Off the Kauai coast
We have made arrival in the Hawaiian Islands and set our anchor in the southern waters of Kauai. The common misperception about anchoring is the notion that the anchor keeps the vessel in place when it is in fact the catenary of the anchor chain. Catenary is a term found in physics and mathematics describing the curved shape of any flexible hanging chain or cable. In other words, the weight of the anchor chain along the ocean floor is primarily what keeps the vessel “anchored” in place.
Featured in the photo above are cadets operating the brake which allows or prevents the anchor chain from leaving the chain locker, moving around the windlass to the wildcat, and down the infamous hawsepipe to the water. In addition to the anchoring process, engineers are called on deck to ensure all the equipment (ground tackle) used for that operation remains functional and ready for use.
Featured in this photo is the licensed watch engineer (pink shirt), providing engine cadets with updates on the requested support work for the afternoon.
ABOUT CAL MARITIME
Established in 1929, California State University Maritime Academy is the only degree-granting
maritime academy on the West Coast. Located in Vallejo, California, the campus offers
undergraduate degrees that prepare students for careers in engineering, transportation,
international relations, business, and global logistics. Cal Maritime also offers
a master’s degree in Transportation and Engineering Management, as well as a number
of extended learning programs and courses.