We are currently on 6 out of 9 days on our sail from Spain to Benin. We are just about 30 miles off the coast of Liberia now. Gorgeous, calm, deep blue water.. about 1 mile deep. There are flying fish everywhere! A few days ago when checking out the bow of the ship, about 200 dolphins surfaced in the dear distance for a breathtaking show.... i had no idea they hung out in groups that big... and NO i am not exaggerating! My video camera is bad luck as everytime I bring it out, no dolphins show up to race the front of the ship like they often do. Last night I even managed to drop my 1 GB card with all my recent photos into the ocean, so sailing photos to come again later! This photo is one I found on google when looking up what a flying fish is?? The record for flight is 42 seconds.
Every morning when I step onto the deck I can feel the weather becoming more and more humid and hot. Benin is known as the armpit of Africa with us arriving at one of the hottest times of the year! I slept outside on the top deck last night and got an amazing glimpse of the stars. Woke realizing I too can have curly hair with over the top humidity!
I finished my time working in the kitchen this past Sunday. Left with a "bang" almost literally as it was the first of our sailing days with some rough waves. Plus I put myself on seasick meds so the swAyIng back and forth with huge stacks of dishes I was carrying from the dining room to the washer and being drugged proved to be an interesting combination that luckily is mostly blocked b/c of the meds :) I am highly sensitive....forgot that! It is now calm and beautiful so I am just saying "NO to drugs" :)
I am attending nursing orientation this week as well as learning how to knit....yes... i said knit. We do it everyday between 1-2pm so we can be able to spend time with the patients teaching them who are on the ward for an extended period of time. They love it. I am going to try to take it a step further since outside the ship there really isn't much "wool yarn" in Africa, and learn how to rip up old lappas (their clothing) and knit it into a sleeping mat, purse etc. A skill they might be able to use to make things for the market place with materials they have sitting around at home or use to sleep on instead of the dirt floor.
To be continued...
