Location: Horta, Faial, Azores
Team Vela entered the day with a great itinerary that included fun, free time on shore, a few exams, and an evening project gearing up for the next adventure here in Horta!
The day started early for a small and committed group of staff and students with a sunrise hike to the top of a local caldera near the marina.
Breakfast started (nearly) on time with oatmeal, fruit, and chia seed pudding served by Flo, Runyon, and Garrett. After the post-breakfast briefing, which outlined the day, the crew cleaned up and prepared for Beach Games!
Ten students and three staff stormed the beaches of Horta, armed with two coolers of snacks, footballs (soccer and American), and a freshly caffeinated demeanor after stopping by the local cafe on the way.
The focus of the day was a game of American football, which caught a few curious looks from the locals at the beach. Two teams battled for victory by being the first to score three touchdowns. Team Port (Nate, Anda, Garrett, Flo, Lucy, Michelle) and Team Starboard (Joey, Will, Shelby, Zoe, Johnathan, Runyon, Andy) started off in a defensive battle without any scoring. While the game remained tight, Team Port pulled away with a 2-0 lead. Then, with Team Starboard threatening to change the momentum, Team Port executed the play of the day. With Nate at quarterback, he avoided a blitzing defender and delivered a ball toward the endzone down the right sideline. The world stopped as everyone gazed in awe. Then, like a Hollywood movie, the outstretched arms of Garrett appeared. The ball reached his fingertips like a magnet as he tiptoed his way into the back of the endzone. The catch was made! Team Port took the victory in a moment no one will ever forget.
With all that action, the crew was ready for a refreshing time in the Atlantic waters and lunch at the beach. With that going on, the additional crew of Charlie and Nora showed up. They, along with Arabella, had just completed their Navigation Master exam onboard the ship. They were very upbeat about their performance on the exam, crediting the hours of class, personal study, and assistance from First Mate Mac and Captain Tom in their preparation.
With the conclusion of Beach Games, the students had a free afternoon in which they explored the town, grabbed a bite of local food, and/or returned to Vela for preparation for their upcoming Navigation exams (for the bulk of the crew that had yet to take the exam). The cook team prepared a dinner of sausage (and vegetarian) pasta and a salad with diced vegetables and fruit while the staff worked continuously on projects around the vessel.
The crew’s next adventure was confirmed as a night dive. Therefore, in the afternoon and evening, everyone worked to start preparing dive gear and flashlights. The dive will take place tomorrow night, so stay tuned!