Location: Pan de Sucre, Les Saintes
Where have we come, where have we gone? Where will we go? The answer, as always, is here, now, and forever. It seems my time on Argo has been eternal. The nature of the trip and my present mind fuse my entire perceived reality into the moments in which I exist. It’s as if I’ve been here for my entire life, and I’m surrounded by everyone I’ve ever known. This is my life; my life is this. As the flower seeks to blossom, it recognizes that all flowers are the same, all beings, and all things are one in the same, necessary for the other, exactly the other; there is no other. Words can’t explain; the tongue has never touched upon the reality of the world, the newfound understanding, the purpose. I am not the same person who first stepped onto the boat in Cape Town. The places I’ve come, the lessons I’ve learned, the challenges I’ve faced, the gifts I’ve been given. My place in the universe makes more sense than ever before.
I sit here trying to put words to that which I have learned and found my attempts futile. Inside, I feel a light shining brighter than ever before; I see a heart ready to leap and a mind excited for the challenge. I see endless beauty and compassion, and I have witnessed enormous potential. Outside, I see everything in the exact same way: a beautiful world, a forgiving world, an understanding world indistinguishable from the world inside. I’ve learned that growth is not defined by place; growth is everywhere all the time, just as you are. All that you have to do is listen for it, take it in, be receptive and implement it, and never stop growing. Learn from others; every single person has a purpose, every single person has something to offer you; seek that out in every relationship and reciprocate it back, never turn down a generous offer and never be afraid to offer more to others; it will benefit you both. I love my life, I love my past, I love my present, and I love my future. I love everything within and without; I love you.
Today, Argo’s crew ventured up the Indian River, a river on the northeast side of Dominica. There was water quality testing as the boats rowed further from the salty ocean and up the freshwater river. Getting a chance to view the Caribbean jungle from the riverboats was beautiful. It is, in fact, the same river in which Calypso’s house is filmed in the second “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. Students then returned to Argo for a short sail over to Les Saintes, where we now sit anchored beside Pain de Sucre, the site of our dives tomorrow.