11
Location: Marina Cay
It started with an early morning. Everyone was up and running at 6:30. It’s fun seeing how everyone has established their own morning routine that gets them started. Some have coffee or tea while listening to music or do some yoga. Regardless, we all eventually gather for a good and quick breakfast before heading to work. That breakfast was cereal, which always satisfies those morning cravings. I was skipper of the day, which meant that I had to ensure that we were going on schedule and that everyone had their water bottles full, sunscreen on, hatches closed, lunch packed, etc. We all got ready and got loaded into our trusty dinghy, Lava, which always safely transports us to shore. There was Nando waiting for us with a lovely good morning. After all loaded, we headed off. We made a pit stop at the local market to buy fresh produce for a BBQ that we had planned the day before.
After getting the goods, we headed straight to the farm, where they were anxiously waiting for us. During the ride, we got to appreciate the mountainside while listening to music, which got a good vibe started for the work day. During the ride, we had a far sight of flamenco, which was exciting. We continued our work at the farm but with some company. Today, Quest (boat Shape Up) joined us. They had previously helped us with the beach clean up and Julie’s. They are always a great help. The farm was very welcoming to all their visitors. We continued our work right away, which meant we kept weeding, digging, picking up produce, organizing and carrying bamboo, etc… Everyone did a great and quick job of splitting themselves into groups they felt comfortable working in.
Immediately after we started working, music started playing, which kept us going for the next hours. After a couple of hours of working, the BBQ was starting. People started to gather around to share a meal. You could tell everyone needed a break from the way they all downed their water bottles and wiped their sweat off. We all sat together next to where the cooking was happening. We started with some popcorn as an appetizer, which was very fun. While waiting for the food to be ready, Drake was bringing fresh fruit and educating us on how to eat it and cut it. He explained the history of the farm and impressed us with his incredible dance moves. We also had fresh mangos, papaya, pomegranate, breadfruit, etc. After munching on fresh fruit, our staff had hot dogs, roasted vegetables, and potatoes ready for us. This meal was very filling, so we all found ourselves seeking shade for a little quick recovery. Some of us really enjoyed the sight of the cats on the farm. We kept enjoying Drake’s company while he narrated more history on the BVI’s and some of his own philosophy. We continued to enjoy the company of Quest and the amazing scenery for a bit before heading back to where we started. We had a little shore time today, which was basically spent in this really cool art store where most of us bought unique gifts for our loved ones. We eventually made it back to the Monarch, where everyone was eager to wash off, but we first had to move spots. After moving, everyone jumped in the water.
We swam and danced for an hour-ish before it was shower time and the start of cooking dinner. Tonight’s dinner was roasted veggies, tortellini, salad, and garlic bread. After dinner, we did the usual squeeze, which is a fun fact, an appreciation of the day, and a question that the skipper gets to choose. My question was: If you could live anywhere for the rest of your life, where would it be. It’s fun to see how our boat environment has developed. We have a wheel that usually assigns jobs, but a couple of people who appreciate cooking have taken over for the better, and this has happened with many other things. We have seen how people step up for the things they are most comfortable in or want to start exploring. After dinner, you can walk around and see people reading, chatting, chilling, or almost sleeping. There’s always something going on, and never a dull moment. It’s always exciting to what is next. I’m excited to go to the mangrove nursery tomorrow and see what they have for us.
-Mariana
p.s. No one is sunburned yet. 🙂