Adam Goodspeed's
Florida Keys Outward Bound Journal
February 15-23, 1990

Feb.15,

• Well it was sort of a mixed day. When we got here we together completed 2 objectives. Once we got on the boat everything we had to know was fed to us within a 3 or 4 hour period. Now David and I are out on watch. It isn't too bad because we had last shift. The moon and stars are so bright we can see islands in all directions and I'm writing this without light. There's a pretty good wind out here and I'm still in shorts. Tonight we put up the tarp and had a good spaghetti supper.

Feb.16,

• We swam this morning first thing, then Rob and I cooked scrambled eggs and spaghetti. Then we all sat around and planned the day. We sailed most the morning learning to JIBE + TACK. We made lunch of tuna and lettuce on wheat pita bread. Then we came into cove, anchored, put down the sails. Now Batey's burping but before we snorkel. It was great you could see everything on bottom- Horseshoe crabs and fish. Now that we soaked the boat we're sitting around writing in you little dearies for god knows how long. We all burned some today I did on about a 1" strip on my back of my neck. We're in Mangrove Islands(Contents Key) right now and the suns just gone under another cloud. Both my shoes and shorts are soaked completely. And now Lisa's cleaning her contacts. The trip is definitely picking up! Batey as useless as it is trying to comb his hair. Tonight we're having chili+chef salad sounds like a good combination. Last night Dave was a vegetable head and fell asleep on watch while we were out on watch. The wind just died down. The name of our watch is know being thought about.

Feb.17

• Last night we anchored at Contents Key. This morning we got up at 4:50 to set sail at 5:30. We rowed all the way over to our next island in the dark taking shifts on the oars. Dave lost his shrimp. It came flying.into the boat last night and he'd had it all night. We also lost Greg G. Hat.

Feb.18 -Sunday

• Last night we stopped at Tarpon Belly and had our group solo. It was great until Robbie brought up the point that we were not alone on the island(rats). The ground was hard and the air was so cold it made us wish we were back on the island again. This morning we sang our song and had granola and homefries for breakfast. Then we navigated our way to Snipes Point. On the way we beached the boat and had to push it off(94). When we got to S.P. we walked along the flats and found conches, sponges, starfish, and crabs. We had peanut butter and jelly for lunch. My shoes fell apart on me. The glue just doesn't like salt water. I had to double up on my notes today and got Beth's name to watch. Gone through 2/36 and 1/24 ex. films already. Dave found a horseshoe crab to replace his shrimp. I'm navigator today. Wendy's making fun of our accent. Almost everyone has got sun poisoning. Batey and Matt are real pigs. All modesty has gone out the window. Last night we had to use palm branches as toilet paper. The salt rings on my shorts are really sick. Teresa and Greg are having an affair while Batey and I mooned the boat.

Feb.19 -Monday Today we rowed out of the place we were at and then navigated through 5 mile creek. We had to push ALOT today. My shoes turned to shit and I lost the pads to them. We rowed under two bridges. It was great we were singing and cheering everyone on along the way. My tan is better than Batey's only on my nose I have a burn thats leaking pretty bad. Everyone is starting to become really modest and the gruda's are really flowing. We're really getting tight. Bonding together. Last night we put on skits. Ours was the wicked bad Mainers and we ad-libbed everything. On watch i sang to myself to keep myself up. the shrimp that were beside the boat kept jumping on the water. the Mammas(Wendy and Ian) were the best but both student groups were great. It's time to eat we're in the Atlantic right now. Bye,me.

Feb.20-Tuesday Today I was Captain. We started off in the Atlantic and at 6AM we set sail for Lou Key. It was great. There were so many fish and corals it was unreal and yet it was.From there we sailed on the Atlantic and 4 of us got sea sick. Personally I could have sailed there all day. I maneuvered the boat perfectly through two bridges while my crew was asleep on the sides of the boat. then we sailed onto Johnson Key were we swam 23 minutes and had corn chowder for supper. We sat around and gave everyone on the boat notes then talked about what we wanted to do first when we got back. Everyone said their own beds and take a shower.

Feb. 21-Wednesday

• This morning we got up at 6:30 and had granola for breakfast. then we got ready for our solo. when we first got up we swam 25 minutes and watched the sun rise through the clouds. It was beautiful and refreshing. Tomorrow the big swim and we're all ready even Dan. Now were on Johnson Key on our individual solos. We had to walk through mud up to our knees that smelled like cow shit to get in here and for the next three hrs. we're sitting here alone on this mangrove shit island with the sun baking down on us. Only two more days to go. A frigin plane just flew over the island and blew the silence I was enjoying.
• Well after our solos this morning we all went in search of the guzzler on Johnson Key. Then we sank back up to our waist in mud(smelling like shit). We got back on boat and sailed over to Little Spanish Key where we swam again and played a knowledge game. We also rowed the boat without speaking. I was scribe and safety today.

Feb. 22-Thursday

• Hey it's the last full day, Day 8, Boat 13 with 13 people, some of which I knew before all of which I know now. Last night after I finished my entry David in a heroic moment jumped over board to save a plastic bag. This morning we got up 6:30 again and had granola and apple sauce for breakfast. Then we sailed to NoName Key where we are now preparing for El Grande Nado(The Big Swim). Sailing over here today was great. Waves kept breaking over the sides of the boat soaking everyone. We had baked beans with mustard and peanut butter and jelly for lunch. My sun poisoning is really getting nasty. We went under a bridge today, into the wind, without the sails, rowing our asses off. We passed two boats from Outward Bound that are going to be out here for the next three months. Poor souls. The wind is causing huge white caps out here today which is going to make swimming difficult. We all have our own reasons to do the swim. A high light for me so far has really been the exploring flats either walking or snorkling. The silence on the boat is almost scare. Thats probably because it gives you the feeling of being alone. No one wants to be alone. When we get back and go to bed it's going to seem strange not to have Dave next to me to fight with and Beth there to laugh, Robbie won't be there to wake me up in the middle of the night, and Batey won't be there to bug in the morning. Dan won't be there to put on his lotion, Lisa won't be there to bitch at me, Jules won't be there with basketball stories. Teresa + Greg well they won't be there with their philosophical comments and poetry. Thats going to be the really hard part of this trip, the end, not being there with those who over this week have become family to you.

Feb.23-Friday

• Well yesterday we did the mile swim after a Dave pep talk which included the super bowl, the World Series, The Eastern Maine tournament, and the Olympics we all completed the swim. Dan did it and Lisa would have done it three times if she hadn't kept swimming around in circles. Last night we received our HIOBS pins. We talked about why we deserved them. This morning we got up at 5AM sailed into Base Camp(Big Pine Key) and cleaned up the boat. We received our diplomas and jumped on board the taxi leaving behind part of us, taking away anew. We went to McDonalds and then to the Marathon Airport. Then Julie, Beth, and I went to find charts at a local bait and tackle shop. We went form there to Miami on a propeller plane. Lisa and Teresa went off and got lost on us at the airport, Now we're in the air heading back to our individual lives.

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking, And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking. I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day, with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying. I must go down to the sea again, to the vagrant Gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long tricks over. --John Masefield

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