Emergen-Sea Training
Location: Somewhere Between the Azores and Gibraltar
Long time no see, blog readers! Technically, it's 42 days if we're keeping track, but only about three weeks since my writing last graced all of your presence. Not to sound too self-confident, but I did get a few texts last time about how much my friends and family enjoyed my blog (and I am sure there was no bias on their part). Today was another beautiful day aboard beautiful Vela; my watch team (me, Joey, Flo, Runyon, Emma, and Dan) kicked off the morning with the 8 am-12 pm watch, where we had our fair share of singing and chatting. I got the joy of plotting another point on the navigation chart of our voyage so far and had one of my finest bowls of granola thus far. We also had a period of time where Joey spent far too long hunting down a critical ingredient in his morning oatmeal: Nutella (correction: "chocolate hazelnut spread" because Nutella was too hard to find in the Azores). Don't worry, everyone... he found it. Our lunch, promptly served on time by the galley team of Emma, Runyon, and Garrett, was chicken salad sandwiches served on delicious seedy bread with sides of various fruits and homemade potato chips. One of the best things about this short passage is that we have been able to have store-bought bread since we haven't gone long enough for it to grow moldy. Don't get me wrong, I love it when our on-boat breadmaker bakes us up fresh rolls or cornbread or naan, but (as I am sure has been mentioned in previous blogs) there is a known inconsistency to these breads. Thus, store-bought bread is a wonderful and reliable source of yumminess (nom nom nom). And now you may be wondering, "But Zoe, what about the vegetarians aboard (now including lovely Nora and dashing Nate, both newly inducted into the Vela Vegetarians Club)"? What did we get to enjoy for lunch instead of chicken salad? Speaking as your resident vegetarian, I am more than happy to rave about the amazing veggie burgers we were treated to for lunch. They were oh-so-delicious and cooked to absolute perfection. As skipper for the day, it is part of my job to tell the crew what we have scheduled after lunch. Today, when I approached Tom to ask him what classes or scheduled things we had, he replied with just three letters: "E. F. R." No oceanography, no crew training or nautical science, and even no leadership. Just the exciting task of certifying a group of teenagers and twenty-somethings in the delicate art of Emergency First Response. Easy, right? Naturally, there was only one person aboard fit for such a task: our very own EMT and firefighter Shelby! We all eagerly gathered in the salon, thankful to have a day off of our usual classes and to have the opportunity to get a few more certifications under our belts. First, we went through a few quick slideshows on the steps involved in primary care, like CPR, and secondary care, like slings, splints, and bandages. Then, arguably a highlight for the day, we got to actually try these out! I volunteered to be the unconscious victim of a fall down the companionway and got to have Jonathan, and Shelby demonstrate how to log roll me from my stomach onto my back for chest compressions before we all split into small groups to keep practicing. Will turned Joey into his "little mummy" when he wrapped Joey with a shoulder sling and gauze; Anda seemed to absolutely love using our galley wooden spoons as splints for the day. Charley looked like a natural while giving Nora a secondary care assessment, and Flo could not stop laughing as Lucie tried to demonstrate chest compressions on her. After practicing the hands-on material, we took the actual practical exam, and (as I am currently typing this next to Shelby while she grades the tests) things seem to be turning out well for us so far. Wonderful readers, may I introduce you to the latest batch of Emergency First Responders! After EFR was done we got some free time before dinner; this time was spent napping, on watch, cooking, or just hanging out on deck and enjoying the last of the sunshine before the clouds came in for the night. Dinner was a verifiable feast of black bean burgers, roasted veggies, and mac and cheese. If you know me, you know I love a sweet treat, so it would be remiss not to mention the rice krispie treats that went along with the meal for dessert. As always, cleanup was a hectic and energetic time. Our hose's nozzle had been leaking, so Mac replaced it this morning, which means that he was now equipped with a high-functioning water gun and was not afraid to spray anyone in his way. A lot of us wound up with wet t-shirts and big smiles due to this newfound power. Michelle did her best to hold out and not get sprayed but finally gave in at the end of the cleanup. Also, after cleanup, Andy did some final VHF review to look over our recent exams with us. These last few days have truly been filled with lots of new certifications and important sailing knowledge. Spirits are high, and our energy is as positive as ever on board as we work to finish our Atlantic crossing. Sending so much love to everyone back home (both MA and VA) and loved ones in other states and countries (hi Cassie!). P.S. de Florence: Coucou la famille(maman, papa, juju, titi et tony)! J'espere que tout va bien, surtout avec les petites poupoules . Je promets que je vais manger des oeufs quand je reviens! Je m'amuses enormement et j'ai bien de hate de vous raconter mes nouvelles aventures! - je vous aime - florence P.S. Hi family it's Joey I can't believe time is flying this fast. I Miss you guys, but I also miss being on a long passage, Last night we saw the most amazing shooting star. It lit up the night sky like nothing I've ever seen. Dad, I have listened to what you have told me, too, and I have been studying NavMaster as well because - as you said - a photo shows 1,000 words. you should see the new photo. PS not included in the blog.