BUZZARDS BAY – On January 10th, 600 cadets and crew from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy will depart for southern waters as they take part in the college’s annual Sea Term.
The three-week cruise will visit St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Ft. Lauderdale this year.
However, Captain Thomas Bushy, in charge of the Academy’s T/S Kennedy, said the trip is not a pleasure cruise. Cadets attend classes, take exams and run the ship.
Bushy also says part of the experience is enjoying the cultures of the ports.
“We are in port usually for two days and they usually get two days off. It’s limited by their hours and their class. A freshman may get off the ship at 10 in the morning and have to be back by midnight. A third classman would have to be back by 1 in the morning and first class by 3.”
Due to the popularity of the program this year about 120 cadets will be leaving the ship in Puerto Rico and be replaced by classmates flown down for the second leg of the cruise.
