Location: Ile Fourche
Good morning from the crew of Ocean Star! After a marvelous Thanksgiving evening, everyone rose with good spirits and genuine excitement for what a new day would bring on board. We gobbled down breakfast, moved right into passage prep, and ran those last few minute errands that are crucial when you leave port for a few days. Today, we headed for Ile Fourche and the Bay of Confusion. This place was only a short motor Northeast of St. Barth’s and is named for its shifty winds and obscure topography. Upon arriving and throwing down hook-like pros, the crew had a delectable lunch of sausage sandwiches prepared by JP and Van. With full bellies and cheerful spirits, the crew moved on to Marine Bio class with Matty Rob, which was held under the sea today. Students were required to make observations of different fish and characteristics of their daily habits. As the scholars returned from class, I saw nothing but smiles and heard a number of conversations involving such things as caudal and pectoral fins. Needless to say, they immensely enjoyed the experiential learning. With the couple hours we had left before dinner, the Rescue class tested off the first half of their emergency scenarios, creating search patterns to find missing divers and then bringing them safely to the surface. Everyone did very well; Laurie and I are extremely confident in the skills they have learned. Up next on the docket is dinner, followed by an Oceanography class on fisheries with Laurie, who I’m sure will prove to be just as enlightening. Then it’s into our bunks early tonight as a few have chosen to do a sunrise hike to the highest point on the island.