Location: Gustavia, St. Barths
Ahoy!
After our first full day and night of sailing, the student crew of the Argo has successfully made anchor in St. Barth’s just outside of the city of Gustavia! We had an exciting night of sailing; watch teams 1 & 2 even got the chance to jibe a couple of times!. But even these amateurs were able to make the journey successful, with a little help from the staff. Most people found the gentle rocking of the boat much easier to stomach than the painful process of motoring into the wind. And we made it to our destination, eager to get ready for the island.
But before we could have our fun, we began the somewhat laborious process of putting the boat to bed. Seeing as we are staying here for three full days, we couldn’t let the sails stay out. So we grabbed the sail covers and hosed down the main decking, giving Argo some much-needed love. On top of that, we also prepared for our stay by unloading the precious scuba gear! Having not dived in several days, we are all eager to get back in the water and to refresh, hopefully, remember, our skills. This afternoon of preparation lagged a little as the sun made its presence known, and everyone kept themselves entertained and laughing until lunch, after which we had officially cleared customs and could legally jump into the water.
After a hearty lunch, many of us made a beeline for the ocean and some soap; however, the swim was cut short by a rain shower and the EFR, or Emergency First Response, class. We all gathered in the saloon for a discussion on CPR and what to do in the case of extreme bleeding. It must be noted that in this section, this author (me) covered her ears due to an aversion to blood. But even the squeamish came out again for practical lessons. We split into groups and practiced CPR on dummies and then, in a joyous turn, pretending each other required medical attention and practiced our learned skills of log rolling and helping choking victims on each other. There was much giggling as we tried to remain motionless and in need of help. Feeling closer to each other than ever before, everyone made another rush to the ocean that was not interrupted by rain this time, instead of dinner.
It was Texas BBQ night on Argo, with baked beans, salad, ribs, and potatoes. We felt well rested for the rest of the night. The Open Water Dive Crew will now proceed to discover the results of their final dive test, fingers crossed, while those already certified will get to relax and prepare for a possibly rainy night on anchor watch. Tomorrow we prepare to go to shore and enjoy the island. Until then, we look forward to a comfortable, motionless night aboard the boat.
Missing you at home, Mom and Dad ( and Samwise ), but loving the excitement of what’s to come.
Until tomorrow!