Day 72: Arrival to Portland
Good morning, Cruise Blog fans.
Today, the State of Maine made its arrival in Portland. It was a peaceful transit from Boston to Portland. We moved slowly under the power of the electric motor, supplied by 3 of our diesel generators. As far as I know, this has been the first time it has been used this cruise, but there was a noticeable decrease in both noise and speed during our transit. The seas were incredibly fair, especially with our cruising speed of 6 knots.
Once we finally arrived, Alpha company, myself included, were on our last training rotation, including the presentation of our final cruise grades, course evaluations and a final lecture on troubleshooting. Fortunately for us, this meant we got out of the full day of arduous labor of unpacking the ship before we send it away to a holding company to maintain it during its ready reserve service for the US government.
After the workday was done at 1600 (or 4 PM for you landlubbers!), we were given liberty. Many chose to go and meet up with their parents, unload gear or just to explore Portland with their friends. If Boston didn’t deliver the feeling already, with only one and a half days left, everyone finally feels like they’re home.
Post by: MIDN 4/C Cooper Parlee, MSE-5.
![](https://mainemaritime.edu/tssom-training-cruise-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/07/IMG_4422-150x150.jpeg)
![](https://mainemaritime.edu/tssom-training-cruise-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/07/IMG_4429-150x150.jpeg)
![](https://mainemaritime.edu/tssom-training-cruise-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/07/IMG_4424-150x150.jpeg)
![](https://mainemaritime.edu/tssom-training-cruise-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/07/IMG_4423-150x150.jpeg)
Latest 2024 Summer TSSOM Cruise
- Meredith Spotts’ Cruise ReviewAs cruise comes to a close, seventy-odd days after our departure from Castine, I am left to reflect on one of the most unique experiences I have been through- and a quick apology for my lack of updates during this portion of cruise (sorry, Mom!) The ports we visited were beautiful, but incredibly busy, with […]
- Day 71: Almost HomeThis morning the Training Ship State of Maine made its arrival into Boston. It was an exciting day because this was the closest glimpse to home that many of us have had in almost fifty days. The excitement began at around 0700, just after our morning muster when we took on a Boston Harbor pilot. We […]
- Cruise Return to Portland and LivestreamThe TSSOM will arrive in Portland, Maine, on July 16, 2024, at the Portland Ocean Terminal. This is the final stop of the 2024 Summer Training Cruise, and students will begin disembarking on Thursday, July 18, starting at 12:00. Please join us in welcoming back everyone aboard after a successful voyage, either in person or […]
- Day 69: Finals and FlashlightsBetween having our two written final exams and our engineering system assessment called “flashlights,” training day 13 was a day that everyone dreaded, juniors and freshmen alike. Alpha company was the last company to have their final assessments, which some may have viewed as a luxury. As a member of Alpha company, I can assure […]
- Day 67: Goodbye CanadaIt was a cold and dreary day when we departed from St. John’s this morning. It was a bittersweet departure just as the gray skies and the rain sprinkling on the deck might’ve suggested. Our departure left everyone with a feeling of completion, a terminus, because St. John’s was our last foreign port before our […]
- Day 66: A Canadian ExcursionAs I have outlined in my past blog posts, the excursions altruistically assembled by Chief Warrant Officer Kowalski have been a hit. Each one has had the perfect duality of joyful, unrequited tourism and encompassed the essence of the area, demonstrating its unique landscape, history, and culture. Leaving Newfoundland, after participating in the last excursion, […]