Location: Palau
As our time in Palau is coming to an end, I cant help but reflect on how lucky we are to have had the privilege to experience a place like this. I have spent a major portion of my life on or under the water. Never have I seen anything like the reefs here. The biodiversity of the Pacific combined with the unique geography of Palau creates an underwater world that I would struggle to describe with words. The density and health of the corals here blows my mind every time we get in the water. Now here we are about to set off south to Indonesia. With plans to visit Raja Ampat, Komodo, and finally Bali, many of our best days are still ahead of us.
Sailing to this part of the world has always been a dream for me; the vastness of the Pacific, the pristine remote islands. When I was 15, I read a book named Dove. Both the name of the memoir and of the boat, Dove, is the autobiographical story of Robin Lee Grahams voyage around the world. In 1969, Graham set out to be the youngest person to sail around the world alone at 16 years old. Leaving California, He crossed the Pacific, making many of the same stops we have. His route brought him to the Marquesas, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and into Indonesia before he went on to cross the Indian Ocean. Reading that book as a young man changed my life. I distinctly remember finishing the last page, snapping the cover shut, and saying to myself, I can do that. I havent stopped sailing since. The best thing about my job is that we here have the ability to share our passion for the ocean with everybody who steps on board Argo. We have the ability to inspire the next generation of sailors, divers, or marine biologists to follow their dreams. I know many sailors have found their spark on Argo, and I consider myself lucky to be able to help facilitate adventures like this and hopefully help others find inspiration as I did.
Today our fearless crew went on a kayaking trip in the Rock Islands. I heard some great stories about bumper boats and Chief Mate Charlie getting run over by a kayak. I stayed behind to make sure that Argo remained a boat and didnt try to turn into a Submarine. We have been working hard to bring Argos deck back up to its proper state and repair some of the bits and bobs that took some wear and tear in the rough weather on the way up here. Its always rewarding to give back to the boat that gives so much to us.
I wish everybody back home the best.