Cadets at the California Polytechnical Institute are preparing for their annual Summer Sea Term, a 65-day Pacific training voyage aboard the Golden Bear, the Cal Poly’s training vessel since the mid-1990s.
The 500’x72’ Golden Bear is to be replaced in 2026 by a National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV), the fifth and final version of the new class now updating the U.S. mariner training fleet. A former U.S. Navy cargo and then oceanographic survey vessel, the Golden Bear was transferred to Marad and then Cal Poly in 1996, with upgrades for its training mission.
This year’s cruise is thus “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,” Cal Poly officials noted in a statement this week. It’s also the first sea term in the program’s transition from the California State University Maritime Academy to Cal Poly Maritime Academy in San Luis Obispo.
“Summer Sea Term is ‘learn by doing’ in its purest form,” said retired Coast Guard Rear Adm. Eric C. Jones, 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.”
The cadets’ voyage “develops not only technical skills but also leadership, accountability and teamwork,” according to the academy. ”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.”
The Golden Bear will depart from the Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo May 8 into 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.
The ship will conclude its 30-year Cal Poly career at the end of 2026 with a transfer back to Marad and replacement by the NSMV Golden State.
