Location: UW to Richard's Bay
Well, here we are again, everyone, back on passage with another blog. As the team on Vela gets into the last month of the program, many deep questions begin to arise. What awaits our merry team in South Africa? What is next for everyone once this program is over? How are we going to adjust back to life outside of this crazy world we have all become a part of? What type of granola is everyone? (more on that one in a second.)
While we may have been hesitant in coming onboard and completing this trip, each and every single person has gone leaps and bounds while on this Sea|mester program. From taking their first breaths underwater, putting sails up for the first time, getting the chance to explore new countries, or spending their first time away from home, so much has happened on board to everyone. In a strange way, we have all become a strange sort of family, connected by the common goals that have brought us into this program together.
Anyway, enough musing about the program being close to done, let us focus on what happened today. For me, the day started around 3:30 am, preparing for the 4-8 am watch with Watch Team 1, consisting of Adda, Wiley, Thaxton, Scarlette, Payton, Maia, Emma, and myself. It is an awesome watch team (I know, biased comment, but very true) and has the tendency to come up with some intellectual conversations. Today, that included how granola each person is on the boat. Basically, granola refers to how outdoorsy/camping a person tends to be. It is an endearing term used to describe people who live very active lives, but more in winter climates. It was very interesting hearing everyones granola level and how they got to each conclusion. Watch was a pretty typical one for us, with the sunrise around 5:30 am and okay conditions for this passage as a whole. Watch Team 2, consisting of Kyler, Zoe, Keith, Henry, Alice, Jewel, and Finn, relieved us at 8 am, allowing some of us to catch up on some sleep or homework/other projects.
Before class started, post lunch, a few staff members helped Mac with some repairs and draining/further waterproofing up in the anchor locker. While not the most challenging project, it was still good to check some things off the list and try to keep Vela in the best shape possible. Assisting in those tasks took us straight into Seamanship, the best and most awesome course on Sea|mester. Again, some of you may claim heavy bias from me, but I dont see that point at all. Today marked the last of the new material we would be going over for Navigation Master, the chart work aspect of this course. Everyone has been doing extremely well with the course load and seems to be enjoying the challenge thrown at them. One interesting challenge, though, is the chart work underway. It isnt the most comfortable trying to draw very precise lines and find small markers on a chart that wants to fly around the salon at every given moment. That is also true for trying to sit down and teach the course as well. As you will see in the pictures below, I had to adopt a wild stance to go over some specific material, much to the amusement of Hannah, Zeke, Rai-Ching, Henry, and Scarlette. We are hoping to do most of these exams during our time in Richards Bay, so they dont have to deal with the conditions of Vela underway, and so everyone can have the best chance for success. I have full confidence in everyone on board and hope that they do well.
Post class, Mac gave the order many of us had been waiting for, Time to raise the main. For days, we had been hoping for the right conditions to put up more sail and go even faster, and that time was finally upon us. It was all hands on deck (minus head chef Zoe) to get things done. This also included a short break for some science to happen. Hannah, Rai-Ching, and Payton needed to take a water sample for an upcoming Oceanography project. While doing so, they happened to pull up an unexpected surprise, a SMALL man owar jellyfish. For those of you who dont know, Japanese man-of-war are known to have some of the most painful stings of the jelly kingdom. It did cause just a wee bit of panic, as many people didnt want to get stung, while others were wondering what was taking so long to get a water sample. Thankfully, everyone was smart enough not to touch it, and we got it safely off the boat with no further incident. The main sail raise was a masterclass in teamwork and growth in everyones skills. In less than 5 minutes, the main was all the way up the mast, and we were back up to full speed in less than 20 minutes since starting the whole process. I also got the opportunity to be back on the bowsprit and relaunch the jibs again. For any of you who have not tried it, you definitely need to do so. These conditions were pretty tame, and I managed to avoid getting completely soaked, but trying to tie sails back onto the boat in 2-meter swells is a very Type 2 fun activity.
Dinner consisted of Tuscan White Bean Soup, a fan favorite onboard. Squeeze consisted of a combo question mentioning music and concerts, which led to some amazing answers. We are running like a rocket ship through the Indian Ocean, and all are excited to see South Africa, many of us for the first time.
And so comes to an end this entry of the blog. Thanks again, everyone, for tuning in. Crazy to believe we have less than a month to go, but I guess thats how the game goes. Good luck to everyone at home as they prepare for the holiday season, and dont worry, your families will be reunited, a lot sooner than you think.
Cheers,
Riley
P.S.
I already got to say this in Mauritius, but happy birthday and Veterans Day to you, Dad! Thanks for your service and the opportunities you have given me throughout my life.