NEWS

Point Sur crosses Panama Canal

Lici Beveridge
Breaking News Reporter
Point Sur

March 21, 2015 - Panama City, Panama

We will make a short visit to old Panama City in a little while, and then head back to the Point Sur, so I will be out of pocket for a few hours.

To keep you entertained, I've uploaded some photos and video from our excursion yesterday.

I hope you enjoy them!



March 20, 2015 - Aboard the Point Sur, Pacific entrance to Panama Canal

We finally got to see the research vessel Point Sur. It is a grand ship, and will do the University of Southern Mississippi proud.

We took a couple of hours to examine the different areas of the vessel, some even climbing the rigging to the crow's nest (not me!).

The lab facilities are impressive, and much larger than one would think. Lots of good research projects will come of this, I have no doubt.

Our group was pretty giddy with excitement, with many conversations going on at the same time.

Our captain, Nic Allen, is 34 and has previously captained another research vessel out of Louisiana.

One of the first things he told us was the bridge does not have air conditioning. While that might work for the California coast, it definitely will not do for Mississippi - or Panama.

Some of us went out on an inflatable dinghy, which was really cool. I love being on the water, and being that close to it was just amazing.

It was hot. Not as hot as summer in Mississippi, and definitely not as muggy. The sky was overcast for the most part, and rain would threaten with a few sprinkles now and then.

It eventually did rain, but thankfully it held off until we had finished our lunch at the Balboa Yacht Club.Here is what some of our group had to say about the Point Sur: Point Sur exceeds officials' expectations. I was pretty impressed, too: Point Sur more impressive in person.

On Saturday we are going to begin the Panama Canal crossing. It will start in the early evening and finish up on Sunday, so I won't have stories about it for the paper until Monday.

I will keep updating on social media, as connectivity allows, so look for me on Facebook and Twitter, etc.

Until tomorrow ...



March 19, 2015 - Panama City, Panama

We arrived about 15 minutes early but had to wait on the runway for nearly an hour before getting off the plane, waiting for another plane to leave our gate.

But all is well after a full day of travel. Read more about our journey.

Tomorrow we will be getting on board the Point Sur and taking a look around. I'm definitely looking forward to that.

There are about 10 of us on the trip, and we seem to be a merry bunch.

Now that we are in Panama, the excitement is setting in.

Here is a link to my story today: USM marine science research hits new level. And a little information about the other vessels that are owned by the university.

Here is a documentary on the Panama Canal. It's pretty long, so just watch it when you have time!


March 18, 2015 - Hattiesburg

I've been bearing down hard at work trying to get all the loose ends tied up before I leave tomorrow. It's been a long day. It's been a long week!

But I think I've got it all together, and Ill be ready to roll in the morning. Now, if only I can get some sleep.

I'm adding links tonight of the stories that are on our website, and will be in tomorrow's paper.

But first, here is a video of the Point Sur and its voyage to Antarctica, penguins and all. It's called "The Little Ship That Could". That's comforting to know.

Although I think it would be pretty cool to go to Antarctica, I'm not one for cold weather, so I'm glad our destination will be a much warmer climate.

Here's the main story for today: Point Sur purchase boosts USM's marine science program

Southern Miss should be proud of the marine science program, its nautical fleet, and its newest addition in the Point Sur.

As a vessel, the Point Sur has much to offer USM with its outfitted laboratories filled with state-of-the-art equipment. I take a look at the ship, highlighting just a few of its many details.

And last but not least, here's a little insight on my approach to preparing for this trip: Going out to sea takes planning.

March 17, 2015 - Hattiesburg

Hi! Welcome to my compilation of key points in my journey to Panama to document the crossing of the Point Sur through the Panama Canal on the research vessel's path to Gulfport, Mississippi.

The Point Sur recently was purchased by the University of Southern Mississippi to enhance its fleet of marine vessels.

I will be one of about a dozen people going on this trip. We're leaving Thursday morning from Hattiesburg, and will fly out of Gulfport.

I will be writing, taking photos and video, and otherwise documenting the journey on social media platforms, hopefully to make this a fun and educational experience for all.

One of the first things I did when I found out I was going on this trip was to compile a playlist of songs that felt right for the trip. It's on Spotify: Click here to listen.

I googled the Point Sur and Panama Canal to learn as much as I could about both. It was eye-opening. But I will be writing about that in another story. For now, here is a cute video from the Animaniacs show about the canal. I found it educational as well as fun. Enjoy!

I wrote an introductory column, which you can read here, to give you a little insight as to why this trip will be extra special for me.

Check back each day for periodic updates. Or follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vine for more up-to-the-minute information. You can also follow these hashtags to keep up with me and others on the trip: #HAPointSur, #PointSurUSM, #PanamaBound and #CrossingTheCanal

I'll be keeping a daily journal, too, on my blog, http://blogs.hattiesburgamerican.com/licibeveridge/, and trying new things like live video on Meerkat app (iOS only), time-lapse video via GoPro, and things like that.

Last, but not least, I hope to do a couple of live chats so you can ask questions of me and others on the vessel while we're on board. I'll keep you posted as to the times, dates, etc.