Bread and Beans

Naomi Solorio, C Watch, Lawrence University

Naomi from C-Watch here!

I believe that homemade bread is the purest form of love. Our lovely stewards, Ashley and Kylie, are always spoiling us with it. For this blog, my initial idea was to write a short story but as I looked at the calendar I realized how little time is left before the trip ends, so instead of my original idea, I’ve decided to take a more reminiscent route. Bread and beans have been a constant theme in our time together as S-289.

So many conversations were held over and about bread and beans. I recall the first time I cooked some beans for my new found friends back at Woodshole, it was a shared moment but also a gateway to what would become our name as a house: Bean House. I would make beans at the beginning of every week and they would last us. I then aquired an apprentice, Mathilde Tash, and all I could say is that I could not be any more proud of her.

There are so many fond memories I have made on this voyage from the Dance-o- Mat, to Piggly Wiggly, to Thanksgiving dinner, etc. But those memories are more specific. I also have to look back to all those dawn watches when the stars are out and you can see Orion’s Belt and the Southern Cross, to the bumpy waters causing “splash zones” on the boat, to eating a meal like there is no tomorrow after being on watch for 6 hours at a time.

There is so much to do and see and as I am looking at the calendar again, I’m thinking that I am just not ready to have this end just yet. As much as I miss my friends and family, I have made bread and beans with these wonderful people. We have voyaged the New Zealand seas together and I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of goofy friends. I’ve had so much fun but this was also a learning experience in many many ways. As I look through my camera roll, it’s amazing to see all the things I’ve done and seen and learned, I just wish I could be here for a tab bit longer. But alas, here we are. Only a couple more days until it’s time to say goodbye but I am more than grateful to have built these relationship and make some of my best memories.

C for See ya later! (C-Watch doesn’t know how to spell hehe),

- Naomi Solorio, Lawrence University