maine Maritime.