Location: Dominica
Today was the day the students hiked the Boiling Lake, an all-day trek through the Dominica rainforest and a Seamester tradition. In the morning, I briefed them to expect to be pushed to their limits, to be broken down by the mud and rain of the jungle, to come face to face with despair, and then to feel the triumph of reaching the top. The hike itself is to the top of a volcano, the caldera of which is filled with water- a boiling lake. No, you cant swim in it. It is literally boiling, and you will be cooked. This was in the briefing.
I dropped the students off on shore and then went about my day: troubleshooting in the engine room, writing emails and doing the accounting in the chart house, making coffee in the galley, spacing out and staring at the horizon, planning classes and activities, sending off linens to be washed, forgetting what was next on my to do list, almost falling asleep on the floor of my room while trying to get the safe combination to work, making coffee in the galley. Ignacio made paella rice for us for lunch. We had enough to share with our friend Desmond, who came to pick up the laundry, but he took it to go and still hasnt returned our bowl. I hope the hike is going well, I must have thought to myself at some point. I wasnt there.
I bet theyre having fun. I bet their feet hurt. I bet theyve already finished their water bottles and have to beg water from Zoe and Aidan. I bet they think theyre halfway done but have barely even started.
This was fun. My imagination wandered further.
What if theyre at the hot springs on the side of the trail but are afraid to go in because I told them the lake was boiling? The hot springs arent that hot, but which one of them will be brave enough to try it first? What if they start foraging wild mangoes from under the forest canopy? What if they anger a nesting pair of parrots and get chased by shrieking, flapping feathers? What if they stumble upon the ruins of an ancient civilization and have to answer a talking statues confusing riddles in order to be allowed to move on? What if there are dinosaurs? Oh no, I thought. I wish I were there.
Everybody made it back in one piece. They asked me how my day was, and I told them. They had boiled eggs over volcanic pools and swam in deep jungle gorges. Tomorrow they are going diving. I wonder what theyll see.