Thirty Day Countdown

Thirty day countdown

One month until my six month contract is over!

30~ January 19

Today we saw bottlenose dolphins. It has been a while since we’ve seen dolphins and we’re glad for the visit. As I’m cleaning cabins I stop and lean over the railing on the 200 level. The water is so clear that I can see their sleek bodies deep under the water and tell when they’re going to surface.

Watching them today is different than usual. It has a slower quality. There aren’t as many of them and they’re swimming slowly, softly, smoothly and in the same direction. Often we are in the midst of a dolphin party where they swim every which way and jump out of the water like crazy people, It’s fun and amazing to see but I really enjoy this moment of the boat and dolphins moving slowly slowly beside one another. It is lulling and I take it in happily.

Day 29 - January 20

More dolphins today and this time the partying kind. They were going wild and there were grown ups & babies. I sat up on the lido deck, the topmost deck which is where we store zodiacs and kayaks. It’s crew access only and moments like these, when we have this all around view and no guests about, make us very glad for this perk. With me is our chief mate Lucy, senior deckhand Ian (who told us about the view from the lido), deckhand Amelia, bosun Carter (Jordan’s older brother), and senior stew Kathy Miller who no matter how many times she sees a dolphin or whale will never cease to freak out delightedly and yell. It is fantastic to watch dolphins with Kathy Miller. “Shut. Up! Stop it! Just stop being so cute! I just wanna HOLD you.” Watching dolphins with Kathy Miller is just a whole other experience.

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Tonight was beach barbeque and even though I’m feeling a little down with this cold coming on Jackie persuaded me to go to the fire after we were done with chores. Jackie and I have both been in the nap trap of late and the combinations of her being the one to push me off the boat, her leaving soon, and wanting to make the most of my last month here, I decided to go. We packed up the smores stuff and a few of us went over. Surprisingly there were still guests over there. They usually clear out by the time we get back. It was good to see them lingering by the fire though. Someone mentioned smores as in “wouldn’t now be a good time for some”. Ian poked me and looked at me with meaningful arched eyebrows which I took to mean “We have smores stuff, won’t they be glad to know.” I was incorrect in my translation though and after I made the announcement to the group Ian explained that he meant “Smores is our secret”. He said he’ll be more specific with his eyebrow language next time.

When most guests had gone Jackie brought out her guitar and sang for us. I love to listen to Jackie sing. She sang us a lullaby about the sea written for her nephews first birthday. The fire was warm, the waves lapped against the beach of Puerto Gato with it’s strange red rocks that I like so much. The moon was full but often hiding behind night clouds. Jordan and I talked in an old familiar way that was nice. It was a good evening and worth staying up for.

*You can find Jackie’s music on Itunes. I would love to see her get a big boost of purchases on her songs this month if everyone who reads this would go and download one from I-tunes. I think it’s a whole dollar and it would bless her. Go to Itunes and look for Jackie Daum.

Day 28 - January 21

Today this cold caught up with me more. I was so tired so all I did today was work and sleep and mostly work. I’d like to go hang out upstairs, unwind a little, but I needs me some sleep so I write this from my top bunk after taking some Nyquil and hoping to feel better tomorrow. I have a day off after turn day that I am so looking forward to. I feel like something more interesting than this certainly happened today but I’m afraid it isn’t coming to my mind. So goodnight.