Leaving...Sailing...

It's a little hard to believe that it was just a week ago that the Africa Mercy pulled away from our dock space in Pointe Noire.  

Leaving is always rich with so many emotions...sadness to say good-bye to a place and people that we loved before we ever came (and will continue to love long after we're gone)....relief that we're finally setting out on the next part of the adventure...thankful for all that God accomplished through this vessel and her crew....amazed by the lives that were forever changed....concern over the sail and the seasickness that may come...happiness to know that we're heading in the direction God wants us....

One of the most fun parts of departure is hearing the cacophony of ship horns (and vuvuzelas) saying good-bye.  There's something special about the sounding of a ship's horn. 

All in all, there was a general sense of peace and excitement as the mooring lines were loosed, the lifeboats were checked once more and we sailed away from Congo.  

Congolese dock worker waiting for the instructions to let our mooring lines loose

Some of the Africa Mercy Deck Crew handling the lines

Mr. Josh doing an incredible job (as usual) of capturing the goings on of the AFM

One of the tugs getting ready to be attached to our vessel - these little boats do BIG work

Another tug doing "doughnuts" in our honor as we pulled away!

Looking back on our home for the past 10 months....it's a bit surreal to see it so empty

The leaving may have been peaceful and smooth...but "peaceful" wouldn't have been one of the best words to describe what was happening in our cabin.  We had been told that the ride might be a bit rough - that the ocean had some swells.  Our Captain was correct.  As the ship was teetering and tottering, we found out just how unsecure the contents of our cabin really were. After some adjustments - most involving bungee cords across cabinets and doors - and listening carefully to what was rolling around so that it could be removed - and after some cleaning (including soaking up some of the contents of the fridge that found their way to freedom), we settled in to the sail.  And what a sail it's been.  

Last week was quite rock-y and roll-y -- but overall a really nice week. Thankfully, we've had little to no issues with seasickness. We had a full week of activities for the kids (while Nick - and the majority of the rest of the crew - worked!).  Some may think it would be difficult to keep kids from getting bored and going stir crazy during a 2 week sail...but that's not been the case for us.  We're finding that a little planning and creativity go a long way!   

Some snapshots and collages from our week: 

Sunday

Cement Mixers being unloaded from a ship in the port as we were leaving

Monday 

Time on the bow...some of the best time during the sail

Fort City in the International Lounge

Tuesday 

Crafts in the Cafe

Wednesday

Crossing the Equator and Prime Meridian - usually a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity...we are officially "Double Diamond Shellbacks"

There's a buoy marking the general area (but no yellow lines or flashing X's...and certainly nothing that made the ship bump as we passed over)

Dutch Games and Pancakes

The only dolphin to be seen (until today!)

Majesty in the skies

Thursday  

Games in the International Lounge

Friday

Rock Party in the Queen's Lounge

So there's been lots to do (and this doesn't even include all the activities in the evenings....) and there's still a week of sailing left!

We've "turned a corner" (quite literally as we've passed Liberia and continued our journey up the West African Coast) and the seas are much calmer (though we've been told there may be some interesting weather coming in the next day or so).  Nothing has flown off the counter in the past 24 hours - but we're still keeping things in their "secure state"!  

We've got another week of sailing....another week of kids' activities in the morning and dodgeball on deck 7 in the afternoon...another week of spending evenings on the bow....another week of lunch picnics with a most lovely view - water, water, everywhere...another week of especially creative exercising...another week of freedom on the open ocean....

Another week of enjoying being right where we are supposed to be...

Surely there will be more to come.