Working a sea-going job can include spontaneous whale watching, perpetual beach hair, and being present for scientific discoveries, but not without sacrifices. In past and upcoming cruises, I have been/will be at sea during holidays, anniversaries, graduations, celebrations, loved one’s birthdays, and the death of a family member. Today, I am at sea for my 22ndbirthday.
The day started no different than any other with watch, breakfast, and the gym, but it was my fellow shipmates – my family for the month – that made it special. At lunch I devoured a slice of ginger orange peel vegan birthday cake baked by the talented chief steward, and went on my way to learn about replacing motor bearings from the electrician and 3rd engineer. Before dinner I received a card signed by the crew and science party, wishing me happy birthday in each of my shimate’s native languages. Later, after nearly two weeks of cold grey days, the clouds parted and gave way for a spectacular viewing of sunset and a lunar eclipse of the moon. Not only was July 16thof this year a lunar eclipse, but it was also the 50-year anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, and what better place to celebrate than on board the R/V Neil Armstrong!
I’ll miss spending these kinds of moments with my loved ones back on shore, but the collective understanding and support from my shipmates – a shared ukulele song out on deck, a roaring ‘happy birthday!’ from the crew in the lounge, a favorite dish cooked at mealtime – make all the difference. Among the technical skills that I anticipated this internship would teach me, I hoped I would get to learn from a resilient, passionate, conscientious, enthusiastic team of individuals, which has undoubtedly been the case.
Photo: Ella observing the sunset along the aft port rail
Photographer: Ella’s GoPro (suctioned cupped to the rail)