Location: Avatui Harbour, Rarotonga
Today was an early morning for me. I had the 6:00 am to 7:00 am watch. I knew it would be a rough watch when my first sight after waking up was Frankie wearing her bright red foul-weather gear. After spending my first hour awake in the rain, the french toast for breakfast was a beautiful sight. Next on the agenda was Marine Biology. We learned about jawless fish, sharks, rays, and skates. During class, we were graced with a video of Sand Tiger Sharks practicing cannibalism inside their mother’s womb. After class, the people who didn’t go to town got to see the arrival of a new neighbor in Avatiu Harbour.
The boat’s name is the Picton Castle. It is a huge three-mast sailing yacht. It was converted to a sailing ship from a minesweeper around 15 years ago. The Picton Castle is a training vessel that also transports cargo and people. Immediately after, the rain slowed down, and the Picton Castle finished docking the most vibrant rainbow I have ever seen in my life formed in the mountains of Rarotonga. It was truly a beautiful sight. You could clearly see every color, from red to violet. It was a sight that made all the rain we endured worth it. Because no matter what the weather is like here, we are still in a tropical paradise. We are a lucky group because few people get to experience what we are experiencing. So who cares if it rains every now and then.