Location: Fiji - Vomo
Today, many of us were awoken by Garret walking through the cabins, bagging pots together to get everyone up on deck to help with pulling the anchor to go underway. Velas crew has been mentally preparing and getting the boat ready for our three-week passage to Palau. As the boat began to head for our last Fijian Island before returning to port, we had a delicious apple-cinnamon oatmeal breakfast prepared by Kat, Ansle, and Garret. Many of us were pretty sleepy from the previous days kava ceremony and snuck in naps when we could during our 6-hour passage.
The seas were especially rough with windy conditions, so the Salon was the main hangout spot while Brooke baked garlic knots to go with dinner. Some of us stayed back and studied for the upcoming IYT and Marine Bio exams, while a few others either went snorkeling or on a DSD dive with Jill for her Dive Master Training. Those who went snorkeling reported back that they saw a huge grouper, two white tip reef sharks, and a bedframe. Everyone came back freezing from the wind, and we all jumped in the ocean one last time before our ocean showers became less frequent on our passage to Palau.
After dinner, we ended the day with a double-squeeze where I asked everyone what was something that was on their bucket list, and Tougy asked what family traditions everyone had. Maddies bucket list item was to wrestle and kill an alligator back home, and my new bucket list task is to see her do that because it would definitely be an impressive sight. Now, everyone is cleaning up on deck from dinner and singing to Michael Jackson.
Im excited to call back home and have a boat appreciation day tomorrow when we return to port. And after that, we will be off to our next country!