Location: The Azores
Today was day 3 in the Azores. We have had such an amazing time being here and being submerged in their culture. Plus, we have experienced being on land and all the amenities land brings, like being able to grab lunch or even just some ice-cold water.
We all got an extra 45 minutes of sleep from breakfast being late. Some of us needed extra sleep because we were watching Captain Phillips until 1:00 AM, but it was all worth it because it was the first time we had not had an anchor watch or night watch. We all cherished it in our own ways. After breakfast was served, we were watching videos on becoming First Aid certified. Shelby was teaching that class, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We got to practice doing CPR. While that was happening, Emma went provisioning and got food that was so fresh. Everyone had a blast putting away all the itemssuch great memories from today. Once we were near the end of provisioning, Tom said we had to move the boat from the commercial dock to the dock in the center of town. Everyone was stocked! The vibes were high because we could show off our floating home that brought us across the Atlantic safe and sound and would keep us safe as we competed for passage toward Rome. When we were bringing Vela into her temporary home, she brought a crowd, and Tom mastered the docking, almost as if he had been doing it for 25 years. Once all lines were tight, the students had 2 HOURS of shore time. Many got Ice cream, and a couple of the girls went off to shop while the boys just went wandering on their 2 feet. We have covered a lot of this island by walking. Walking on land is crazy after being confined to Vela’s deck on a 17-day passage.
Now, a Marine Biologist is coming to speak to us. Once that is done, we will have Nav Master study time and are going to finish Captain Phillips.