Location: Underway to Fernando
Time is just flying by! I have no idea how many days in we are to our passage, but according to our nav system, we are getting to Fernando in less than 2 days! Were all so hyped for some fresh fruit, ocean swims, and island breezes heavy with petrichor. Today was actually quite action-packed Erin, Grant, Hannah K, and I had our 8-12 am with Sam last night, and enjoyed a very interesting podcast on the overthrowing of Czar Nicholas II.
This morning, we were up bright and early and did some deck walks (to make sure we know all the components of the running rigging on Vela) and a floor scrub (much needed). We had a fantastic, amazing, and perfect lunch from our chefs Vittoria and Nashota, who made blueberry and sprinkle pancakes and sausages. We were sitting in oceanography class with Kyler when all of a sudden the engine went into neutral a clear sign that fish on!! We all scrambled to get our pfds and get up on deck. When we got up there, Perry was fighting a mystery fish, which quickly revealed itself to be a shiny, sparkly, green mahi mahi! We were all SO stoked. Perry, Grant, and Mac started reeling it in, and the rest of us were excitedly discussing how delicious it would be baked up in a puddle of garlic powder and butter. It appears we counted our chickens before they hatched, unfortunately. Right before we were able to collect our spoils, there was a great SPLOOSH and a SNAP in horror, we looked down, and the mahi had vanished into the abyssal blue. Dejectedly, we shuffled back down to resume class. Perhaps tomorrow will be fish day for real (we say this every day).
After Kyler was done, we had leadership with Emma! We did such a fun activity today. We split up into partners, and we each chose a topic that we felt our partners would be able to present to the class on for two minutes. Henry presented on the impeller for a generator. Vittoria taught us how to introduce ourselves in Italian. Camilla explained how to properly plan and throw a party. Alexa showed us some volleyball moves. Emma even taught us about her strategy for provisioning the boat! I presented on the points of sail. It was so fun and interactive, and we all learned so many new things!
After classes, we worked on our leadership chapter presentations and then got ready for dinner, which was rice, beef, and veggies. My squeeze question tonight was if you could permanently get rid of one minor inconvenience, what would it be? To end the squeeze, I was inspired by Macs ending yesterday (squeeze and then everyone meows) so today, we went around the circle with sheep noises, and then had one round all together, in harmony. I fear we desperately need to spend time around other people.
Now we are hanging out in the cockpit on the party watch (6-8 pm) listening to an awesome playlist and watching the sunset. Oh, how I love passage!
Alexa and Henry say they love and miss their families 🙂 hugs and love to mine too!
Until next time!!