Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Antigua


A week of sailing around the island of Antigua has done the body and mind good! There was a mix of sun, rain, clouds, and wind. The truly best part was simply being disconnected from the world for seven whole days. No television, no internet, no cell phone, no radio (well, the Captain used the radio).


There were 8 others aboard the vessel. Captain Dax (a South African who has been sailing his entire life) and wife (aka Chef) Kristen. Jim & Lenore--an older couple who met in Southeast Asia when he was a fighter pilot for the US Airforce and she was working for the Red Cross. Chris and MaryBeth from upstate New York. He owns a contracting company, she her own occupational therapy practice. And Emily and Rafa. He's a spine surgeon (his back up career) and she, a recent retiree at the ripe old age of 35.


My favorite memories:


  • Watching pelicans dine for breakfast. There is nothing that makes you feel more lazy than having someone else cook for you all week while watching another organism hunt for food.

  • Sailing during high winds and desperately wishing that I can keep my food down. (I did, by the way)

  • Solitary walks along the beach

  • Discovering a 10-foot wall of shells built over time, exposing colors and textures galore (pictured)

  • Acting a chef for lunch while Kristen went to have a tooth extracted

  • Noodle bar

  • Azure blue waters filled with spawning jelly fish. (FYI, moon jellies feel like what I image silicon implants would feel like).

  • Dinghie Slinging. Far too complicated to explain here. Let's just say it didn't make its way into the brochure, as I'm sure we would all be required to sign additional waivers.

  • Discover SCUBA (see post below)

  • "noodle, noodle please"

  • My gins and tonics

  • Dax's pina colada, best I've ever had!

  • Blaring Eric Clapton's greatest hits below Eric Clapton's house, as if we were part of a scene from Say Anything

  • Humpback whales breaching

  • Measuring the weight you've gained by the number of noodles used (at one time) at week's end

The Gods Have a Sense of Humor

I've come to the conclusion that the Gods--or whatever Supreme Power you answer to--chuckle daily, if not hourly, at us homosapiens. We, the mammals gifted with speech, thumbs, and logical-thinking brains are truly oblivious to the wonders of planet Earth.

We're all aware the planet we inhabit is three quarters covered with water. What we don't realize is that under the surface lives an entire society, a community, filled with unbelievable beauty. I'd like to believe I've been exposed to this world, even though I've only scratched the surface (please pardon the pun).

I SCUBA'd down to the depth of 33 feet in Falmouth Harbour Antigua. Again, sounds rather unspectacular, but considering the atmospheric pressure is double than that at sea level, I believe I've done something that earns me a merit badge. (I earned a secondary badge for staying down for 63 minutes--something even experienced divers don't do at that depth!)
We've all seen video and photography that clearly illustrates a foreign world filled with fins, gills, brilliant colors, reef, sea anemones, etc. I always thought these captured images were somehow enhanced via modern-day technicolor in order to further capture the imagination and wonderment of the human brain. Please believe when I say simply...it is not. If anything, the real thing is better than the paltry snapshot that is accompanied by an anthropomorphic voice over. The colors are more vivid, the communities of organisms busier than expected. Beyond that, there is simply no substitute for immersing yourself (again, forgive the pun) in this world. In fact, I wouldn't mind if I started to grow gills just so I could be a permanent member of Community Ocean.

Less about my inclinations and back to the wonders of the ocean....

The reason why it is better than video, photography, or even snorkeling is simple--you are literally surrounded by this new world. No IMAX could ever compare. The perspective of being a part of the oceanic community is beyond words--despite the wonderful complexity and diversity of the English language. To swim eye to eye with a Queen Triggerfish, a Spotted Drum, and a Squirrelfish; to awe at the colors and textures of a Parrot Fish; to uncover a group of spiny lobster hiding beneath a rock; to gasp in wonder at the pod of jellyfish ABOVE you in the azure blue waters; to watch as a Nassau Grouper darts back into his grouper-man-cave, to wonder at the colors, shapes, and sizes of everything! The images keep swirling in my human brain.

So, to Poseidon, thank you for allowing me to visit your world. May you welcome me back with open arms. To the School of Darwin--please consider this my official petition to stand further left on the evolutionary chart. To Jacque Cousteau, we humans owe you so much for introducing us to this world. To the remainder of the Supreme Powers...please don't laugh at us humans. We are slow to discover all of your wonders, but are efforting to do so. Please be patient.