Sailing Toward Home

The captain gave us all the instructions ahead of time: what we were to do in preparation and how we were to behave Really, he just wanted us to stay out of the way of the crew. I’ve personally gotten better at that as the week has progressed. But first, there was time for one […]

I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means

We stepped off the dinghy and onto the hot sand of Allen’s Cay, our feet touching dry land for the first time in 4 days. When we arrived, we found a large group of lizards waiting as if expecting us, and more soon began to slink out from the shelter of the gnarled trees. They […]

Back Into Darkness

Here’s the thing about the ocean: it is where life probably originally arose, but it is also an extremely destructive power. According to the NOAA, the average ocean depth is 12,100 feet. Recreational divers aren’t supposed to go beyond 130 feet, so we are barely wading, really. And even these scant depths aren’t meant for […]

I Finally (Really) See the Light

When we jumped into the water, the reef sharks were already prowling the dive site, knowing what to expect. We all took positions on the sandy seafloor as the frozen mackerel baitball was positioned. Then they attacked. Aggressively. Other fish joined the fray, but only as scavengers capturing crumbs of chum that were falling by […]

I Never Realized I Was Susceptible to Seasickness

The captain and crew all know my name. I feel like that’s not good. They use it freely with discussion, questions, instructions, and corrections. All. The. Time. It has me worried. I’ve only been here a couple of days, so I don’t like my name being used that often. It’s not a good sign. Anonymity […]

When We Sailed Out of Nassau

As we approached the boat to prepare for boarding, the unrelenting sun was already lashing at our exposed skin. Considering the small area of shade on the largely exposed deck, I paused to consider, “I wonder how bad this sunburn will be.” Later, when Trish, who I met in Cozumel, saw the paltry tube of […]