Location: 35 Degrees 48 Minutes North, 8 Degrees 3 Minutes West
This past day, Vela has had a very cheery and fun feel. Just after the squeeze last night, some students gathered together in the saloon for a game night. (Nora, Nate, Charley, Lucie, Garrett, Anda, Will. The game of choice was Spoons, a fun semi-contact card game. A line of spoons was put out on the saloon table, and soon, the galley was filled with sounds of laughter and the clashing of spoons flying. The game was a great way for the crew of Vela to spend some downtime, however soon the boat rang with sounds of “All hands on deck!” Watch team three (Emma, Dan, Joey, Flo, Zoe and Runyon) was calling down due to a lightning storm that was near Vela.
The crew quickly brought the sheets of the sails in as the sky lit up over and over again. Luckily, Vela was unaffected by the storm, and the only by-products of the run-in were some wet foulies. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad attitudes. The past few days and nights, we have all been lucky enough to enjoy bow watches. Gibraltar is a very busy seaport, and maritime traffic extends out miles from land. To ensure the safety of Vela, students will stand watch on the bow, looking for lights, buoys, etc. Not only is this important for our safety, but it’s also just a pretty awesome time. There are few moments in a lifetime when you can just look at the stars shining brighter than ever before at the bow of a beautiful ship, enjoying the bright glow of the bioluminescence below. I have learned that every watch is a great watch in the Atlantic, no matter how tired you may be or how cold and rainy the air may feel.
Around midnight, we got to participate in a very special moment. Dan, who is an awesome teacher, watch member, staff, and friend, has had his birthday today. We made sure to sing happy birthday to him as many times as possible to truly show how appreciative we were for all that he does here on Vela. The first of these songs was sung at around midnight, during the changing of a watch. The next one was “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” strung up over the cockpit at around 8 am, during the next changing of the watch. Throughout the day, anytime the word ‘birthday’ or name ‘Dan’ was muttered, we all made sure to sing. But we eventually got bored of singing the same old song over and over again. Of course, we weren’t going to just stop singing. We sang in different languages, and beeped the song in ‘morse code’. The whole day has been full of laughter and fun, and I realized how close I have grown to my crewmates. This is the last day I will be skipper before Anda, Flo, Ruffles, and Charley leave. You have all meant so much to me, and you helped make Vela whole.
Anda, you’ve been my bro since the beginning. From our first day traveling to Vela to now, doing push-ups in between cleaning the heads or standing whale-watching together. You have a bubbly personality that makes everyone around you smile, and I will never forget our watch debriefs. The Vela coffee house was an amazing idea, and I think we should make a logo and put it on a hoody. You have made us all so happy with your kindness aboard Vela, and I will miss you dearly.
Flo, your giggly humor and sense of community, paired with your hard-working personality, have made you a great addition to Vela. Whether it’s raising sails by yourself or making even the toughest days of passages bright, you are always looking out for Vela and her crew. Thank you. I’ll be sure to say hi next time I’m in Montreal.
Ruffles, you are one of the hardest-working people I have met. You have absolutely no hesitation in jumping in and helping out others, and you are always working to make this boat run. I will always cherish our times talking on the bow and, of course, in the bilges. Even with you gone, the Vela Bilge Association will still live on.
Charley, your smile shines wayyyyyyy brighter than any of the flares here on Vela can shine. You always show kindness and are never afraid to make a quiet room filled with laughter and cheer. For the rest of my life, anytime someone says the word shark, I’ll probably be reminded of you. I am glad to have been able to spend time with you, and I wish you the best back home.
Garrett, I know you aren’t leaving just yet, but I don’t know if I’ll be skipper again before you head out. You have been an amazing friend here on Vela. You are always someone I can have a great conversation with during meals, and you make our watches so much better. We have shared so many memories from the beginning of this trip. From getting horribly sunburned together (sorry mom, didn’t wear enough sunscreen, lesson learned) to presenting in leadership about the power of positivity and community, too many star-filled watches together. You will never fail to make me smile, not even after you’ve left this boat.
Arabella, I don’t know if you’re still reading these, but if you are, I hope you’re doing well. You were awesome to have aboard, I am I glad I got the chance to get to know you. When that book comes out, I’ll be the first to buy a copy.
P.S.-Mom, Dad, and Barrett-I look forward to getting to call you when I get to Gib. I love you guys so much. Pet Ginger and Mint for me.
Note from watch team 3 (Flo, Joey, Runnie, Zoe, Emma, and Dan): We were in a lightning storm yesterday! It got to the point that our AIS shut down, so we had to do a 360-degree scan of the boat in order to see if there were any boats. During this, we saw flashes coming from there, and blurs of light coming from the other side, it was absolutely awesome! Then, it started to rain, so we had to be laser-focused. Then, the calm hit, and right before midnight, watch team 1 came, and we all stayed to wish Dan a happy birthday! Happy birthday, Dan! We love you so much! – Flo.
Note from Joey: I was on the bow by myself last night, singing country roads while the massive lightning storm hit us. I finally completely suited up, meaning putting my hood on… that’s when I knew it was getting serious. Flo came to tell me not to touch any metal because it was serious serious. Anyways, all is good!