Diamond Shellbacks

On the night of August 5th, the entire crew became Royal Diamond Shellbacks. This means that we crossed both the equator and the prime meridian at the same time, at 0 degrees latitude and longitude. This is the rarest shellback status that any sailor can attain. The entire crew competed in "crossing the line" games as part of our initiation, and before being issued our certificates, we had to kiss a large fish as our final initiation into Royal Diamond Shellback status.

Crossing the Line Games - Tug O' War (We Won)

Celebrating Crossing the Equator and Prime Meridian

Completing my Initiation, Kissing the Fish

On Our Way

There was great excitement among the crew as we finally set sail for Congo. This is the start of something new. Mercy Ships has never been to Congo before. We are breaking new ground, and the anticipation is almost palpable. Teodoro was there to play his trumpet as we sailed out of Tenerife, as he has done every time the ship has sailed from Tenerife. It gave us a real sense of blessing as we sailed from port.

Teodoro Playing us Away

Sailing Away from Tenerife

As before, the bow is one of my favorite places during the sail. The very best part of the sail is when the captain announces "Dolphins on the bow", and everyone races to get to the bow and hang over the railing to watch the dolphins as they dance and leap in the wake created by the ship as it cuts through the waves.

Photo Credit to Bethany Kremer

Photo Credit to Bethany Kremer

Photo Credit to Bethany Kremer

Of course another favorite for me is still worship on the bow. It is so wonderful to be with this community, singing praises to our Lord together as we move on to our new home for the next ten months

I am more eager than ever to reach Congo. After spending the entire summer working in housekeeping, I am anxious to be a nurse again, and more than anything I want to be back in Africa.

Tenerife

We sailed to Tenerife for one week to finish resupplying before we set sail for Congo. The sail took about seven hours, but the trip was smooth and I hardly noticed the rocking of the ship. The island was just as beautiful as Gran Canaria, though I only went ashore a few times. The shortness of our stay really did not allow for us to see much of the island. However, I did have the opportunity to drive about the northern part of the island with a couple of friends on the day before we left. The mountains is that part of the island were covered in lush green rainforest, and the beaches along the shore were beautiful. I wish that we had more time to see more of the beauty of the island, but Congo calls to us. It is time to set sail for a new port and a new adventure.

Annette and I

An Island in the Sun

As the maintenance continues onboard the ship, I have taken every opportunity I can on my days off to go and see the island. The small villages along the coast and in the mountains are beautiful and quaint, where every person seems to know their neighbor. The people here are so warm and welcoming, with a hospitality and a generosity that I do not think that I would find at home. The roads through the mountains are narrow and twisted, and the views that they offer are beyond breathtaking. It is on days like these that I think I could stay here forever.

Storage Caves near Santa Maria de Guia

Puerto de Las Nieves

Cliffs on the West Side of the Island

 

Celebrating Jeremiah's Birthday at the Boardwalk

Sand Dunes at Maspalomas

A View of the Island of Tenerife in the Far Distance

The Beautiful Little Village of Tejeda

An Almond Pastry (A Tejeda Specialty)

In a Small Restaurant on the Other Side of a Cave in Artenara

On other days, when I cannot spend the whole day away, it is just as nice to spend the day at the boardwalk, sunbathing and eating gelato, and it is a popular place for us to go to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions.
Still, the longer we are here the more I start to think of Africa. I am so glad to sail soon, this time for Congo!