Location: Petit Piton, St. Lucia
Today began a little earlier than usual, at near sunrise, as Ben and Lexi took the reins of Argo. Their task? Deliver our boat, our home to St. Lucia from Bequia, although only a day passage, managing such a large vessel and crew requires an array of both hard and soft skills. Their task actually began yesterday before dinner with passage prep, but now it was time for their preparations to come to fruition. After raising the anchor and steering us out into deeper water, Lexi gave the order to raise the sails. Ben marshaled the foredeck, and what was once a strenuous and physical challenge is now second nature as our white, crisp, and battle-hardened sails raised rapidly to the sky. Typically, early morning rain is expected in the Caribbean, so our bowls of oatmeal became slightly watery, but now, with the sail up and us clearing the Bequia headland, the northeasterly trade winds dry off ship and crew in no time.
First to negotiate was the beautiful island of St. Vincent, but as we pass on its leeward side, it steals our power, our life, our driving force…….. the wind. The engine on and sail management interjects the smoothness of our morning, but it’s all good fun and good practice as all hands muster and employ themselves on deck. In contrast, bridging the sea gap between St. Vincent and St. Lucia became a windier task, and an incoming squall made it another wet meal time. As passage leaders, Ben and Lexi must be feeling the enormity of even a small passage in command of a 112ft ocean-going vessel. Sunshine, steady trade winds, and afternoon class bring a break from deck duties, but as we encroach on the mountainous Pitons, all hands again employ themselves in dropping sails, putting Argo ‘to bed,’ and picking up the mooring. Our immediate swim, dinner, squeeze, and our next few night’s sleep will be directly in the shadow of Petit Piton.
Again, just as last time I blogged and picked up skipper duties for the day, I’ve been wondering about my squeeze question for a number of days. I toyed with some fun ideas, but I felt a calling to return to my last question: “What is your deepest fear?” My own personal answer to that question provided impetuous for tonight’s new question of “How do you fulfill your potential?” Time, as is life, is short, and to me, an unfulfilled potential is not utilizing the gift of the present. Every breath is taken, and the promise children show that sometimes, as adults, we forget.
“Your playing small does not serve the world (…) We are all meant to shine as children do (…) And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” Marianne Williamson in A Return to Love