Location: Saba
Ahoy! This morning we were woken up by the delicious smell of banana bread prepared by our chef Allistaire. We ate breakfast, packed our lunches, quickly did clean up, and packed our bags for a busy day ahead. The fastest to pack got the privilege to experience the Saba dinghy exit first. We were warned that exiting the dinghy would be watery but no one expected to have to swim 50m with a bag above their head. The second dinghy group got a brilliant idea; put all their stuff in a garbage bag, but unfortunately, a sneaky hole was hiding, so that didn’t turn out as planned. The third group was an incredible show, with our mate Gavin nearly drowning to keep his bag dry. And then, the staff got the privilege to be dropped closer to shore, so they didn’t have to worry about swimming. Once everybody was safe and wet on shore, we began the ascension of the ladder; the oldest staircase to access the island. Everything began very well, but as the steps became steeper and the sun brighter, the morale went down, and the legs got jello-y. After over 500 steps, everyone made it to the first town, ironically named The Bottom! And that was only the beginning, as we were about to hike the highest peak in the Netherlands; Mount Scenery. The team got spread as everybody went at their own pace, and some hiking teams were naturally formed. Some took the longer trail by accident, while the others were smart enough to wait for the map. But the good news is no matter the path taken. Everyone made it to the top! We even got some rain on the way up to keep us going as we were sweating like swimming pools. When we thought we were getting close to the end, the number of steps to go seemed to increase. More and more and more steps. Until Smash screamed that she saw the end! At the top, the clouds offered memorable scenery as if we were in heaven. The crew had lunch and took some time to relax after this intense morning. We then headed back down by a different trail to go to another town called Windward. Ice cream, milkshakes, and Gatorade were the first priority when we arrived! We had some free time on shore to explore the town by ourselves. Some went on a shopping adventure, while others had great conversations with welcoming locals, and some had a great time in the children’s playground. We even got the chance to meet the famous Jo Bean, who owns her glass studio. When we headed back to the boat, we hitchhiked back to the first town. Some even got an adrenaline rush when a police car pulled over to offer them a ride back. The strategies to get back on the dinghy were ameliorated, and the bags were kept pretty dry, even if some of us nearly drowned in the process. Ocean showers and some quick laundry were really appreciated when we came back as we were covered in mud from the hike. Mac N’ Cheese was gobbled down as everyone was starving. We now have some homework to do for the Nav Master class for tomorrow and some diving paperwork to sign. Stay tuned for another amazing day tomorrow!