Location: Statia
Today:
We went diving with the dive shop Golden Rock with the lovely guides Sarah and David.
The current is very strong in Statia as compared to other locations, so once we entered the water, we held onto the mooring line all the way down to the wreck. I love mooring lines because theyre covered in alien flora, all little wispy fronds or tufts of red algae. Real funky stuff. Sometimes crusted with tiny bivalves, so you gotta be careful. But wonderful.
Reaching the wreck was like clipping into another plane of reality. This world was an echo of our manufacture – rough outlines of a run-down Taiwanese ship, purchased by Statia and sunk years ago. And the bones of this metal beast were still clearly there but reclaimed by the sea and all her creatures. A giant lobster waved its stalks around from a crack on the starboard side. Squirrelfish stared wide-eyed, schools floated with the surge, and parrotfish pursed their lips. Boxfish nibbled some of the most vibrant coral growths Ive seen on this trip. The corals incredible geometry patched the hull and wove into every crevice possible. Some wispy and mimicking flowers, others wiry and branchlike, while still others crept like alien moss, fingers outstretched. Id had trouble with my mask fogging in a few dives, and it was crystal clear this time. I tried to remember everything. I could have spent hours down there, obsessing over every tiny fish spawn or glint of a barracudas eye. One day, maybe Ill get my certification for diving in enclosed spaces because the tunnels of the ship called to me. I could see shapes slowly turning deep in those shadows, here and there, but felt no fear.
Youd think that a human being, so dependent on air for survival, would want to be anywhere other than the ocean floor. But each dive, Im amazed by how natural it feels. And this shipwreck had a hearty ghostliness to it. Whole and thriving and yet decayed, sleeping with death. It left me with an incredible sense of peace, of wonder.
It was definitely the highlight of my day, though there were a great many other honorable mentions.
– Cameron was head chef, and he and Gavin, and I pitched in last night to make lemon-blueberry muffin bars for breakfast (while everyone gathered in the salon and watched the Princess Bride, which was so much fun. WUV. TWUE WUV).
– Got CLEAN LAUNDRY from a laundromat in town. God bless that woman.
– Got a sign-out night at the restaurant Blue Bead. Steph and Drew organized a whole trivia game that was super competitive and fun. We had three teams: STEM Squad, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, and Always Eat Enlarged Rabid Quails. After a very passionate rivalry, we had a bonus round on the dock, getting points for tying different knots the fastest. However, AEERQ won when Drew and Steph said the final points went to the first team to get in the water. I have never seen five people move so fast to launch themselves into dock water. Kacy also leaped in and got an honorable mention for her commitment (she was team Chicken Dinner).
– Group yoga stretch on the dock 🙂
It was a wonderful day. <3
SENDING LOTS OF LOVE! AND A FEW SEAGULL SCREECHES!
best fishes,
Taylor