Location: Vela
Oh no, it’s my turn again. Where do I even start with everything we’ve seen? I would assume everyone behind me has already talked about the wild storms and glassy seas. That’s beside the point, though. Here I go to give this my best shot. So to all who read this, family, friends, significant others, and Sea|Mester stalkers… As we dredge along the waves toward Palau, we have encountered some interesting problems only this type of environment could provide. Squalls that match the energy of our crew and winds that push headfirst against the bow to deter us. Dead spots of nothing but glassy waters that looked almost like something you would only see in pictures or hear stories of. Nothing could compare to the raw natural beauty of the clouds in the sky and what the unfathomable amounts of water in the sea could create. Though despite being drenched, hot, sweaty, and probably a little crazy at this point, we all have such good spirits toward this journey we all plunged ourselves into.
The very thought of entering Palau blows my mind due to my first time dawning scuba gear where I had hopped into a 12 ft deep pool in the middle of the desert. Palau has been on my bucket list as the #1 dive spot I want to see in my life. We all are ecstatic to be nearing the end of the passage and to see land in the distance once more. Though we have been delayed a few days thanks to some gnarly storms and not-so-nice wind patterns, we are very nearly there.
Quite regularly, I find myself enjoying a hot cup of black coffee (definitely different for my taste, but it has grown on me quite a bit) on the bow of the boat, just staring off into the waves, just so overly grateful that I am alive and able to experience all of this. To me and many of us, it has been like a fantasy more than a study abroad. I never thought I would be able to wake up in an environment like this, and the gratitude I feel to my family at home (I love and miss ya!), the staff, and my crew-mates alike is enormous. The more time I spend here, the more I’ve fallen in love with life at sea. Gorgeous sunsets crest the horizon, and at night, almost magical bioluminescence reflects the milky way galaxy on a rainy night. Not everyone gets an opportunity to see things like this in their lifetime. So I know everyone here is grateful.
As a quick P.S. note, Dray and Margaret’s families want you to know they miss you and love you. Though I’m certain that everyone would say that if they could