When I first boarded the Nao Trinidad, a Tall Ship from Sevilla, Spain, I was absolutely ecstatic.
Getting to sail and practice my Spanish at the same time? What could be better?Unfortunately, as it turns out, I didn’t get a very good chance to experience either. Just a day
into sailing with the Trinidad crew, I got sick. Not COVID (I tested myself three times), but some kind of bug bad enough that I got winded just walking up three steps. On average, I spent sixteen of a twenty-four hour day dead asleep, and the other eight only half-conscious— terrible traits for a new crew member. I felt awful— not just physically, but also for not being able to do my job correctly.
Although Trinidad mostly motors everywhere because of the way her sails are set (though we did get to set all of the sails for the first time in four years while I was aboard!), there’s still a lot to do, including logs, engine checks, and setting up what’s essentially a floating museum. Steering, too, is a completely different beast— unlike most ships which have a steering wheel, being a replica of Magellan’s ship, Trinidad has a whipstaff— essentially a huge wooden staff that controls the tiller. It requires a good amount of strength to pull and push to either side, but energy was the one thing I didn’t have.
However, I still had an incredible time. If you’d told me that exact thing a month ago— that I would still be able to enjoy myself even when I was sick, exhausted, on a ship, and surrounded by a crew who had a different primary language from my own— I wouldn’t have believed you for a second. Yet every moment I’ve spent on the ship, I’ve been surrounded by incredible kindness and generosity from the crew. Whether it’s letting me leave my watch early to go sleep for thirteen hours straight, making delicious soup, or simply dancing to Spanish music while doing work and spreading infectious joy (no pun intended), I’ve felt beyond welcomed by the crew, who took care of me even when they barely knew me.
Furthermore, even though I was sick, there are plenty of memories that I will treasure that don’t involve me feeling under the weather. From learning Spanish sailing vocabulary to helping make ensaladilla rusa to jumping into Lake Superior with an orca floatie, it’s safe to say that the Trinidad crew is perpetually fun, energetic, and a delight to be around. I will miss them so dearly! ¡Muchísimas gracias Trinidad! ¡Nunca los olvidaré!
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