Location: Port Elizabeth, Bequia
Today on O-Star began early with a hearty breakfast of flapjacks that were done before the staff could say why are you guys eating breakfast at seven instead of seven-thirty? The passage just makes us an overzealous bunch. Departure was rough, with a squall striking just as we hoisted the sails. This meant more knots of wind, rain, and a dash of danger as we neared several unsuspecting catamarans during our exit. We proceeded through the squall and wove through the boats like an expert knitters, Ocean Star being the needle. Adieu, Tobago Cays. The passage was a smooth one; we used five sails sans engine power. As we approached Bequia and started dropping the sails, some squalls rolled in, dousing most of the crew by the time we were in the bay. The crew in the bowsprit even got some additional baths from waves as our schooner tottered through the heightened swells. Anchoring didn’t come easily either; it took several tries for us to hitch into the ocean floor properly. Once we were anchored and the sails were spruced, Captain Pincus instructed us in the art of chart reading and navigating. Soon afterward, while we settled down to relax for the rest of the day, the fire alarm blared, and we had a surprise crash course on how to use the auxiliary fire hose. By the time the drill was over, we had honed a fair share of our boating skills. Sea|mester’s friendly neighborhood artisan, Willy, stopped by late afternoon to dazzle us with his hand-crafted jewelry; dazzle us he did indeed. We ended the night as we usually do, huddled around the cockpit, grubbing down on some scrumptious eats and conversing through sunset.