Location: Horta, Azores
Today there was an Argo scavenger hunt! Given clues and tasked with taking very specific photos in different locations of Horta, all of the groups set off after our breakfast of BWRAF (breakfast with rice and fruit). From the sounds of it, everyone had a great time and also set their own course in their scavenging. One group found themselves sitting at a nice cafe, enjoying long chats and pastries, while another was wandering through the streets of Horta in costume and only making 90-degree turns. Some scavenged up some new outfits from the shops in town, and one crew member took the term “scavenger” literally, and it was told by his group that he consumed at least four different pastries over the course of the hunt. Everyone returned back to Argo for lunch, which was hummus plates prepared by head chef Gabe. We all enjoyed plates of puffy naan bread, homemade hummus, deli meats, and fresh veggies.
After lunch was a much-needed study hall, as there are papers and exams coming up in the next couple of days that everyone is working hard to prepare for. Some took their work ashore, taking advantage of the opportunity to work in one of Horta’s many cafes. It was a pretty relaxed afternoon, and those can be hard to come by on Argo. One big win for the staff was a visit from a welder who was finally true to his word. We have historically had terrible luck with welders – they don’t text back, they stand us up, they never call… But this welder arrived exactly when he said he would, and he welded the thing we needed to be welded! (the tang on the forward staysail, for those curious) This may not be very exciting for those of you at home, but it’s the little things. For dinner, Gabe, Tim, and Leo prepared a couple of Thai dishes, and they were delicious. After clean up, everyone will be off to get gelato, which has become a nice part of our nightly routine.