Here I am, sitting at the table on a sailboat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, watching my fellow crew wash dishes, moving in sync to the waves like they’ve been doing it forever. I’m not helping because I’m supposed to be writing this, only I’m not sure what to write about…
I’ll go back to the very beginning, with the dingy ride to the sailboat. The dingy ride was rougher than I anticipated, and I kept thinking how unprepared I was for this. Once on the boat my anxiety did not ease; I took a walk around the boat and was taken aback by the heat in the bunks, the small spaces and the swaying of the boat in the harbor. Of course this meant I was insta-sea sick. Good thing I am a compulsive over packer and had my seasickness patch ready to go!
The first night did nothing to sooth my anxiety or seasickness. This was going to be a long journey! The boat was heeled over to the side, rocking with the waves, which made everything twice as hard, especially keeping my dinner down. But as the sunset and darkness set in around us, the bioluminescence began to show itself. I have never seen anything like it; the way the crashing waves sent these tiny creatures into a tizzy, causing them to glow in the dark! It was amazing! I was finally beginning to see the bright side of this journey.
Over the next couple of days, my nausea subsided, and so did my anxiety, and I actually began to enjoy myself. I still can’t believe I’m doing this! I haven’t seen land for 2+ days and surprisingly, I’m not anxious about it. I really enjoy learning about sailing, and the different plants and animals that make the ocean their home. The fright of falling out of my bunk from the waves has been replaced by a calm produced from the gentle rocking of the boat. Slowly the ocean is winning me over! I’m kinda sad that it will be over in a few days.
– Lacey Busse, May 5, 2014