Location: Redonda, "Dragon Island
Today was our last day in the Northern parts of the Caribbean as we began our multi-day voyage South to Grenada. We woke up this morning bright and early at 7:15 to be enticed by breakfast burritos made by Kristine and Eric. Our captain, Eric, left to clear us through customs so we could begin our journey officially. As he was out, we prepped Ocean Star for the long haul and fully secured her for the passage. Once Eric returned, we hoisted all the sails and started sailing towards Redonda, affectionately dubbed Dragon Island by our First Mate Kevin. Before we even had gone for five minutes, we had a Man Overboard emergency drill. It was our first one, and all crew members responded quickly and efficiently. Go, team! Once that was over, we sailed onwards to Redonda, where we dropped anchor shortly after enjoying cold cuts for lunch.
Dragon Island is aptly named for it boasts rocky cliffs, crashing surf, and swarms of hundreds of birds circling the many peaks on the top of the island. Before we stormed the island, Kevin unveiled his flag (his orange chamois with a dragon drawn on in Sharpie) and informed us of the island’s history. We then dove into the water and swam to shore. Many of us clambered over the rocks to the old docking site on the island, and then a large group of us scaled the mountain. Just before they neared the top, the Ocean Star sounded her horn, signaling an impending storm, and informed us to return to her. Yet, as soon as everyone was back on board, the sky had cleared, and the storm had passed us far to port. We had our first dinner below deck in the salon since some weather patterns had emerged and were lightly dousing the Ocean Star in some rain. Although somewhat cramped, it was a unique experience to finally eat in the salon and to have a more intimate meal. Tonight, we have a brief OCE class on chemical oceanography, followed by raising anchors, raising sails, and sailing off to Grenada in the south. Our three-four day voyage begins in a short few hours, it’s going to be a long haul but an experience to remember.