Location: Galleon, Antigua
The unrelenting heat, 7 am wake-ups, and constant side-to-side rocking of Ocean Star, are all beginning to feel familiar. At first, the coursework we were dealt, tasks we were assigned, and activities we were to participate in seemed to pile up on top of each other, creating an insurmountable obstacle. Yet, today our crew fit in three-class lectures, a dive, and several hours of study time, all while juggling our daily tasks in between. These long days in the hot sun took the majority of us by surprise earlier in the week, leaving us exhausted and lethargic, especially in the mornings.
Now, after one of our longest days yet, the crew is as alive as ever. Some of us set up hammocks for stargazing, others are chipping away at our fish ID logbook, but a majority are listening to music in the salon, singing, dancing, and smiling all the while. You may have thought after all we’ve been through today that we would have passed out as soon as Oceanography concluded, if not in the midst of the lecture, but our ship still buzzes with energy. The people who surround me are special. We are here for the long haul, and everyone is excited for what is to come. We have already grown close to one another, begun to open up, and build trust in our crew. Although it is only day six of our long, eighty-day adventure, this ship, and this crew have already begun to feel like a home. I cannot wait to see all that we will accomplish together, and am excited to see how all of us will grow.
Photos
1,2 and 3-Morning dive at Pillars of Hercules
4,5-Seamanship class; learning how to sweat a halyard
6,7-Putting our newly learned skills to the test