Location: Galleon Beach, Antigua
The sun rose on another beautiful day in Antigua, leaving the worries of airport travel and covid tests in the past. As skipper, I was tasked with waking up first to announce the start of our brand new adventure, which comes with each day. As we mustered on deck, we were treated to chia pudding, something I was completely unfamiliar with but would come to enjoy. After we filled our stomachs, we would come to learn our tasks on the boat and get a lay of the land. We put on the newly repaired sail and eagerly lent a hand in flaking it. Spirits are high, and participation on board is higher. When the instructors ask for help, it seems every student is ready to spring into action. I get the sense that if they asked us to jump, we would say how high? We individually stocked up on essentials like Gatorade and starbursts for the journey ahead of us. Then we had our first oceanography class in the saloon, and I can definitely say this was the first class where I did more sweating than note taking.
I look forward to doing a group research project with some of my fellow crew and gaining a deeper appreciation for the oceans we often take for granted despite covering 71% of our planet.
A black bean burger was served with a side of homemade fries, and then it was back to work. As the new two members of our crew joined, we celebrated the thought of finally leaving port and getting a chance to jump in these blue Caribbean waters. We raised the anchor and set sail, settling on a white sand beach with the ocean and mountains in the background. Everyone waited attentively on deck for the signal that we could finally jump into the pristine waters for our swim test. We were to swim 400 yards (8 laps around the boat) and then tread water for ten minutes. I started strong on lap one, but by lap 8, I think I swallowed enough seawater to start my own fish tank. After we all successfully passed, we were able to enjoy the water on our own terms. We donned the masks and snorkels and were lucky enough to see two stingrays right below us buried in the sand. While wet, we soaped up and jumped back into the water repeatedly, often via cannonball. A splash competition was held, and a victor was crowned, laughs were had, and tears were shed. After all of the excitement of the day, we settled down over curry and rice and shared what we were grateful for during our first day at sea as we watched the sun set on another fantastic day in Antigua. With some free time before bed, we eagerly wait in anticipation of the next adventure when we wake up on another day of Seamester.