Location: Petit Piton, St. Lucia
Skipper Sharp here!
Ask any of my fellow crew, and they’ll confirm that at least once a day. I look around and say, “I can’t believe this is real life!” Today was no different. We truly are the luckiest students in the world.
Our morning started out with a bang as all our covid tests came back negative, and we were cleared to enter the beautiful St. Lucia (or St. “Loo-see-ah,” as Audrey calls it). We quickly got off the dock at Rodney Bay and began our breathtaking motor down the coast. Being completely transparent with you, I’m making assumptions here because we spent the trip down below taking our very first Oceanography quiz, which was just as fun! Woohoo! But the glimpses I caught of the St. Lucia coastline from the portholes as I struggled to recall the difference between convergent and divergent tectonic plates was certainly gorgeous. We finished up a Marine Biology lecture as we anchored next to the famous Pitons (or the “Peanuts,” as Ryan calls them). A much-needed ocean shower after a sweaty day of using our brains led us right into our first sign-out dinner night! Our Uber dinghies brought us to shore to the most (bare with me, there are only so many words that can describe the most beautiful places in the world) stunning restaurant right on the water. As much as I love our intimate meals in the boat cockpit, it was so fun to sit down at a big table and to enjoy a meal with everyone in a different setting. And now… let the birthday-eve celebrations begin!!!! I’m sure you’ll hear all about it tomorrow, but our very own Ryan, Ry-Ry, certified big dawg, is turning 22 tomorrow. For such a special occasion, we had to celebrate in classic Vela fashion: a dance party. We quickly took over the restaurant aux and went wild. Hopefully, the other restaurant-goers enjoyed Mama Mia, Cher, and our favorite Brazilian songs and choreography (taught to us by Sofia) as much as we did. Naturally, I’ve had many dance-offs in my life (classic Sharp), but I have to say that absolutely tearing up the makeshift dance floor with my college professors is a first for me. But definitely not a last. Shoutout Cahrollin’s wicked smooth moves and Dill with the iconic hair whips.
Lots of love to my family and friends, but even more love to my dog’s Faith and Finny <3 I miss you all so much and can’t wait to start saying port and starboard instead of left and right when I get home to drive you all crazy :))