Friday

After a couple days at sea, almost everyone aboard the ship will have gone into full sailing-mode.

Working two four-hour shifts each day, eating constantly and attempting to cram in some much needed shut-eye in the spare time we have leaves little time for other things. Conversations rarely branch out far from in-the-moment reflections about the food, work or how sincerely we would like to sleep just a few more minutes before we get up.

But honestly: the food is great. Our chefs are masterclass. Work is tough but fun, and setting sail still feels as awesome as when we did it those first times a little more than two years ago. Taking them down two minutes later because of sudden weather changes feels less fun, but orders are orders. Sleep remains something you never get too much of aboard. Coffee helps.

Excitement over finally anchoring in Belize spreads like wildfire as rumours about an early arrival go from one person to another. Our captain Hans officially drops the good news at midnight which marks the end of my night shift. We are to arrive the next morning which means I’ll get to steer us through the coral reefs outside of Belize City with the oversight of a pilot and our captain. Soon we’ll be able to turn off sailing-mode for a while and enjoy much needed rest and relaxation.

Josef