Location: Mustique
The day began with The Red Hot Chili Peppers song Around the World; I thought it was fitting for our situation. The song also has a high-energy intro to get the crew up and moving. Breakfast was an egg casserole with sausages and vegetables, something I never even knew was an actual breakfast dish! After breakfast, it was time for MTE, our boating class. Today, though, the captain called us all up onto the deck. He had us split up into teams for a pin rail chase, basically a test of our line knowledge. The captain calls out a line on the boat, and whoever gets to the line first gets a point for their team. This is quite the experience because you have to pay attention to the line being called while moving across the deck before the other person. It can get highly competitive! After this, we had oceanography and a review session for our upcoming exam. Following the class, it was shore time on Mustique. Some people went on an island tour in an open taxi. Others decided to wander on their own. The taxi tour consisted of getting in the back of a pickup truck, turning into a taxi, and driving by celebrity houses and great beaches. We saw Shania Twain, Tommy Hilfiger, and Mick Jagger’s extravagant houses, which can be rented for only 30- to 100-thousand dollars a week.
Along with the crazy houses, this island was basically a private country club with all the amenities. With everything you could think of, from basketball and tennis courts to an equestrian facility, this island seems like a virtual reality where everything is perfect. After the day’s festivities, everybody went back to the boat for passage prep for the next day’s sail. Then we got ready for a night out, something everyone’s been looking forward to all day. Tonight, we went to a place called Basils, which is supposedly one of the best bars in the Caribbean. We all sat together, having the time of our lives while the sound of waves crashed under our feet and echoed through the airy building. Til next time, cheers, and I hope all is well onshore.