Location: Statia
As I’m sure all you parents know, we have a job every day 18 jobs for 18 people to make the boat go round. With less than 18 days left now, it is nice to reminisce on every one of the jobs. Every time I land on a job again reminds me how fast 18 days just flew by. It reminds me of how busy we have been. But most importantly, how much fun we are all having going through the job circuit. From finding out how to turn on our deck lights, to finally learning how to turn the oven on, or remembering the correct steps to raise the dinghy, there is always more stuff to learn onboard. Every time I land back on a job, I realize how much I have learned since the last time and how much better I can do that job. Mostly, however, I get that “has it really been 18 days already?” feeling. If anybody remembers my last blog post about personal growth, that effect is still in full swing. Our first student-led passage yesterday (where the staff took a backseat on our day sail) perfectly showcased everything we learned.
Today was a dive day. We went out with a local outfitter on a double dive. The couple who owns the dive shop moved here from the states and is loving their new lives. Their energy got everyone pumped for the dive, and we had a great time exploring an 80ft deep artificial reef on a sunken fishing boat and a 50ft sprawling reef. It was a “fun dive” for most of us, meaning it was all leisure and no skills. The diving certifications some of us are working on consuming most of our time underwater, so it’s nice just to explore underwater sometimes. Diving is tiring, especially two in a row, so we thankfully got a little relaxation time once we got back on board afterward.
And, of course, we had an amazing dinner. Especially after diving, most of us are very hungry by the time it rolls around. Fortunately, by dinner time, I finally remembered to take pictures. We have our three glorious chefs passing up their proud pizzas, everybody antsy-ly waiting for dinner, and lastly, a bird’s-eye view of our family dinners. I used to think setting up the tables every day was a waste of time, but I’ve really come to appreciate it. You get a different little group of people to talk to every night.
Cheers
Joseph
Pictured: 1-3 dinner time; 4. Lunchtime; 5-13 dive pictures of the day courtesy of Jon.