50,000 Frigates
Location: Jolly Harbor, Antigua
I guess the day technically started at 12:00 a.m. sharp, because that's when a new day officially begins. This was especially relevant for me today because my watch team, Watch Team 1 (aka "Won," aka Watch Team Flip-Flop—this one's dedicated to the lady who thought I stole her flip-flop on the plane), kicked off the midnight to 4 a.m. watch with me, TJ, Hanna, Vivian (Red), Loxley, and Ava.
I admit I might be a little biased, but this watch team always has the most fun.
Now, this 12-4 am is probably the most controversial watch. If you're a hater, chances are this is the watch you complain about the most. But we've discovered that any hour of the night can be filled with energy, laughter, games, push-up competitions, and whatever other chaos we decide to create (and trust us, you can create a lot of chaos when you have 4 hours to scheme). In fact, we were doing so well that Gabe came up around 2:30 a.m. to tell us we were a little too on course. We were making such good time that we'd arrive in Antigua in the dark. Not the worst problem to have.
After being relieved by Watch Team 2, we dropped anchor just in time to watch the sun rise over the stunning shoreline of Antigua. It felt like an extra reward after a beautiful moonlit sail. Although it's only on a boat that you'll find yourself wishing for a less bright moon so you can see more bioluminescence. What a life we live.
After a well-earned morning siesta, the day quickly turned into organized chaos—in the best way possible. We squeezed in scuba theory review, boom swinging, free-diving lessons, and even an adventure to a nearby rocky island. Human population: 0. Frigate bird population: 50,000. Along the way, people spotted an octopus, a trumpetfish, a pufferfish, and countless other marine life.
Some people mastered backflips (while others perfected the backflop) at Annika's Jr. Backflip School for Jr. Backflippers—the sister program to Annika's Jr. Dinghy Driving School for Jr. Dinghy Drivers.
Later tonight, we will be doing our night dive, which is often one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. There's something incredibly special about stepping off your floating home into the warm Caribbean water after the sun has gone down. For many of these students, it will be their very first night dive. And then, many will be ADVANCED OPEN WATER SCUBA DIVERS! Pretty cool when a lot of these guys had their first breath underwater less than 16 days ago.
We've come up with a phrase on board: BDE: Best Day Ever. The funny thing is, almost every day has somehow earned the title. Today was no exception. But honestly... can you blame us?
Hi to all our family and friends back home! We miss you all so much and can't wait to share more adventures soon. Special shoutout to all my people, miss you guys tons!