Location: Richards Bay, South Africa
After almost a month at sea, the crew of Argo approached land with mixed feelings. The comforts of land made people eye the shore with desire, but deep within themselves, they knew they would miss the sea. Being our second day on the dock and our first day to explore the solid ground, the crew oddly enough spent their free time preparing for their next stint on the ocean. Buying more warm clothes was the common theme of the day. Some went to the local mall that could easily be located in St. Louis, Missouri, while others shopped at the marina stores. By the end of the day, the crew was decked out in gloves, hats, and scarves, and now, they looked like walking fleece advertisements. When they were not shuffling through the racks of cold-weather gear, some enjoyed a few moments of gigabytes and contacted home with endless numbers of passage stories. Although we have enjoyed our first days in Richards Bay, most of us look forward to what lies beyond the city limits, as in just a few day’s time, we will be exploring a South African game park. The safari will provide us with a first-hand account of the Big Five: giraffes, hippos, lions, rhinos, and elephants. An experience I’m sure we will cherish for a lifetime.