Location: Muskmelon Bay
Today aboard Vela was a busy and wet day to be had by all. After a lovely breakfast of banana bread and orange-cranberry loaf, we began a boat walkthrough, becoming more confident and knowledgeable about our home for the next 65 days. This is also where the imposing rain stepped in, frequently pelting us with rain and chilling us with the wind. Despite it all, we managed to get the sails raised and were underway to Muskmelon Bay. Lunch underway went swimmingly, burrito bowls with the addition of occasional squalls and moments of high wind. Before we knew it, we were dropping those full sails in exchange for a bit of engine power and an anchor in a gorgeous bay, surrounded by high cliffs and a wide-open entrance/exit. Once everything necessary to anchor was completed, we went below deck for introductory lessons to the two courses taken by all students; Basic Seamanship and Student Leadership. Both classes will deem useful, if not vital, to group cohesion and overall a better experience aboard Vela. As soon as class was over, I was brought back to my school days, with everyone rushing to get out of the benches and up on deck for swims and showers. Dinner tonight was amazing, simply called Asian Bowls; it reminded me of deconstructed sushi with cucumber, tomato, rice, seaweed, fried eggs, and either chicken or tofu. During dinner, we had a special visitor, Steven Seagull, who sat on the stern of Vela just eyeing up the meal. He/she only stuck around for a few moments before flying off and taking a fish out of the water. That was our day today, and now, anchor watch begins. Skipper of the day, signing off…