Location: Phuket, Thailand
The smell of fresh pancakes filled the galley and saloon from 6:30 this morning as head chef Annie prepared the new crew of Argo their most important meal of the day. With all but one crew now on board, there were a lot of new faces surrounding the cockpit for the routine morning breakfast meeting. Today marks our first day being governed by the Job Wheel. While small in size, this wheel has a huge impact on the day-to-day running of the vessel, governing every crewmember’s roles and responsibilities for the day. Post breakfast, the late-night arrivals unpacked their belongings into their new personal spaces, and bags were stored away. We then reconvened in the saloon for a proper introduction to Seamester and Argo, reaffirming our goals and expectations for the next three months and introducing some of the subtle quirks that make life on board this boat such a great experience.
As soon as lunch was packed away, the anchor was hauled. Argo was underway with her intrepid new explorers, motoring a short distance of 10 nautical miles to Ao Po North West of Phuket Island, where we eagerly anticipated the arrival of our last crew member, Mandy. Once the anchor was set in our new location, the swimming pool was opened, and everyone jumped into the sea for a refreshing cool down and shower, followed by a quick introduction to academia on board.
With our bellies full and the boat gently rocking away off the Phuket coast, the day is coming to a close, with all of us looking forward to waking tomorrow with a full complement of students and a new set of adventures.