Contact: Jarrod Gerhardt  | Director of Communications and Marketing | Cal Poly Maritime Academy | jgerha01@calpoly.edu; 619-302-4416

Over 300 cadets to set out Friday, May 8, for a two-month mission aboard Training Ship Golden Bear on its final Pacific voyage

VALLEJO, Calif. — Over 300 Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadets will soon embark on their annual Summer Sea Term, a 65-day Pacific training voyage aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear, marking both a defining part of a cadet’s education and the final era of a vessel that has served the seafaring academy for three decades. 

The voyage also marks the first since the transition from California State University Maritime Academy to Cal Poly Maritime Academy, now part of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. 

The training cruise provides cadets with immersive, hands-on training operating a working vessel while navigating real-world maritime conditions. 

“Summer Sea Term is Learn by Doing in its purest form,” said Rear Admiral Eric C. Jones, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), the academy superintendent. “Cadets take what they’ve learned and put it into practice at sea, gaining real responsibility and real experience that prepares them for the maritime workforce.” 

Departing May 8 from Vallejo, the 500-foot Golden Bear will take cadets across the Pacific with scheduled port calls in Papeete, Tahiti; Suva, Fiji; and Honolulu before returning to California in July. The vessel’s first port will be San Diego, home to a contingent of some 18 cadets.

Summer Sea Term develops not only technical skills but also leadership, accountability and teamwork. Cadets log required sea time, gain practical experience aligned with U.S. Coast Guard licensing standards and build the confidence needed to operate in high-stakes environments, preparing graduates to be Ready Day One. 

Honoring 30 years of service: Training Ship Golden Bear 

The  Golden Bear  is scheduled to be transferred back to the U.S. Maritime Administration at the end of 2026 and will be replaced by the  Training  Ship  Golden State, a next-generation  national  security,  multimission  vessel designed to expand training capacity and capabilities ahead of Cal Poly Maritime Academy’s centennial in 2029. 

Voyage overview 

• Vallejo, California, departure: Friday, May 8 
• San Diego: May 10-12
• Papeete, Tahiti: May 29-June 1
• Suva, Fiji: June 8-12
• Honolulu: June 20-22
• Los Angeles: July 3-4  (ship logistics only)
• Vallejo, California, return: July 6    

Media opportunities

The ship departs from Mare Island Dry Dock, 1180 Nimitz Ave., Vallejo, Calif. Media are invited to cover the departure from across the Mare Island Strait at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal. The ship will depart at approximately 7 a.m. The event will include:

• Interviews with Cal Poly Maritime Academy leadership
• Photography of the Training Ship Golden Bear 

There will also be media availability in San Diego, Papeete, Suva and Honolulu during Golden Bear’s visits. Contact Jarrod Gerhardt to coordinate.

About Cal Poly Maritime Academy 

Located on the Cal Poly Solano Campus in Vallejo, California, Cal Poly Maritime Academy is part of Cal Poly and the West Coast’s only degree-granting maritime academy. It prepares students for leadership roles in maritime, engineering, logistics, business, global supply chains and national security. Through Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy, students gain real-world experience in classrooms, laboratories and aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear. Learn more: maritime.calpoly.edu

About Cal Poly

Founded in 1901 and part of the renowned California State University system since 1960, Cal Poly is a nationally ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year about 23,000 top-tier students come to Cal Poly to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in areas such as engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on approach, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates Ready Day One to impact their communities, California and the world. Visit: www.calpoly.edu.

Top photo: Each summer, cadets in their first and third years set sail on a global journey aboard Training Ship Golden Bear, a fully operational, 500-foot floating classroom and laboratory. This Learn by Doing experience enriches cadets global awareness as they learn in an immersive classroom and develop leadership and career skills for their futures.

Photo by Joe Johnston | Cal Poly