The Big Day

It all started with the greens being delivered at 06.30. I was grateful not to have kitchen duty, although, they woke me up anyway with the sound they made. Breakfast at eight, then clearing up the chaos. Everything had to be put away and secured. I was just trying to get order in what was supposed to be my bunk when a knock came at the door. I swore at them in Portuguese. It turned out to be one of my roommates’ family, who are half French and knew perfectly well what I’d said. Whoops. Time had gone so fast that it was already 10.00 and I was still in my pyjamas. Parents and friends started to flood the ship, bringing with them the things their children still needed and taking the stuff that had deemed unnecessary. At eleven, when we were supposed to leave, we didn’t. Apparently the helm wasn’t working properly so a part had been ordered, but it had only arrived the evening before. Plus the on-board internet (for communicating with schools) didn’t seem to be working either. Around 13.00, everything seemed fine. The two ships moored against ours stepped aside, we threw loose the ropes, waved the non-guests goodbye… and the propeller wasn’t working. Sam, the captain, got in a wetsuit and dove under. A very thick piece of rope had got itself stuck in the propeller. He tried to cut it, tie a rope around it and let people heave, let a car heave, yet nothing worked. Then finally, by giving gas for just a moment whilst a car was still attached, it shot loose. By then it was 14.00.

We arrived in Ijmuiden at 16.00. For the record, we were supposed to leave from there at 15.00. The idea was that we would get an hour to say goodbye, but now it was only half of one. Until the coffee machine decided to break. Isn´t life wonderful?
But even the extra time came to an end. By then most of us were crying, giving family and friends a last hug. I was the last to step aboard, and joined a few others on the canvas cover to wave goodbye. The motor started, the lines were thrown loose, and slowly we went into the lock. Another boat joined us, and the water level started to drop. Some of the friends and family had walked to the bridge, or the little dock beyond. The bridge opened, the lock too, and we were off. After waving to my friends (who were wishing me a Happy Easter, lol), we were set to work. Three sails needed setting. Some are easy, because the lines can simply be pulled horizontally by several people. Others have to go straight down, which can be pretty intense, especially when you´re not used to the ship´s movements.
Once the sails were set, there wasn´t much to do but sit on the deck, getting cold. We weren´t allowed to go below deck until the captain said so, to prevent seasickness. The first fish had already been fed, though. Most of us didn´t take pills, because we simply wanted to get used to it. Some of the few who had were bouncing about. I stayed pretty okay until somewhere during my 22-01 watch. And that was just the beginning...

Goodbye, everybody, I've got to gooo, got to leave you all behind and face the waves