Sailing, Science, Sisterhood on board with eXXpedition, Pre-Sailing & Day 1

Sailing, Science, Sisterhood 

on board with eXXpedition,
Pre-Sailing & Day 1

How do I sum up a once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind adventure on the high seas? Is it possible to distill, into words, the immense love and optimism I felt smushed into a boat with 13 other woman- strangers- working together to solve one of the greatest issues of our time? Can I truly communicate the joy and freedom and possibility that hung in the humid Antigua air? A space where anything and everything seemed possible, and everyone was a superhero?

I saw a post about an organization called eXXpedition looking for 300 women to sail, in groups of ten, around the world to research ocean plastic, brainstorm solutions, and be a model for women in STEM. The post said you didn’t have to be a sailor or a scientist, just a passion.

I’ve grown up around the water, living the bulk of my life in Michigan and Florida, both peninsulas, and now DC, bordered by the Potomac River and north of Chesapeake Bay. I’ve never lived more than an hour or two from a large body of water. I feel at home in the water. I’ve also grown up with pets. I’ve been volunteering for animal shelters and organizations on and off since I was around 10 years old. One of my greatest experiences was going on safari in Tanzania in 2017 and seeing wild animals up close. I want the natural world to thrive, and I feel that as a human, it is my job and my privilege to be apart of sustaining it.  

Also, it’s super special to be one of 300 people to be chosen for something.

I applied. Why not right? The worst thing that happens, is nothing.

The process took months. I was convinced my video was silly, that I didn’t accurately convey my passion or knowledge or skills. But then, I was called back for a Skype interview. I worried that was lulling me into a false sense of confidence. I tried to forget about it.

But then, I was chosen. I was thrilled. Honored. Ecstatic. To be one of just a handful of women chosen to save the world? A week of an all-woman’s reprieve from the DC circus? Count me in. I thank my younger self for finally confronting and erasing her girl-hate. But honestly, I was convinced something would go wrong between being chosen, and the sail date. (Thanks, general anxiety disorder!)

I was a day away from flying out and my WhatsApp was dinging constantly. Almost every woman was already in Antigua, relaxing, touring, having fun, bonding. Without me! I fretted to my other half that “they already like each other so much. What if they don’t like me?”

He told me, smartly, to “Get out of my own head and just go and have fun.” I nodded.

I flew to Antigua, a small island of about 81,000 people, originally inhabited by the Guanahatabey people. My taxi driver, Sekky, picked me up for the 45-minute ride across the island- from the airport to the marina. He told me the entire island takes roughly 2.5 hours to drive around, there are only 10 stoplights on the island, the cricket is the most popular sport, and that the economy is dependent on tourism. Sekky also informed me that the government had banned- in some forms at least- plastic bags, Styrofoam take out containers, and plastic straws (although you can still see these on the island in some places). These items were banned because they contribute to the pollution on the beaches and in the reefs, which negatively affects tourism. I did notice that the bumpy streets of Antigua were much, much cleaner than many places I’d visited- including my own neighborhood.

I told Sekky that part of the mission included a survey and clean-up of a part of Green Island, a privately-owned island off the coast, famous for kite surfing. He- and many others- swore we wouldn’t find much trash there because so few people go there. I shrugged. “Guess we’ll see and I’ll report back.” He dropped me off and wished me well (and handed me a few plastic water bottles to go…which, OK goes against the mission, but still, was thoughtful because it was so damn hot).

Later that night, some of the sailors coordinated a meet up, since all ten of us were finally on the island. I walked up the hill with Chantal and Leah, two women staying at the same hostel as me, starting to relax in their easy company. I was surprised, at the top of the hill, with birthday and wine, being handed out by Lara, one of the coolest, most badass women I’ve ever met in real life. We were celebrating birthdays- including my own!

From there, conversation flowed easily over drinks, cake, and later, dinner. We talked about our home countries, our families, our pets, our expectations, and how we were looking at the plastics problem already, at home. Instantly, I felt love and awe for everyone around me. They were all so accomplished. Kristen is an actual PhD in the field. Leah studied marine ecosystems in grad school and is a certified diver. Jeanne is a legit award-winning Skipper. Kirsten (I know, it’s confusing) is a doctor, Jeanine got the first ever environmental legislation passed AND wrote a children’s book. Chantal is a true creative spirit who writes poetry as easily as I breathe. Lisa, Stephanie, and Lara are kicking ass in their careers.

The company was truly amazing, but I still wondered: Why the hell was I here?

I pushed it out of my mind and poured myself into bed at the hostel, fan pointed on me, stuffed and pleasantly tipsy from the free drinks we got at the local pizza place, and suddenly grateful for the water bottles Sekky left.

After a leisurely, island-time breakfast, all ten of us gathered to meet Sally, the eXXpedition mission leader. I was one of three people running late (damn you, island time!) and had only met Sally online, and I fretted I was holding everyone up. Sally struck me as a very serious, rigorous person (which she is), and right away I caught glimpses of her silliness and lightness.

We boarded the boat in a hurry and met Skipper Anna, a very experienced English sailor and racer, First Mate Maggie, an Aussie girl who exuded warmth, and Deck Hand Sophie, aka Dingers, with a wicked sense of humor. I admired them instantly: their dedication, their wit, their easy-going personalities that still get the job done. It’s hard to be away from home, smushed up against ten new people, not showering regularly- and here they were, funny, smiling, and excited.

The crew gave us a safety briefing and a primer on sailing. Everything on a boat has its own place- including us. Bunks come with a little net that hold you and your things in when its bumpy. The toilet and shower are the same teeny cube- and flushing means pumping a handle 25 times, so plan accordingly. On deck, lessons were simple: wear your stylish and sleek life vest and clip onto the boat and Winching 101. Lisa stood out as the queen of winching, her toned biceps glistening in the sun. Well, alright then Lisa, winch away.

And soon after that, we were off, away from the protected waters of Falmouth Harbor and into the wild blue yonder. Ok, not quite yonder- we could always see land. But off nonetheless! And, despite taking a bunch of Bonine the night before, I spent most of this part of the trip holding in my breakfast. Anna invited me to helm the boat for a while, which did help, somewhat. As she took over, I sat next to her, leaning towards the edge of the boat, just in case.

I swear, I have never been seasick on the deck of a boat before this trip. That’s new and exciting.

The pro crew ladies cooked us an amazing curry dinner, filled with potatoes. All 14 of us sat on the deck, eating, talking, and hearing from Sally, the mission leader, about her experiences teaching in Indonesia, organizing beach clean-ups, and what led her to eXXpedition. I think I learned more about plastic pollution, the shortcomings of recycling, and marine ecosystems during her talk than I learned in college. To be fair, I studied history. Each of the 10 sailors would talk for twenty minutes about her life, and what brought her to eXXpedition throughout the trip. These talks allowed me to really see how special all of these women truly are, how talented, accomplished, and creative. They also showed that Sally really knows how to build a team.

Oh, did I mention, the eXXpedition yacht is dry (safety reasons!) and vegetarian (logistics reasons).  I swear, I ate more potatoes in four days than I eat in six months, which is really saying something.

After cleaning up and light unpacking (or rather, shoving your bag in a box above the bunks), we divided into night watches. For an hour, in pairs, we go on the deck, watch the stars and make sure the yacht doesn’t sail away. I don’t know that this was strictly necessary, as we were anchored, but it did give us a chance to spend one on one time with another person and gave us a more rounded experience. On other legs, the yacht sails overnight, so teams are in four-hour shifts, 24 hours a day. As a very fair-skinned, easily burnt person, I appreciated the opportunity to stretch out on the deck without 13 other pairs of legs and take in some sea-salt air without risk of burning. After an 8p-1a “nap,” my bunkmate, Chantal, and I sat up talking about family and travel. I learned that bunk sleeping is its own challenge, too, waking myself up over and over and I tried to roll in my sleep.

Follow the journey: Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

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This is my reflection on Leg 3 of the eXXpedition around the world voyage. All views are my own, not the views of my fellow sailors, Sally Earthrowl, or eXXpedition. For more about eXXPedition, visit https://exxpedition.com/expedition/round-the-world/.