Tales of the Wind

Dear Friend,

"Hol! Weg!" The familiar command cuts through the wind, and for a moment, I am home again. The grin comes easily, as if it had been waiting just beneath the surface, ready to emerge the second my hands found their ways to the lines. The Alex-2 has always been more than just a ship to me. She’s carried me across the Atlantic once before, but she also carried me through five transformative months of my life. Now, 3000 nautical miles later, I find myself once again beneath her sails, chasing the horizon.

Out here, the world feels distilled to its purest form: sky, sea, and the occasional distant silhouette of a cargo ship. The ocean stretches endlessly in every direction, and the beauty of it is almost too vast to hold in my gaze. The salt air is thick and familiar, the wind a constant companion in my ears.

This time, though, there is something different. Around me stand young, wide-eyed faces, eager and brimming with the same sense of wonder I remember feeling last time I was aboard. Their curiosity is contagious, and in them, I see reflections of my younger self. These are the new floaties, or in other words, students ready to embrace the challenges and adventures that Class Afloat offers.

As we settle into our sailing routines, my role shifts. I am no longer just a sailor; I am a mentor, a guide, and a leader. The same way the Stamm Crew once shaped my journey, I now find myself in the position to do the same for these students. Their stories, how they found their way aboard, the dreams that brought them here, they all echo my own in more ways than I expected.

One moment stands out though. It was during my first day watch, high in the rigging, unfurling the sails with a team of students. As we finished, one of them turned to me and asked, "Have you caught the green fever yet?" To the non sailor, it might sound like some deathly illness to avoid, but I knew better. The green fever is the desire or even more so, the need to be part of this ship, this community, to feel the Alex-2 in your bones. I smiled and replied, "I guess I have." It was true, though I hadn’t fully realized it until that moment.

Perhaps the most striking change is seeing the Alex-2 through new eyes; the eyes of those I once looked up to. My crew, my teachers, my mates, my captain. I now stand among them, sharing in the responsibility and privilege of shaping this experience for others.

Alex-2, we are not done yet. I will return to you. It's not a matter of if, only when.

With optimism,

E