Location: Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Day 21 of our journey. Asking around, it seems surreal that we are already three weeks into this adventure. My morning began bright and early at 6 o’clock. Each day it seems more crew members wake up early to enjoy some quiet time, work on assignments or just take in the morning light. Within the first hour of wake up, it seems the sleep inertia is powerful. Bodies move slow, and few words are said. As we woke up today, we found ourselves in yet another beautiful place. Petit Bayhaut, off the coast of St. Vincent. A small cove with extreme character. To the North of us was a small beach surrounded by jagged rocks, each looking as though they had a story to tell (I like talking to rocks). We mustered with sleepy eyes and hungry bellies and made our way into breakfast. A few minutes into the meal, a slight drizzle, and a rainbow greeted us. Making our eyes open and our banana bread soggy, I think we all appreciated the early morning showers. A lover of poetry, I proposed reading a poem to start the morning. A piece I found a few months back, while back in Colorado (home sweet home), Meeting Point by Louis Macneice, seemed to be the perfect intro to our morning. To me, it represents not taking moments for granted. Too often, we go through life and don’t look around at the many beautiful things that surround us. It reads as follows:
Time was away and somewhere else,
There were two glasses and two chairs
And two people with one pulse
(Somebody stopped the moving stairs):
Time was away and somewhere else.
And they were neither up nor down;
The stream’s music did not stop
Flowing through heather, limpid brown,
Although they sat in a coffee shop
And they were neither up nor down.
The bell was silent in the air
Holding its inverted poise–
Between the clang and clang a flower,
A brazen calyx of no noise:
The bell was silent in the air.
The camels crossed the miles of sand
That stretched around the cups and plates;
The desert was their own; they planned
To portion out the stars and dates:
Time was away somewhere else.
The waiter did not come, the clock
Forgot them, and the radio waltz
Came out like water from a rock:
Time was away and somewhere else.
Her fingers flicked away the ash
That bloomed again in tropic trees:
Not caring if the markets crash
When they had forests such as these,
Her fingers flicked away the ash.
God or whatever means the Good
Be praised that time can stop like this,
That what the heart understood
Can verify in the body’s peace
God or whatever means the Good.
Time was away, and she was here
And life no longer what it was,
The bell was silent in the air
And all the room one glow because
Time was away, and she was here.
__________
Thank you to those who read that and felt something ;). I know poetry can be ambiguous. Anyhow, after breakfast, those who didn’t complete their deep dive yesterday got to get in the water and complete it! Afterward, there was one last trip to snorkel through the bat caves that are near the cove. One of the most amazing things I have ever done. It is more like a water slide than a cave… Many amazing creatures and super amazing rocks (because I love rocks). After snorkeling, we began our departure process. This included lifting the stern anchor, which was lifted over the cap rail on the very back of the boat by a small team of individuals who I think possess superhuman strength. After getting the anchor up, we were off and on our way back to Young Island, where we had to pick up our brand new Mainsail!!!!!!! (New sails are a big deal as Argo hasn’t gotten new sails since 2014!!!). After using the fish halyard, a winch, and many hands, we were able to lift the massive sail on board, and then we began the motor to Bequia! A little hour-long passage across to Bequia, we arrived and proceeded to undergo the most challenging anchor process I have taken part in… The anchor was dragging, and the claw wasn’t holding (I know those seem like terms thrown around in the past century). But basically, it took us an hour and thirty minutes to get anchored. Then came the part of our day and possibly the trip that the whole crew had been waiting for! SNACK RUN! We somewhat slowly and non hastily gathered on the dock in the center of Bequia. (After lots of dingy shuttling from Argo), and made our way to one of the local supermarkets. It was very interesting to see everyone so surprised to be on land. Bequia is a very cool little town with lots of personality. We met a man named Ali at a fruit stand who let us try some unique fruit. His nickname is ‘Sunshine,’ and I could clearly see why. A very bright human. Micro-interactions are one of my favorite parts of travel, and those little ones like with Ali at the fruit stand will stay with me forever. We made it to the supermarkets and were able to satiate all of our snacking needs… We shall see how long those snacks last on board. We at least shot some money into the local economy of Bequia!!!! haha… After we made it back to Argo, we had some delicious soup (Made by the wonderful Una). And the last squad of peeps gets to partake in a night dive!
All of us here on Argo are sending our love and light to our families and friends back home! (Love you, Faja, Mom, Kieran, Gogo, Charlie + many more)
And to any of those family members or friends of the other amazing humans on this boat, I just want you to know how swell of a group this is. I genuinely admire every person onboard Argo.
We’re all sending you sunshine and smiles 🙂
To the many adventures to come and places to see.
Pictured:
1. Petite Bayout
2. Argo anchored in Bequia; pictured from Megatron Dingy
3. Breakfast Rainbow!
4. Sunset from dock in Bequia
5. Group awaiting dingy shuttle back to Argo
6. Una, Riley, and Nick insanely prepared for the snack run
7. Selfie time (for you mom)
8. During the passage from Young Island to Bequia
9. Passage to Bequia
10. The peeps awaiting snack run on dock in Bequia
11. View of St. Vincent
12. Morning dish pit (with beach at Petite Bayout in background)
13. Morning Panorama at Petite Bayout!
14. Morning rainbow panorama!