VISAR

Location: Road Harbor, Tortola

This morning we woke up and started on our sail back to West End, where we were our first night. We did a deep clean of the boat before we went ashore for exit COVID tests. After the tests, we took a taxi to the VISAR (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue) base. They told us a little about the history of the base and then told us what they needed help with. Part of the group helped clear the area around their building, and the last few people, including myself, jumped in the water in the boathouse. The boat was lifted so we could get under, and our job was to pick up trash in and under the water. After working at the base, we went back to the boat where James informed us that we would be hosting a VISAR training exercise. We pretended that our skipper had fallen into the engine bay and broke their ribs, all while our engine wasn’t working and we were unanchored. The person that “fell and was dying” was Sam, and she was lying on the ground when they arrived. The VISAR trainees gave her oxygen and boarded her onto their boat. Some other students were on the dinghy boat, where Callie pretended to have been hit by the propeller. They tended to her and her ketchupy wound, and after they had a debrief with us and answered our questions. To end an amazing day, we had Mexican night for dinner.