Location: Antigua
Hi Blog!
Today was pretty awesome. We sailed all through the night on our student-led passage from Saba back to our starting point in Antigua. This meant that students were in charge of plotting the course, planning for weather, raising and handling sails, and our elected leaders were in charge of watch teams. Our new captain Hannah (jk Nick, we still love you) got us in at record speed, with Watch Team 2 bringing us into Antigua, dropping sails, and anchoring us in our new home for the next few days around 9 am. We got to sleep in a bit because of our three-hour night shifts, and all got up around 10 to put the boat to bed. I had some rescue makeup to do, so Sammy, Big Ben, and I hopped in the water in the rain to finish up those skills. Once we wrapped up, it was time for a lunch of burrito bowls by Kackie.
The afternoon was a lot of catching up. We took our written exam for the Rescue Diver certification, some students retook the Emergency First Responder exam, and then some practice for the NavMaster retake for a few hours up until dinner. It was a pretty chill afternoon, which was nice in preparation for the crazy week we had coming up.
I’m realizing this will be my last blog post, so I want to take a minute to reflect on this experience. Coming in 71 days ago to a boat full of strangers was a pretty crazy feeling. Somehow, in these 71 days, these people have begun to feel like a family. We have learned so much, which has never been as evident to me as it was yesterday when we took charge and sailed the boat (almost) on our own. I am so beyond grateful for the things I have learned, the people I have met, the experiences we have had, and the memories we have made. I’ll miss every dishy pit, ocean shower, and all the random moments in between. Thank you to everyone who has followed along on the blog and sending some extra love home to everyone’s family and friends tonight.
Signing off!