State of Maine heads down Penobscot Bay, bow to the Atlantic, for annual training cruise
The ‘State of Maine’ is pushed out by Penobscot Bay Pilot tugboat from the dock in Castine. (Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
The ‘State of Maine’ is pushed out by Penobscot Bay Pilot tugboat from the dock in Castine. (Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
(Photo courtesy MMA College Relations)
PENOBSCOT BAY — Maine Maritime Academy’s training vessel, the State of Maine, embarked yesterday on her annual training cruise, leaving Castine for the open Atlantic waters.
This year, the ship’s itinerary makes ports of calls to Charleston, South Carolina; Cadiz, Spain; Portland; Cobh, Ireland; Norfolk, Virginia; and Searsport.
Onboard are 244 students from Maine, New England and beyond, some of whom will sail for 45 days, others for 90 days.
The annual cast-off of MMA's training ship cruise is an integral part of the maritime college's curriculum. Every spring, the school sends freshmen and juniors on an Atlantic journey, during which they practice what they've learned in classrooms or aboard the ship the previous nine months while it is tied up at the Castine dock.
Students pursuing an officer’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard as a third mate or third assistant engineer are required to train at sea for at least 300 days during their first three years at the Academy. Freshmen and juniors sail aboard the MMA vessel while sophomores are assigned to merchant ships worldwide.
Ship’s captain is Leslie B. Eadie III, MMA Class of 1976. Chief engineer is Roger Lowell, MMA Class of 1971, and Commandant of Midshipmen is Nathan Gandy, MMA Class of 1992
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