Our journey continues towards Catalina, we are about nine days away. Everyone has gotten back into the swing of things.

Out on deck cadets were busy learning how to handle fire hoses. It is critical that they know how to use the hoses in the event of a fire. Each group is split into smaller teams and they would attack a fire by these smaller groups to ensure they are protected. When it comes to firefighting on a ship, all crew members will be able to fight a fire.

Inside the house some cadets were inspecting SCBAs bottles to make sure they have the proper pressure in them. If the bottles have inadequate pressure, they noted the bottle's serial number and took it to get refilled. It is vital that these bottles have the right amount of pressure so the firefighters that use them will have the most amount of time on air as possible.

On the fantail the engineers were busy replacing the lights on the aft mast. These lights need to be replaced from time to time. These navigational lights are important so when other vessels see us from behind and different angles, they can identify which way the vessel is headed. Other engine cadets were busy in the hot engine room replacing injectors. This is a part of the regular maintenance of the main engine. Once the work was done the engine was ready to run again.

Today we are met with smooth seas, a pleasant breeze, and more stars than you have ever seen. We were also able to see the passing of the Perseid Meteor Showers.  We are hoping these clear skies continue as we get closer to California.