Falling in love with the sea.
If you’ve followed my adventures even a little bit, you’re aware that my relationship with sailing has had its highs and lows, and in-betweens. The lust I’ve felt for the water has been intertwined with the (sometimes) vile hatred of its swells and whitecaps. During our 5-month courtship, we’ve fought, we’ve made up, we’ve said and done things we didn’t mean, and we’ve shared some of the happiest moments in memory. The roller coaster that has been my introduction to the high seas has, quite honesty, resembled a teenage love affair. There was no shortage of drama, no absence of mood swings, and enough material to write dozens of new Taylor Swift songs. (Jean-Marc, “Babybarn”, this one’s for you)
As do adolescent romances, so did evolve my relationship with sailing. I am happy to report that, over time, it has matured into functional union.
It helps when I am surprised with the ocean’s many presents. Over the course of our sail across the Atlantic, we’ve managed to catch many dorado, wahu, tuna, and… a swordfish! The latter… was disgusting. Upon dissecting it, it was noticed that she was filled with parasites, and had to be thrown back at sea. It’s the thought that counts. Enjoying the freshest sushi, and grilled fish possible has been one of the highlights of my ventures on the open water. Along with edible sea creatures, we’ve also seen hundreds of dolphins, whales, flying fish, and sea turtles. Ya…my boyfriend is awesome.
Another turning point in our relationship has been the relative calm of the ocean since our last big blowup: the sail to Morocco. This, intermingled with the relative certainty that I am now officially certified in sea-leggedness means that I do not have to share every meal I eat with the sea, nor does it plague me with debilitating nausea. The fact that I no longer require over-the-counter meds to tolerate its presence means the sea and I have had some solid bonding time over the past few weeks…I think it’s love.
I must admit that upon my arrival in Norway, following a rough introduction to sailing from Germany (see blog #1), I pulled out the Class Afloat calendar, and started counting. “December….sail from Cabo Verde to Trinidad and Tobago… 19 days at sea. Oh God.” I was a beast after a mere 3-day sail…how would I possibly fare after nearly 3 weeks at sea? Crossing the Atlantic Ocean? The nearest land mass thousands of nautical miles away? I don’t know if I can stand one on one time with my significant other for that long. I pulled myself together, and was confident that by then, I’d be able to pull through, and enjoy it. And I am happy to report that I did. I don’t think 19 days have ever gone by so quickly.
Our days at sea are packed. As teachers, we teach anywhere from 3 to 5 hours a day, in a 9:00-7:00 timetable. The rest of the day is mostly spent marking, in meetings or lesson planning, In the evening, we could have club meetings going on, or a special activity organized… such as cookie baking, board games, card tournaments or a movie night. On some occasions, we stand on watch, something our students have to do for 4 of the 24 hours in a day. Whether it be standing at the helm, being on lookout for other ships, or being on fire surveillance, everyone has a duty to perform on deck while assigned on watch. For me, being on lookout is the best – I cherish this rare alone time, listening to the sound of the waves, and enjoying a starry night in solitude. Also, if I ever see an “iceberg, right ahead!”, I’ll be sure to call it in way before that guy on the Titanic ever got around to it (Ya…I went there. But still funny, right? Hailey Adlard, you better not Facebook inbox about me how lame that joke was. I already know). All said and done, idle hands are not often found aboard our ship.
In short, being at sea is incredible, and crossing the Atlantic was epic. Over the course of nearly 3 weeks, we changed time zones 3 times…falling back thrice means weekly nights with one more hour of sleep…much appreciated. The new Norwegian captain we have on board for the crossing fits in perfectly with our crew, and has helped out with many of the activities we’ve had on board. He’s also given me a lesson on how to properly prepare a fish that has just been caught…and made me touch a dying dorado’s beating heart. Disgusting/awesome. On the latest leg of this journey, we’ve traveled from Tobago (beautiful) to Cartagena, Colombia. The current and the wind have been in our favour, and have pushed us along at a speed twice as fast as anticipated. This means plenty of time for a surprise port.
Captain Hanssen suggests the Netherlands Antilles’ Klein Curaçao... a tiny, semi-deserted island that is best described as a slice of heaven. Undoubtedly the closest thing to paradise I’ve ever stepped foot on. Strolling white sand beaches, and swimming in turquoise waters on December 31st is a fitting ending to what has been a fantastic year. I can hardly contain my happiness in being there. It is quite possibly one of the best days of my life…and for me, just another day at the office. I really do have the best job in the world.
We cap off 2010 with a dance party, and a cheers at midnight (with mango-flavoured Tang). Many hugs, smiling faces and promises for a new year even better than the last. Hope all of you had an equally great end to 2010 – and look forward to seeing some of you soon! I’ll be in Moncton for semester-break from Jan 14-19th. Unfortunately, no Calgary stopover… but I look forward to seeing my Westerners in late May, or early June.
A big THANK YOU to all of you that took the time to send me beautiful letters and care packages this semester. You have no idea how happy they make me. I cherish them, and they are all posted on the side of my bed. I’ll post a picture of my homage to home when I get a new camera – mine died in Morocco ☹ - maybe from an allergy to camels. Sad.
Love and hugs from Colombia! Xoxo
As do adolescent romances, so did evolve my relationship with sailing. I am happy to report that, over time, it has matured into functional union.
It helps when I am surprised with the ocean’s many presents. Over the course of our sail across the Atlantic, we’ve managed to catch many dorado, wahu, tuna, and… a swordfish! The latter… was disgusting. Upon dissecting it, it was noticed that she was filled with parasites, and had to be thrown back at sea. It’s the thought that counts. Enjoying the freshest sushi, and grilled fish possible has been one of the highlights of my ventures on the open water. Along with edible sea creatures, we’ve also seen hundreds of dolphins, whales, flying fish, and sea turtles. Ya…my boyfriend is awesome.
Another turning point in our relationship has been the relative calm of the ocean since our last big blowup: the sail to Morocco. This, intermingled with the relative certainty that I am now officially certified in sea-leggedness means that I do not have to share every meal I eat with the sea, nor does it plague me with debilitating nausea. The fact that I no longer require over-the-counter meds to tolerate its presence means the sea and I have had some solid bonding time over the past few weeks…I think it’s love.
I must admit that upon my arrival in Norway, following a rough introduction to sailing from Germany (see blog #1), I pulled out the Class Afloat calendar, and started counting. “December….sail from Cabo Verde to Trinidad and Tobago… 19 days at sea. Oh God.” I was a beast after a mere 3-day sail…how would I possibly fare after nearly 3 weeks at sea? Crossing the Atlantic Ocean? The nearest land mass thousands of nautical miles away? I don’t know if I can stand one on one time with my significant other for that long. I pulled myself together, and was confident that by then, I’d be able to pull through, and enjoy it. And I am happy to report that I did. I don’t think 19 days have ever gone by so quickly.
Our days at sea are packed. As teachers, we teach anywhere from 3 to 5 hours a day, in a 9:00-7:00 timetable. The rest of the day is mostly spent marking, in meetings or lesson planning, In the evening, we could have club meetings going on, or a special activity organized… such as cookie baking, board games, card tournaments or a movie night. On some occasions, we stand on watch, something our students have to do for 4 of the 24 hours in a day. Whether it be standing at the helm, being on lookout for other ships, or being on fire surveillance, everyone has a duty to perform on deck while assigned on watch. For me, being on lookout is the best – I cherish this rare alone time, listening to the sound of the waves, and enjoying a starry night in solitude. Also, if I ever see an “iceberg, right ahead!”, I’ll be sure to call it in way before that guy on the Titanic ever got around to it (Ya…I went there. But still funny, right? Hailey Adlard, you better not Facebook inbox about me how lame that joke was. I already know). All said and done, idle hands are not often found aboard our ship.
In short, being at sea is incredible, and crossing the Atlantic was epic. Over the course of nearly 3 weeks, we changed time zones 3 times…falling back thrice means weekly nights with one more hour of sleep…much appreciated. The new Norwegian captain we have on board for the crossing fits in perfectly with our crew, and has helped out with many of the activities we’ve had on board. He’s also given me a lesson on how to properly prepare a fish that has just been caught…and made me touch a dying dorado’s beating heart. Disgusting/awesome. On the latest leg of this journey, we’ve traveled from Tobago (beautiful) to Cartagena, Colombia. The current and the wind have been in our favour, and have pushed us along at a speed twice as fast as anticipated. This means plenty of time for a surprise port.
Captain Hanssen suggests the Netherlands Antilles’ Klein Curaçao... a tiny, semi-deserted island that is best described as a slice of heaven. Undoubtedly the closest thing to paradise I’ve ever stepped foot on. Strolling white sand beaches, and swimming in turquoise waters on December 31st is a fitting ending to what has been a fantastic year. I can hardly contain my happiness in being there. It is quite possibly one of the best days of my life…and for me, just another day at the office. I really do have the best job in the world.
We cap off 2010 with a dance party, and a cheers at midnight (with mango-flavoured Tang). Many hugs, smiling faces and promises for a new year even better than the last. Hope all of you had an equally great end to 2010 – and look forward to seeing some of you soon! I’ll be in Moncton for semester-break from Jan 14-19th. Unfortunately, no Calgary stopover… but I look forward to seeing my Westerners in late May, or early June.
A big THANK YOU to all of you that took the time to send me beautiful letters and care packages this semester. You have no idea how happy they make me. I cherish them, and they are all posted on the side of my bed. I’ll post a picture of my homage to home when I get a new camera – mine died in Morocco ☹ - maybe from an allergy to camels. Sad.
Love and hugs from Colombia! Xoxo
I wont send you a FB inbox, I'll write it right here. You're usually funnier with a keyboard, what's happened?
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