Today is, after boat cleaning day, probably my least favourite day. We started with late wake-ups, at 7:30. I don’t know if those reading the blog are familiar with this, but the skipper for the day, on top of writing the blog, is in charge of waking up the crew. A highlight was waking up Ben with an Oceanography lecture. After our last breakfast on Argo, the students began to say their goodbyes and set off on their journeys back home. Ben, Chloe, Teagan, Thatcher, and Hailey were picked up by their families; they were able to visit the ship, and we shared a pleasant chat before they left (with Hailey’s parents, we had to make do with greeting them from the other side of English Harbour).
By midday, all the students had departed, and the staff members set about preparing the ship for the new and short stage ahead until the next group of students arrived. We dismantled all the bunks to gain easy access to the bilges and filled the tables in the main salon with all the tools and work materials we will need during this interim.
The atmosphere on board has changed radically. Calm and silence have taken over a place once marked by the students’ energy and vitality. We will miss this fantastic group very much, but in the coming days we, too, will be able to return home to enjoy a well-deserved rest.
It is a sad day. It is not easy to say goodbye to people with whom we have shared so much over the past three months and who have become friends, but as staff we feel very proud that every one of them has overcome this tough challenge. We wish you all the best in your readjustment to life on land.
