Written by Hannah S., Mate
Hello trip update readers! My name is Hannah and I’m a mate aboard the lovely boat Blueberry. Today we woke up at Trellis Bay. Shortly after wake-ups, Stella and Rowan, who are taking their rescue diver course, got taken to Cooper to work on their practical skills like responding to an unresponsive diver, dragging people ashore, and helping drowning or panicked divers.
The rest of us enjoyed a breakfast of eggs and bagels before splitting between fun divers and non-divers. I had the privilege of joining the fun divers today as we dove the sites Ginger Steps and Dry Rocks. We all had so much fun and saw sharks, lionfish, angelfish, and a lobster! We’re all so lucky to be here in the BVI and to see all the marine life it has to offer.
While I was diving, some were out on the Colgate (a 26-foot monohull) and others spent some beach time on Trellis. At noon we all rejoined and had a delicious lunch. Shortly after, we dropped the ball and did a quick motor over to Scrub Island. We flawlessly docked at Scrub with Brynne at the helm. It’s amazing to see the progress we’ve made as a crew in nine short days, and I can’t wait to see everyone become even more confident sailors!
Every time we dock, we do a deep clean of the boat—or as I like to call it, boat appreciation. After a cleaning inspection done by Franny, our campers were free for two hours of shore time on Scrub. Scrub has a market, dive shop, boutique, and a restaurant. Everyone came back to the boat feeling refreshed and showing off what they purchased.
Another great thing about docks is land showers! So after some shopping, the campers got the extra treat of freshwater showers that don’t involve jumping in the ocean.
For dinner tonight we had truffle fries, ground beef, broccoli, corn, and beans. After dinner, some students are doing their e-learning to be able to dive with nitrox, some are joining Bronte in a bio blitz, and others are hanging out at the helm.
I’m currently writing this while sitting in the salon, hearing snippets of laughter and good conversation throughout the boat. It’s always so special to see a group of strangers become so close-knit. Sailing with nothing but each other’s company is so conducive to authentic connections.
Shortly we’ll have our nightly boat meeting where we talk about the day and play a game. Recently we’ve been playing Hot Seat—a game where one person sits in the “hot seat” and talks about their life for two minutes, then everyone in the circle asks them questions. It’s a really good way to get to know things about the people around you that you might never have guessed.
After boat meeting, lights go off, everyone finds a sleeping spot, and we all get a well-needed rest.
