Jetting Out

Cape Town Airport, Gate A7

Buckcherry - Don't Go Away

This morning, I woke up earlier than the crack of dawn from my bottom bunk bed in the side bedroom of the house five down from the lodge in Gansbaai, South Africa, to the sounds of the ocean and sights of the redblue clouded sky, for the last time.
Getting up early; standard morning procedure for the last time; everyone else still asleep
Getting the wetsuits, cleaning the boat, cutting up the fish for chum
Early launch due to tides; full box of weet bix and ingredients for full meals in the fridge reminds me that everyone else will still be there, life continues when I leave WHYYYEEE
Getting to the boat, sea is eerily quiet and calm; supposed to storm tomorrow and Monday
The sky!!! beautiful. can't describe it. gradient of pink and orange in the background of painted on pulled-apart-cotton-fluff clouds; like a scene that you would expect to see painted on the ceiling of a cathedral, the sunrise that dawns upon everything
Grant as skipper, Ally as biologist, Mandla, Jerome, and Bee as crew; getting out early
Somewhat of a slower day; not nearly as many sharks as we usually see; probably will be moving from the dam to the island soon
Feeling really like part of the team; having a better idea of when to do what, how to help with different things, being yelled at to do certain things but that's okay because it means that they know they can rely on me to get things done
Saw a couple of partial breaches, rolling; a couple got really close to the cage, one rammed his nose in
Hanging out with Ally on the port side of the boat; "Won't you be sad when I leave?!" "I'll be a little sad. Paul's going to miss you" "Paul doesn't like me" "He does. You're the right size for him." "Well not my type. I don't understand like 80% of what he says; I just stand there and nod most of the time, which is probably why he likes me"
"When are you coming back?" "Hopefully November. Do you guys have Thanksgiving here?" "We will if you come"
Helping pull the anchor; hanging out at the bow, trying to catch one of the gulls that keeps landing on the same corner of the chrome railing
Jetting back into harbor; feeling sad, birds circling around
Getting off the boat, the crew still on board, preparing for the next launch; life goes on wahaha sad; saying bye to Ally and the crew
See the guys walking to the boat, with supplies for the next launch; round one of goodbyes
Going back up to the house to shower, finish packing, go back down to the lodge; give last hugs to people at the lodge
Ride from Kleinbaai to Cape Town - beautiful but passed out most of the time
Sitting, looking outside at the planes and skies of Cape Town before boarding