Location: Underway to the Azores
There is nothing better than being softly awoken for my 4 am watch by none other than my fellow staff member, Mac. His approach is gentle, and somehow, I always manage to hear him whisper my name, even with earplugs and an eye mask on. Similarly, the students have started to get creative in the ways they wake up their fellow shipmates for early morning watches. Sometimes, it is as simple as turning off their overhead fan until they wake up. Others require a more forceful shake of the shoulders. And some are being woken up by their noses being tickled with string. I am excited to see the evolution of wake-up calls as we continue our passage. This morning, Watch Team 2 (Zoe, Johnathan, Anda, Lucie, Dan, and me) was treated to an incredible sunrise. Watch Team 2 is the only team that has not gone through a squall on their watch, and while we are currently relishing in that fact, we know that our time will eventually come. However, as the days go by and the shipmates improve their sailing skills, I know that Watch Team 2 will be ready for any squall that comes our way. In addition to another beautiful day on the water, the Galley Team (Nora, Dan, and Will) absolutely smashed it out of the park. We were treated to a delicious lunch of grilled cheese and veggies and Dan’s favorite childhood dinner, bangers and mash. The food helped fuel us through our afternoon Leadership and Oceanography classes. In leadership, everyone on board took a personality quiz to determine their leadership style. You could either be defined as a Green, Blue, Red, or Yellow leader, and it was such a fun time seeing all the different leadership styles we have on board. Lastly, the oceanography students took their first unit quiz, and I am so impressed with how much they have learned and, more importantly, retained so far! I would write more, but the sun is currently setting, and I have to catch this beautiful sunset before it is gone. Everyone on board sends their love back home, and we miss you all so much! Talk to you soon!