Bequia

As the full moon set and the sun rose at dawn, Bequia loomed to windward just a few miles away. After tacking into Admiralty Bay, the students came ashore and explored Port Elizabeth, where the cold bitter lemon sodas, pizza, and wifi internet made us feel a bit more... modern than we've felt aboard a wooden schooner for the past three weeks. Tomorrow we will visit the Old Hegg Sea Turtle Sanctuary, where "Brother" King will share his mission to conserve the very hawksbill turtles he grew up hunting. Then we'll visit the whaleboats. Bequians are allowed to hunt a few whales each year, according to the International Whaling Commission, using traditional techniques that include wooden wind and oar-powered boats, iron harpoons, and rope. We'll learn about their traditions, history and heritage, and their practices, and try to measure these with our own thoughts on whales and how humans should interact with them. It should be an exciting day... look forward to more photos and student writing soon!