Our Last Days...

      There are mixed feelings as we pass the last few days together in beautiful Old San Juan. Yesterday, we spent several hours exploring the breath-taking Spanish fort, El Morro. We saw it perched atop the harbor as we sailed in yesterday morning, but it was even more impressive to look out over the sea from El Morro's perch.

Captain Flansburg flips Bailey during the awkward turtle race!

Schooner Olympics

        Today A watch took the prize in the schooner olympics! It was a fierce competition involving a pin chase, a heaving line throw, an awkward turtle swim, and the setting and striking of the staysail under attack by lister hose.

Santo Domingo to Vieques

Twenty-five tacks and six days later, we're finally anchored in Sun Bay, Vieques. White sand beaches and clear blue water greeted us early in the morning. This past week consisted of taking our final exams. All of our hard work academically finally paid off, and now the weight of studying is off our shoulders. These last few days will bring us to Culebra and San Juan, and eventually back home to Boston. We are all excited to have some colder weather, but leaving Gamage will be the hardest part of this voyage.

     Some of us however, aren't leaving Harvey Gamage permanently. This trip, despite only being two and a half months, has made a lasting impression on us. Enough of an impression to make a few of us want to come back and work on Gamage as either a deckhand or educator. The trip will end in a week for some of us, but for the others it will only be a matter of time before we are "back on deck" ("Back on deck!").

Bailey in the early days of the trip...

Carter makes a fine harpoon coil.

Eli, Kelsey, and Liza on a typical day.

The view from our anchorage in Vieques.

Our little piece of beach, also Vieques.

David's view from aloft.

All the Salt

           "So many things on this trip have changed me. This trip has made me comfortable with who I am. I have done so many things I never thought I would do. I have been aloft 90ft in the air in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. I have taken a shower on deck of a schooner in the rain. I have fallen asleep in my hammock, listening to the sound of Lizzie singing while watching the stars shine. I have jumped off the head rig into 10,000 feet of clear, blue ocean water while Joy dish soap runs from my hair into my eyes, and I have cleaned "big red" the best she has ever been cleaned, in the middle of a gale with 13 foot waves.

            This trip has made me want to sail more. This trip makes me crave adventure. I want to travel and live in Italy and France. I want to volunteer at orphanages in third world countries.  I just want to be spontaneous and go new places and meet new people. I want to learn how to surf and play the guitar. And I want to try ice cream in every country. I want to come back on Gamage and work as a deckhand. But right now I just want to enjoy this moment and know that once I get off the plane in snowy Boston, and am suffocated by hugs from my family that it was all worth it. All the salt. All the exhaustion. All the tears and wanting to give up. I did it. I lived on a schooner for two months and helped run it. I lived. And I had a damn good time doing it." Final Reflection -Bailey Rymes

     We arrived at Max and Daniella's the first day to screaming kids crowding the gated-in school with excitement like girls at a concert. They called out "Americanos!" while reaching their arms over the fence to hold our hands. The kids were ushered into their classrooms so we could make it through the gates, and then we joined them for activities such as "Simon dice" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes".

     The kids adore every second of attention and cling onto any limb they can find. 

     The language barrier didn't stop us from bonding quickly with the kids. 

     

They loved making faces for the cameras and taking photos of each other. 

Two of the girls from the school took us to see the ruins of Trujillo's vacation home and tour the village. 

-Olivia B. and Morgan

     We spent twelve beautiful days at sea between Charleston and Santo Domingo. Underway we celebrated Carter's birthday as well as the birthday of our amazing cook, Lizzie. We saw infinite dolphin, stood watch in the rain, under the hot sun, and experienced the sudden and intense squalls of the tropics. Arriving in Santo Domingo felt like quite an accomplishment, and now we are enjoying the intense culture of the city while debating and learning more about its complex history. Here are some pictures of our beloved vessel underway.