Location: Falmouth Harbor, Antigua
The crew of Argo was blessed with Take and Chance on Me as their 7 am wake-up call (shoutout to Exra for help on that one. An absolute banger). This, though, was not the first time most of us had woken up this morning, as our anchor watches commenced last night. It entails a rotating team of two students, every hour from 10 pm-7 am, being up on deck. Reconvening as a group for breakfast, we discussed how much we enjoyed the quiet, conversational time without watch partners (even despite the ungodly hours). Post-breakfast, we had an introduction to marine biology with Amanda, and all are looking forward to delving into the course material. Our open water trainees also sat their written exam, learned about RDP dive tables, and completed the paper portion of the PADI open watercourse. Sad as it is to be officially finished with the high-quality entertainment of PADI informational videos, we are all happy to have it out of the way.
Excitement surged around noon when be began the process of moving Argo from her dock spot in English Harbor to the fuel dock (an incredibly short trip, geographically, but an incredibly long process). Every student was such an avid participant, eager to learn and experience the massive feat of moving a 112-ft boat. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably more involved. Out later, lunch, yet another fantastic meal, was followed by another round of moving Argo to her current anchorage in Falmouth Harbor. The feeling of truly being in motion, for the first time, was unlike anything else (in fact, a handful of us are still rather *feeling* this motion. But don’t worry, parents, all in good spirits). On our way, we passed STV Vela, Argo’s sister ship. This moment marked the first time the two ships have been together, an experience that captivated both staff and students alike.
Once anchored, the other water divers finally got their first taste of the water for their swim test and were joined by the rest of our classmates for the first ocean shower of the trip. Refreshed and content, we savored the last of the day’s fantastic meals (thank you, head chef Amanda) before our night;y squeeze (“Who is/was your most influential teacher or mentor, and why?”) and brief Intro to Seamanship with Elle. We’re all going to bed earlier tonight as we continue to adjust for our changing anchor watch schedules, and look forward to the food, conversation, and adventure that await us tomorrow.
Sending lots of love to the mainland and absolutely no jealousy of the weather,
Gillian