Welcome to all friends and family of The California Maritime Academy and the Training Ship Golden Bear III. We hope that you will enjoy following along during our annual sea journey using our virtual cruise information center.

This is the third training vessel in the Academy's history to be named the Golden Bear. This newest vessel is the ex-USNS Maury, a converted naval oceanographic ship. Cal Maritime has operated this vessel since 1996. The Maritime Administration provides the ship and much of the maintenance support to operate her to Cal Maritime.

The primary purpose of the cruise continues to be practical at-sea experience in seafaring skills and lifestyle. Complementary to the study of traditional disciplines of the modern seafarer in the classroom school environment, the cruise provides Cal Maritime cadets with an intense and extensive practical real-life laboratory to put into hands-on practice the theoretical skills learned while at the campus. In addition, the ship provides a place where all of the students and staff learn about the value of, and dependency upon, their shipmates and what it means to be a part of a larger crew, not to mention the courtesy and respect that such a close living situation requires.

Finally, the cruise experience gives Cal Maritime cadets and the visiting students who join our cruise from other CSU campuses, an opportunity to experience the culture and diversity of foreign countries and the wonders of the Earth that can only be appreciated from a ship's perspective.

Sincerely,

Captain