Location: Underway to Dominica
Shaken awake for watch by a chipper “Jem” at 3:30, I donned my PFD, mosied over to the cockpit, and saw the eta at 10 days. Hopefully, the 4th time’s the charm and we can make it to 9 tomorrow!!. Watch was pretty uneventful, save some geeked convos with my watch team 6 dawgs that lighted the mood after our deep political talk the day before, and spilling my granola all over Liv’s foot as she helmedmy condolences. I woke up again at 11:30 to get the gophers, and Sabrina, Maria, and Alexa were cooking fried rice since 9:00, and it was gas. We had a 1 hour time change a we did the king of time dance after taking lessons from Shane last night. After lunch, we lowered and flaked the main sail, completing the motorboat argo setup. Nick led the flake, and we had enough hands to make quick work of it. Afterwards, we had the long-awaited escape room competition between the watch teams for leadership that Aidan’s been locked on for 90 days. Watch team 4 went first, then 6, then 5, and he taped the windows to maintain absolute secrecy. It was very elaborate and really took off once Hailey unlocked access to the bilges, and I was happy I predicted the invisible ink. We were, however, severely humbled by our ability to use RDP tables. Team 5 got first, Team 6 got second, and Team 4 got third. Afterwards, we had the 2 to 6 watch and most everyone else locked in or hit the essential 2 to 6 nap.
At the beginning of our watch, we weren’t allowed to visit the salon because of the escape room, but Mat and Teo, a brave and daring group 15, returned with heaping bowls of carne ramen. Later, I split a can of peaches with Emilizz, who was housed by Super Senior Kitten. To help our desperate situation, Chloe and Liv were nice enough to give me some of their pineapples, Rachel gave me a chocolate wafer, and Chief Bogo spared a digestive biscuit. To pass the time, Charlizz showed me some card tricks inspired by his adventures as king of England, and Teo played us a lovely, heartfelt, iconic, and certainly censored song on Liv’s Ukulele. After watching, we had a Pasta Bolognese with vegetables that reminded me of my dad’s spaghetti back home, and needed no extra seasonings besides a few chili flakes. For the Squeeze, I asked a long, annoying squeeze question that could barely be heard over the engine. I asked everyone to pick one of 5 sets of strengths and weaknesses and explain what they would do with their next 5 years with these conditions.
(1) Strength: You have 10 billion dollars. Weakness: You have the body of a goblin and are perceived as greedy by most people
(2) You can transform into any animal at will, and when you change back into a human, you can have a duffel bag full of items. Weakness: -30 IQ and lifespan reduced to 10 years
(3) You can travel through space and time, but you have total amnesia and forget everything every month.
(4) You are extremely intelligent and have incredible memory, but no taste, smell, or sight
(5) Able to sense everyone’s thoughts and emotions, able to always know what to say to make someone happy, but you have chronic existential depression
Yes, I am losing my mind.
Anyways, we ended with a 2 6 dance, watched a beautiful sunset, and everyone began cleanup: overall great packed day, probably one of our most interesting crossing days yet. We are reaching the halfway point in mileage in the next day or so, I’m pretty hyped for that.
To my family and friends reading this, I miss everyone, and I am super hyped to see you all for Christmas and eat some hazelnut cookies. Im watching Nausica tonight and I’m thinking of you, Niki.
Goodnight.