Captain Wade Howell will be providing updates while underway as connectivity allows. Follow us on social media (@texasmaritime) for publishing alerts or check back weekly for updates.
Log #8 - August 2, 2023
“It’s good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” - Ernest Hemingway
We are homeward bound, after a great stay in New Orleans where cadets toured the WWII Museum, took in the local history, and enjoyed the recreational aspects of this unique city. We had a great daylight transit down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, where we once again picked up our training and academic activities. Celestial navigation projects are getting wrapped up and engine tracings completed. Due to many aboard graduating after passing the USCG license exam at the end of this term there are groups of cadets and instructors studying different test modules scattered throughout the ship.
While on this leg we have also conducted the MARAD sea trials. The results are still impressive for this vintage ship. Maximum speed attained was 18.8kts, crash stop from 12kts in just over 5min, and rudder swing test in 27sec. All within acceptable parameters. The ships crew and MARAD surveyor are hard at work on the fiscal 24 maintenance package for the TS Kennedy so that it will continue to serve for at least another 2 years until the TS Lone Star State is delivered and operational.
We are currently slow steaming towards the Galveston outer anchorage where we will anchor on the afternoon of Thursday August 3rd to conduct final anchoring qualifications. Friday afternoon we will get underway again and steam into the traffic separation scheme and get in line to be at the pilot station in Galveston at 0800 on Saturday August 5th. We hope to be alongside the Texas Clipper Pier between 0900-1000.
Immediately following the end of sea term we will have the class of 2027 come aboard for "Orientation Week” before the start of the new academic year.
The ship's company has done a great job this summer. The integration of the five academies worked well, in great part due to the dedicated mariners that staff each academy and travel aboard. This experience has drawn our schools and therefore the industry closer together, and we all look forward to the increased collaboration as we work to promote careers in the U.S. Merchant Marine.
This will be my last blog post from SST23. Planning has already begun for SST24 so stay tuned for exciting news!
Until then, Fair Winds and Following Seas.
Capt. Wade Howell
Master, TS Kennedy
Log #7 - July 19, 2023
“The sea is selective. Slow in recognition of effort and aptitude, but fast in sinking the unfit.” - Felix Riesenberg
After over 20 years the venerable TS Kennedy suffered her first boiler tube leak. Right before Puerto Rico it was noticed that we were consuming a lot more boiler make-up water than normal and it was determined that the Starboard boiler had sprung a leak. We shut down the boiler, opened the burner front, and observed the leak near the top of the “D” section of the boiler. In commercial steamships that are in continual use these types of technical issues are not all that uncommon and the parts to affect a repair are onboard. Such was the case with us. We had all the parts and expertise aboard to repair, so we landed in San Juan and repairs commenced. The boiler was dewatered and cooled, the steam drum and manifold were opened and our engineers set about determining exactly what tube out of 100’s had the issue. Meanwhile in the machine shop the plugs were being polished and machined. The repair consists of plugging with tight fitting steel plugs the top and bottom of the tube. This also requires machining and sanding of the tubes ends, one in the manifold and one in the steam drum. The steam drum opening was machined sanded, and the plug fit masterfully. However, the manifold had only a few inches to work in, so progress was infinitesimally slower.
Three days of continuous effort by our engineers working around the clock and it was time to test fit the plug. Thankfully, it fit perfectly! Next, we need to test the repairs. 100psi of air pressure was applied to the system and observed for 10min. After a couple of tweaks to the access plates the system held pressure perfectly. Success? Not so fast! Next the boiler system is filled with water and repressurized to 600psi and observed for 24hrs to see if there is any pressure loss. Now the videos and pictures of the repairs are sent to the American Bureau of Shipping to achieve their seal of approval. We then fired up the boiler and were ready to depart San Juan. I have much praise and thanks for Chief Milton Korn and his engineers for their expertise in completing this repair and doing so while teaching the cadets how to do it. This was an immeasurable training opportunity.
We will head northwest through the Old Bahama Channel towards the Gulf of Mexico where we will possibly anchor of Tampa one night to conduct anchoring and maneuvering training before taking on the pilot at the mouth of the southwest passage of the Mississippi River at around 0100 on July 26th. It will be a long night for me on the bridge with the Bar and Crescent Pilots as we navigate upriver to New Orleans. We anticipate rounding Algiers Point at around 0900 and moor alongside Lower Julia St. Wharf at 1000.
Log #6 - July 14, 2023
“The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea.” - Isak Dinesen
We have no lack of sweat and seawater on the Kennedy that is for sure. Cadets have been busy toiling away on projects, maintenance, class instruction and the occasional recreation. This past Sunday we had the first ever Capt. Sean McNeice Memorial Maritime Games, named in his honor. Each deck company joined an engine company and went head-to-head in a number of Maritime Challenges. I am excited to say that Alpha-Delta won in a tie-breaker!
Since departing Tampa later in the afternoon to take on stores and more ice cream we headed north to Mobile for some bunker fuel for the old ship. While there we had technicians come and replace a bearing on an auxiliary feed pump. After a slight delay in our fuel delivery, we topped of the tanks and headed for San Juan through the Old Bahama Channel. Movie night continues to be a hit with our own Aggie Astronaut Col. Fossum introducing Apollo 13.
We will be moored at the cruise ship piers in Old San Juan for a few days for some additional rest and relaxation from the busy shipboard schedule!
While in San Juan our professional engineers along with engineering cadets will be performing maintenance on the Starboard boiler to locate and plug a water leak. We hope this wont delay sailing as we must cool and empty the boiler then test and restart it, but if it does, we will shift across the channel to another pier for the duration of the maintenance. This is invaluable hands-on training for our engine cadets!
Log #5 - June 29, 2023
“Red Sky at Night Sailors Delight”
Used to signal the arrival of good weather, it has its origins in sheep farming and can actually be found in a Bible passage, Matthew 16:2-3. The science behind it signifies that high pressure is to your west and that the next day will usually be a fair-weather day. The reddish color results from scattering of sunlight by suspended particles and aerosols in the atmosphere. The sun’s rays pass through a greater length of atmosphere at sunrise and sunset than at any other time of day. In addition, aerosol, dirt, and dust concentrations are maximized in the lowest layers of the atmosphere when the atmosphere is dominated by sinking air (high pressure). Therefore, we can see vivid red.
After getting out of the way of the tropical systems the rest of the passage has been relatively uneventful as we conduct maneuvering training practicing round turns and Williamson Turns. While in the Florida Straits our lookouts spotted a derelict overturned vessel. We circled the vessel close aboard to see any signs of life and seeing none we reported the sighting to the US Coast Guard in Miami.
Bucking the Gulf Stream for two days we have rounded the Dry Tortugas and are now in the eastern Gulf of Mexico where we will anchor off of Tampa before picking up the pilot at 5 a.m. on July 2nd for a three-hour transit up Tampa Bay to Cruise Terminal 3.
There will be a slight schedule change after Tampa. We will be proceeding north to Mobile, AL to dock for approximately 12 hours and to take on fuel for the remainder of our voyage. This will not affect our arrival in Puerto Rico.
Log #4 - June 20, 2023
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau
We safely arrived in Curacao and there waiting on the pier was our Ship’s Doctor and the now recovering cadet who was let off in Grand Cayman! Our “greenhorn” first sea term cadets gained their sea legs on the voyage to Curacao, and all are now hooked on the sea. The cadets and crew have coalesced into a great team and have settled into the ship’s rhythm well. We have had a great time on this small Dutch tropical isle recovering from pre-cruise and the first leg. As we depart Curacao, we will head north northeast towards the channel between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles and pass out into the Atlantic Ocean. We intend to stay well ahead and north of TS Brett as it passes through the Caribbean behind us. From there we will loop around the Bahamas and then back through the Straights of Florida into the Gulf of Mexico for an arrival in Tampa on July 2nd. On another note, we had a cadet innocently injure themselves in port and will have to fly stateside for further medical care. We wish them a speedy recovery.
Log #3 - June 15, 2023
“And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.” - John Kennedy
On Monday morning the USCG Marine Inspection Unit came and inspected the ship and our ability to conduct emergency operations and abandon ship drills. We passed with flying colors and were cleared to sail.
Tuesday was a frenzied day of completing stores and equipment loading and removing all the trash we could before our Wednesday departure. All told we received around 70 pallets or about 90 tons of food stores and removed 150 cubic yards of trash. We took on 12,000 tons of fuel and 1100 tons of water. All of this to service 477 cadets and 85 crewmembers from five maritime academies.
On Wednesday we sailed on schedule surrounded by a flotilla of parents, friends, and commercial ships bound for Curacao. Our first night at sea we tested out our new flight deck movie theater with a showing of “Top Gun, Maverick.”
This past Saturday we spent a few hours “Not Under Command” while the engineers repaired a small fitting on the secondary condensate pump. “Not Under Command” is a technical designation in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. It means that the ship is not able to maneuver as required by the rules and all other vessels must give way. We were in this status as we stopped engines and reduced the steam cycle pressures and temperatures to affect a safe repair. After about three hours we were back underway using engines.
On Monday evening I received a notification from our onboard medical team that one of our cadets was ill and in need of onshore medical support due to the presentation of symptoms. I discussed with our onboard and ashore team and decided to head to Grand Cayman for the best medical options in the region within sailing distance. At around 10 p.m. I turned the ship and increased speed to get the Cadet ashore for support. He was left ashore with one of our ship doctors to receive the care he needs and hope they both can rejoin the ship in Curacao.
Log #2 - June 1, 2023
Make ship ready for sea.
481 cadets from five separate maritime academies converged on the TS Kennedy over the course of 16 hours. After a good night's sleep and some food in their bellies, the first order of business is safety: All cadets and crew go through safety management system orientation, followed by a series of drills to prepare us for our final examination in front of the United States Coast Guard prior to sailing. As we progress through our pre-summer sea term, the ship finds its rhythm and settles into routine.
We look forward to a safe and enjoyable summer as we sail the Caribbean while learning our trade.
Log #1 - May 25, 2023
Greetings from the TS Kennedy. After 18 years, it is great to be on our own dedicated, mission-ready ship! Work aboard the TS Kennedy continues around the clock to prepare the ship for 480 cadets and 80 crew! All deck and engine officers are onboard and are working full-time to get the ship ready to sail.
The ship’s engineers and their student workers have lit off the steam plant so the ship’s boilers can “warm up” prior to departure, and they have been going through the ship’s accommodations/decks, making sure all equipment is in good working order. There are hundreds of rooms onboard and many different pieces of equipment, such as plumbing, air conditioning, coffee makers, and many new items brought on board. They have also been conducting requisite safety inspections to ensure the ship passes all of her upcoming regulatory inspections.
The deck officers and their student workers have been feverishly at work transferring supplies and equipment aboard and outdated material off. Ships IT is installing our Starlink internet package, new electronic message boards, new computers in the lab and a PA system on the Helo Deck. The mates are spending hours in hot lifeboats inspecting supplies, life jackets, survival suits and emergency gear lockers. The mates have made over 70 crane lifts and are conducting routine deck equipment maintenance and inspections.
Preparing to sail any vessel is an enormous task, but getting a 56-year-old, 540-foot training vessel ready to sail with over 500 people onboard presents a unique challenge. There are many “behind the scenes” tasks that get done along with the regulatory/administrative work that goes with operating a large vessel. Much of this goes unnoticed but is critical to our mission every summer.
The crew will continue working hard to prepare the ship, and we look forward to having cadets from all the academies arrive to help us with final preparations - there will be no shortage of things to be done! We have an outstanding team of officers that are ready to teach the cadets the skills they will need to succeed in the industry.
We look forward to welcoming the cadets aboard.
Don’t forget to visit us on June 3rd for our dock party and open house!