Location: Raja
Hello there, it is Romeo again. Today is day 60 and the start of the last quarter of our 80-day voyage through the Pacific. As of writing this, Vela is sitting in Wasai Port in Indonesia, preparing for our five-day passage to Komodo that will begin tomorrow. On board, there is a lot of excitement in the air about the adventures we will have in Komodo, but we are sad to leave Raja Ampat. With it being our last day in Raja Ampat, the crew made sure to make the most of the day by doing one of our favorite activities: snorkeling! We all woke up bright and early this morning with hearty eggs and bacon breakfast prepared by Heloise and her sous-chef team of Perry and Nora. After breakfast and a speedy clean-up, we loaded in Tia and Angkarn and made our way to “Manta Sandy,” a popular snorkel spot where Manta Ray frequent. Although the spot is known for its mantas, we were unfortunate and did not see one. However, despite not seeing a manta ray, we were able to see multiple black-tip reef sharks, green turtles, bicolor parrotfish, and an abundance of coral. After our snorkel, we loaded back onto Vela and made way for Wasai port. During our underway, the students piled into the salon to be taught more VFH (Very High Frequency) radio skills by Drew. All of the students ran through Mayday scenarios and now understand how to deliver and receive Mayday transmission, which is important because of safety and all. After VHF class, the crew got some desperately needed free time to work on our marine bio essay on fisheries that is due tonight! After our delegated essay time, we ran right into dinner with mac and cheese and veggie chili prepared by Elexia and the sous-chef team. Now that we have finished dinner, we are working on prepping the boat for passage. The crew is rounding up dive kits, 40/40ing the salon and galley, and removing sail covers. Heather and Kee are out provisioning on shore to have fresh food available for our travels. I’m excited to be out on the high seas again, and I am sure the rest of the crew is as well!
P.s. I want to send love to my family, my friends, and my girlfriend. I love you all.