It’s official; we’re set to arrive in Nome on the 15th. I’ve secured my hotel room for two days, and my flight is scheduled for the 17th. Last night was a wild experience—we were tossed around like rag dolls! My roommate sustained injuries, and we ended up at the hospital together. We had to secure ourselves in our beds with life jackets, creating makeshift “tacos.” What a way to spend our last night.
Today is demobilization day. I’ve packed up and prepared everything. The captain handed me a service letter and a challenge coin; I couldn’t believe it. I bid a final farewell to the crew, feeling a tinge of sadness, capturing the moment with numerous pictures.
The captain expressed concern about leaving the harbor, so we opted for a small boat transfer, which turned out to be quite enjoyable. With our third mate at the helm, we made it to shore and headed to the Aurora Inn. Once on solid ground, I went for lunch with our chef, Evan, at the polar cub cafe.
It was delightful. Later, we hit the bar, spending most of the night saying goodbyes and engaging in conversations with the science team, making a quick stop at the gift shop, and then back to the bar, we practically closed it down. As everyone headed to the airport or their hotels, the chef and one of the engineers made dinner plans and enjoyed pizza and sushi. The night ended with a night cap with some of the crew before bidding them farewell at the hotel for the last time. I woke up, indulged in a leftover slice of pizza, and spent most of the day indoors. I collected rocks and revisited the Polar Cub Inn for breakfast, just having a nice chill day before I needed to travel.
Later, I returned to the bar, sipping on those fantastic ginger beers (Cock and Bull) that I had the day before, leaving a $20 bill with a note on the ceiling. I was excited that the next day I would be going home. I took one last walk outside and enjoyed the ice and snow and the long Alaska sunsets.
Arriving at the airport at 8:30am, I learned that our flight got delayed until 11:30 am. Despite the initial assurance of holding the Seattle flight, plans changed, and we all had to be rebooked. I originally planned on getting to Sacramento at around 10pm, but now I was going to arrive at 12:04 am, on my birthday.
I arrived home at midnight, exhausted. Despite the fatigue, we drove home, and to my surprise, my sister and her boyfriend were there with cake, turkey cupcakes, balloons, In-N-Out burgers, and champagne—a heartwarming welcome. We talked until 2 am, sharing stories and memories.
Afterward, I hit the sack and slept until 11 am. Now, I’m taking it easy, enjoying some food, and unpacking. I’m finally back home. Thanks everyone for reading along on my adventure, I appreciate it. For the last time, thanks for reading.
Mari 🙂