Programs Blog

August 31, 2025

Location (Lat and Long): 40° 58.5’N, 140° 56.3’ W

Ship Heading: 0°

Ship Speed: 5kts

Log (nm): 1824 nm

Weather/Wind/Sail Plan: Sailing under the main with one reef, main stays’l, forestays’l, jib, topsail, and raffee. Overcast. 18 kts wind SE.

Yesterday, while head down in some scary corner scrubbing mung with a toothbrush, each and every member of the crew was visited with a hand-drawn invitation. The invitations, written in cursive and crayon, read:

The pleasure of your company is requested tonight at FANCY DINNER.

Time: 1800        

Place: Main Saloon

Dress Code: FANCY

Fancy Dinner had begun.

By dinnertime, the overhead was hung with streamers and balloons. The lights were dimmed to trendy bistro darkness and smooth jazz drifted from the galley. The guests started to trickle in.

Irina, the best of us, wore a chic black cocktail dress with pearls. Sam drew applause with bold Viking horns and a bandana-adorned sleeveless metallic dress accessorized with his deck harness. However, the accessory queen of the night was Alice, who flaunted a locally crafted origami fish as a headpiece. Anna committed to showing up for watch prepared for dinner in a bold one-shouldered statement top, lipstick, and nineties-throwback hairdo. Olivia, also on watch, paired a flowing blue sundress and silk scarf with a statement deck harness. Bradley and Ted coordinated outfits with debonair sequined suits designed to dazzle. Apo pulled off “quiet fanciness” with panache in her freshly washed jeans and tank top, her fanciness radiating from within. Captain Allison wowed in a sarong skirt.

Every single one of them pulled off the theme to perfection. Shipmates mingled and chatted until the watch change. When the cook* walked in twenty-five minutes late, Irina called for a toast. The tinkle of knife on crystal was replaced by banging an aluminum bowl of green beans with a spoon, and all raised their cups of reverse osmosis water to attention. Galley and Deck both received loud toasts and louder cheers.

Then we all went and gybed the boat in our fancy skirts.

*I am the cook. Thank you all for a wonderful night. You all make me so happy.

XO,

-Brooke the Galley Stew