Where has USMMA sea year taken you?

DRMbig2024

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Curious to hear all the places/ different countries you have had the opportunity to visit during USMMA Sea Year. DS is class of 2024: He is currently in Poland but has been to England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Texas, Baltimore, Rhode Island and Florida and probably more these are just a few I remember 😊
 
During my Sea Year (many decades ago), I visited Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, Hawaii, California, Oregon and Washington. I have been to far more after graduation.
 
I spent a few months doing Los Angles and Cherry Point to Valdez. Also did a liner run that was New York - Charleston - Savanah - Norfolk - Cagliari Italy - Damietta Egypt - Jebel Ali UAE - Singapore - Thailand - Singapore - Colombo Sri Lanka - Damietta Egypt - Cagliari - Halifax - New York. It was fantastic.
 
1962 for me; France, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Panama, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Hawaii, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. In those days most of my sea year was spent on dry cargo vessels which were often in port for many days. It was no uncommon for instance to dock in London for five days. Pay was #111.15 a month which didn't go far but when you went ashore, the Chief would often give you a $20. An awesome experience....
 
1962 for me; France, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Panama, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Hawaii, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. In those days most of my sea year was spent on dry cargo vessels which were often in port for many days. It was no uncommon for instance to dock in London for five days. Pay was #111.15 a month which didn't go far but when you went ashore, the Chief would often give you a $20. An awesome experience....
There were also many shipping companies to chose from back then. . . . I know that in the 70s, I was on six ships and with four companies.
 
True, lots of U. S. flag ships. We probably only had a month, perhaps 5 weeks between end of 2nd class year and start of 1st class year. I requested to sail some more, as a "cadet" in those days, and was able to get a 4-week trip to Germany on a U. S. Lines ship. The trip was done with one of my classmates who happened to be from Germany. We thoroughly enjoyed that trip without the burden of doing the sea project.
 
Ugh...just go to the yearbook section on the alumni website and browse the senior pages from a yearbook..it is all listed there.
 
True, lots of U. S. flag ships. We probably only had a month, perhaps 5 weeks between end of 2nd class year and start of 1st class year. I requested to sail some more, as a "cadet" in those days, and was able to get a 4-week trip to Germany on a U. S. Lines ship. The trip was done with one of my classmates who happened to be from Germany. We thoroughly enjoyed that trip without the burden of doing the sea project.
To be honest, I didn't pay much attention to my Sea Project, but it did get done. . . .
 
My DS is a senior at USMMA and during his sea years he has been to: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Guam, Japan, South Korea, Hawaii and then several US ports. His first sea year was during Covid so he couldn't get off the ships in those ports. This past sea year he really enjoyed visiting Japan and hiking in Nagasaki. He also really enjoyed seeing the cherry blossoms last spring. He has also made friends with midshipmen from across the US and its territories and has visited Honolulu and St. Croix to hang with them. It's truly a unique school. I hope that helps!
 
Alaska - Anchorage, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor
California – Crockett, Los Angeles
Washington – Seattle, Tacoma
Hawaii - Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Kahalui

Japan - Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe
Korea - Pusan
Taiwan - Kaohsiung
Hong Kong
Singapore
Okinawa
 
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Deck or engine? In general, as light as possible. On every ship I was on, and that was 56 years ago, laundry was available.

Some advice at Sea Year Handbook. Also, with respect to what to take, see Sea Year Packing. Lastly, if you aren’t a member, join the State Chapter of the parents association. See https://www.kpparents.com/s/1860/18/interior.aspx?gid=2&pgid=512
He's engine, NPA is hosting a call this week about it. Just want to avoid any last minute tough to get items. There's no substitute for advice from people who have been there done that. So appreciate the alumni on this forum. Also we think it's going to be MSC so not sure of how that changes things.
 
He's engine, NPA is hosting a call this week about it. Just want to avoid any last minute tough to get items. There's no substitute for advice from people who have been there done that. So appreciate the alumni on this forum. Also we think it's going to be MSC so not sure of how that changes things.
My best wishes to your son. I assume by “MSC” you mean Military Sealift Command. In my day it was called MSTS (Military Sea Transportation Service) and I salied them extensively in my sea year. It came back to “bite me” in a nice way. At graduation (1965) there were union strikes on the east coast so I went immediately at graduation to MSTS. On reporting aboard my first ship, a troopship headed to Vietnam, I was advised I would be the senior 3rd engineer on my watch. The ship had two engine rooms so I was in charge of both. When I inquired as to “why” I was told all my sea year time gave me seniority! Baptism by fire! What a learning experience!
 
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