Programs Blog

A Passing Neighbor

August 21, 2025
Brooke gets a wash with the fire hose during Splash Mountain, also known as high-pressure hygiene. (Photo credit to Sam Ruemueller)

August 21, 2025

Today marks one day since Bradley’s birthday. His face still twirls merrily in the salon breeze and his affixed smile beams out at us from random surfaces. This morning I attempted to look out a starboard porthole and made unexpected eye contact with a three inch high version of the birthday boy. The morale boost is endless and I hope they never fall down.

Further surprises today came in the form of a half-mile pass with a smallish fishing boat. Gaining a human neighbor at 500 miles offshore may not be unheard of but neither was it expected, and the little boat made for a nice bit of new scenery. 

The birds, as ever, try their determined best to welcome themselves to the neighborhood. Nature may have diverged aquatic and perching birds a long time ago, but clearly Nature hasn’t told the booby yet.  I saw one shimmy up the braces with webbed feet.

Brooke Murphy-Petri, Head Steward

Braces are the lines which control the angle of the yard (look for the hypotenuse between the yard and mast). They also make a convenient resting place for a particularly determined brown-footed booby.