Location: On the way out of Fernando
Pssst, dear reader, over here, to your left. Wait, you’re the other one left. Yes, hello!!! Once again, we cross paths, as it is that fabled time where we spend an evening together recounting the day’s festivities. So light some candles (unless you, too, are on a boat, and then it’s a fire hazard), make a tea, and settle in for today’s ventures. I was awoken in a stupor to a reminder from our dear friend Perry that I was today’s skipper, a joyous and momentous occasion. The students were in a peaceful slumber and were serenaded awake with the sounds of the MoTown queen herself, Aretha Franklin, followed by some Otis Redding, Sitting on the dock by the Bay, to which we all wish we were, indeed sitting on a dock by a bay, as it was a violently Rolly one last night, it felt like we were all still on passage, one might think it would be likely rocking a baby to sleep, if the baby was on a rollercoaster. Post-haste, we made our way on deck for a breakfast served by none other than the Reed, of smoothie bowls, MANGO, pineapple, and granola. We made a super-speedy cleanup, then made the progressive move into a passage prep, where indeed I, your duly and forever most cherished skipper, was running point. Passage prep, or as the french say, passag prep, was slightly different today then it has been other days, as we were bending on the fish (for you land lubbers, that means putting the fisherman sail on the foremast), as well as putting away the forsaken kedge anchor from yesterday (shhh, we don’t talk about the kedge).
We made a swift move off anchor, seamlessly and elegantly as always, where Alexa tango’d with the anchor chain locker for the first time. Then came the ultimate challenge, of placing the anchor chain tensioner on the starboard anchor. A feat that only the truest of knights can complete. After a bout of 20 mins back and forth, it was successfully placed. Hungry work, hey? Well, lucky for us, lunch was served! A SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS meal of shakshuka made by the Reed once again, and it was incredible (I had 3 bowls, shhhhh). After lunch, people started to tidy up spaces and do some bits of work when all of a sudden the blaring, roaring, ringing sound of the fire alarm went off, uh oh, it’s station bill day (fire drill practice)! 2.5 minutes after the alarm went off, everyone was mustered, and we split into our watch teams to undertake our rostered duties.
Watch team 1 went about setting up the fire hose and readying equipment on deck, while watch team 3 went about sail handling, and watch team 2 collected the medical supplies and entered the domain on the engine, to set the pump manifolds, where we play a game of where does the water want to go, selecting where we draw the water from to where its going to (from the sea to the fire hydrants), we then progressed into a prepare to band on ship drill (clearly our hypothetical fire fighting skills are no good), and we moved into our respective stations. Once the palaver of the station bill had subsided, we split back into watch teams and settled back into the rhythm and rhyme of watch schedules for the passage ahead. A calm few hours of study hall followed by dinner with another rendition (I believe we are the 345) of the jenny anny sally. All wrapped up, the students and the staff are excited for the passage ahead, preparing for some incredible sailing and silent nights. Always welcome in the charthouse. But for now, dear reader, I must depart. “So soon?” I hear you thinking to yourselves. Indeed, they must; all good things must come to an end, but alas, we shall meet again, like a phoenix from the ashes. But until then, I bid you, dear reader, adieu,
P.S. I heard through the grapevine that it is a special birthday. A message from Vittoria: Tanti Auguri, Nonno! Baci baci baci!