Jacob Nowalsky ’26 | Lead Engine Cadet
Today’s Summer Sea Term student leadership highlight is Jacob Nowalsky ’26. Midshipman Nowalsky is from Port Republic, NJ, and is also a member of the Coast Guard AUP program.
What are you looking forward to this summer?
I’m most looking forward to going overseas again. The only other time I’ve traveled abroad was during my freshman cruise, and most people only get to go overseas on one of their two cruises. I really enjoyed exploring castles in Ireland last time and am excited to see even more this trip.
Which port are you most excited to visit, and why?
Of all the ports, I’m most excited for Belfast, Ireland. It’s the one place I don’t envision visiting again, so I intend to make the most of the opportunity. The last time we went, the people of Ireland were incredibly welcoming to the Americans—much more so than in the other countries we visited internationally.
Why did you apply for a ship rate position, and what do you hope to learn?
I applied for a ship rate position because I saw it as the best opportunity to gain hands-on experience during cruise. The chance to spend time working on maintenance during Utility Days was particularly appealing. I’m especially interested in learning about boilers, as I didn’t have exposure to steam systems during my cadet shipping experience. I see this as an excellent opportunity to gain experience with steam systems—particularly valuable if nuclear power becomes more prevalent in the maritime industry.
Latest 2025 Summer TSSOM Cruise
- A Day in Belfast IrelandHello! Belfast Ireland is unique in that all of the second class Maine students came here our freshman cruise, and while I thought that would be a negative… I was so wrong! I thought I had exhausted things to do freshman year, and I was wrong again. I had heard about some people doing a […]
- Stronger Ties FormedCadets aboard the TS Kennedy spent the past 10 days underway, sailing between New York City and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Students enjoyed calm seas for most of the leg but were stuck under overcast skies, much to the chagrin of the upper-class deck cadets who are actively trying to complete their celestial navigation project. This […]
- Running Smooth in Belfast: A Cruise Check-In from the Cadet Chief EngineerI’m Jacob Nowalsky, the cruise Lead Engine Cadet from Maine, and Maine’s Cadet Chief Engineer. Things have been going pretty well onboard! After being in port in Galveston, everyone was excited to finally get to sea, and now that we’re wrapping up our 2nd leg and are here in Belfast, people are fully into the […]
- Switching to the Engine RoomOur second leg of our Summer Sea Term 2025 cruise has been really fun! During this leg to Belfast from New York, we saw a lot of whales, flying fish, and other marine life. We also recently just hit our halfway point, which means Maine Maritime cadets switched deck/engine focuses on cruise. From 5 May […]
- From Celestial Navigation to Food Grinding: Embracing Every RoleAs we’ve embarked on our journey aboard the Kennedy, it’s been a great experience watching everyone settle into shipboard life. As a junior, I’ve been focusing on celestial navigation, taking on senior-level watches, and experiencing significant personal growth as a leader. These experiences have helped unite the Maine and Texas communities on board. A few […]
- From Hesitation to Hands-On Learning: Life at Sea on the KennedyMy experiences on the Training Ship Kennedy have been phenomenal so far. I came onto the ship with adverse thoughts, with the ship being from the 1960s, and cruising with another maritime academy. However, the Kennedy proved me wrong! I have met a lot of new people with different experiences and shared different aspects that […]