Location: Isle des Saintes
On the eighty-fifth day of our trip– everyone’s in a good mood from the Caribbean sunshine; the relaxation of the islands has definitely crept onboard Argo. We’ve had a very exciting past few days in Dominica and exploring Les Saintes. Although we’re a little battered from stomach flu, there’s a lot of activity on board as we try to see all the Caribbean has to offer as well as finishing up our classes and dive certifications. It’s a time to finish things up and finalize our time here– we’re all excited and happy, but there’s a definite sense that the days are folding up like the pages of a book. We woke up this morning around the corner of the main harbor of Les Saintes, at the small beach selected for last night’s diving. After moving the boat around the corner again to our previous anchorage near the town, we got started on our final MTE exams. Argo was quiet today as the salon became an exam space. MTE is a tough exam to take on a boat because you have to spread out giant charts, and space is a precious commodity with 31 people in a 112-foot space. We took it in shifts– those not taking the exam went to shore, snorkeled, worked on divemaster certifications, or studied on the boat. I used my shore time to enjoy the late afternoon sun on a hike to a fortress on the north side of the island. After Parker’s delicious chicken dinner, we’ve moved on to clean up, and then it’s off to bed before our last day in Les Saintes and our final night passage to Antigua.