After the family trip in the Bahamas, I had been getting back into my routine and work, but I felt like I was missing something. I had planned to be traveling this fall and was craving an adventure. I knew I couldn’t travel internationally, so I started looking at conversion vans to travel domestically. While I was still working and researching for a van, a friend through social media, Stephanie, posted that she was hosting a freediving class in the Florida Springs the weekend coming up. I asked if it was the advanced course I had been wanting to take for a year, she said yes, and I booked immediately! It was the best decision I made. I was hesitant due to a tropical storm that was forming and if it developed I would be called to work to secure boats, but we lucked out. I met her and Sabine on an early Saturday morning and we headed north. After an amazing weekend of bonding and sharing stories about the Bahamas, we said goodbye Sunday night.
The following Wednesday Stephanie invited me to cross with her to the Bahamas. I was sitting at work with my boss, a job I loved, especially that day as we were doing a sea trial, but I knew this would be the opportunity of a lifetime, and he supported it as well. Thursday I took my Covid-19 PCR test, and on Friday night I made my first crossing on a Catamaran to the Bahamas with Stephanie and a crew full of amazing people to start a new adventure, one that would end up transforming my life.
We left Stuart, FL around 6 pm, as the sun was setting. We had no wind, didn’t sail, but the ocean was almost flat. I came on as Stephanie’s co-captain, and therefore we took turns staying on-watch for the 36-hour crossing. At the end of Stephanie’s second shift, and beginning of mine, the sun was rising over the flattest ocean you can imagine. We all had so much fun that day, jumping in the water in the middle of the gulf stream where Christine caught a triggerfish, a mini photoshoot, and a sunset freediving session.
We got out of the water as the sun was setting, the first sunset being back in the Bahamas. We celebrated with fish tacos and Stephanie and I continued to take shifts throughout the night. Shortly after sunrise, we were able to see Nassau, and the emotions flooded in realizing I was really back home. We anchored a little before noon on Sunday in a cove that I would soon recognize as home. The water was so perfect, as was everything else. It felt amazing to be back, but we still had to clear customs and immigration.
Photoshoot Fun
