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Location: Road Harbor, Tortola
Our adventures on the boat started bright and early today. At 4 am, we set sail. We sailed from Sandy Spit and docked at Road Town, where we were able to refill our dangerously low water tank. Thankfully, the counselors were the only ones who had to wake up before sunrise. As per usual, Kris’s loud music woke us up at seven sharp. We quickly ate cereal for breakfast as Annie briefed the group on the work we would be doing at VISAR (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue). We arrived by cab at the site, where we proceeded to clean up the front and sides of the VISAR building. Anna S., Shaila, Morgan, Chris, and I had a great time pulling out weeds and raking up leaves while listening to music that Riley despises.
Meanwhile, Liam and Lily moved large boulders in order to create a clear pathway for ambulances and other vehicles. VISAR uses in critical situations. We also all ripped out our fair share of vines from bushes around the property. For lunch, we had, you guessed it, PB+J, however, without the jelly. To add some extra crunch, Shaila, Lily, and I added sliced apples to our peanut butter sandwiches. After lunch, we continued to weed and clean up the area outside the building. At 2:30, we finished our work for the day and got a tour of a rescue boat where Phil (a manager of the volunteer program) told us about VISAR and how it operates. Elle and Anna B. asked questions about the program and its origins. After this, we were surprised by ice cream, which was the highlight of everyone’s day. We then returned to the boat and finally were able to take showers in the cabin. Avah said taking a proper shower was her appreciation of the day. After showers, Morgan, Shaila, Elle, and Hannah used Riley’s sunglasses and Morgan’s hat in an attempt to dress up as teenage guys. Riley got incredible photographs of them in their element as Griffin laughed at them dressing up. For dinner, Avah and Chris cooked Mexican food for dinner, which was delicious. It was a long day filled with hard work, but it felt rewarding to give back to the local community.
Hi Mom and Dad, I miss you guys so much and can’t wait to see all of you when I get back home! I can’t wait to tell you all my boat stories in my new southern accent. Howdy for now 🙂