At 9' south of the equator and Neptune is calling....

Tomorrow we're anchoring in Kiritimati, or Christmas Island. We are also halfway done at this point! This is a celebratory mock-poem I wrote for the occasion, based on "Twas the night before Christmas."

Twas the night before Kiritimati*

And all through the ship

All of the students

Were loosing their grip.

Their laundry was flung

By the bowsprit to air

They were smelly and tired with knots in their hair.

Some of them sweated all cramped in their beds 

As visions of ice cream cones 

Danced in their heads.

Others stood watch and watched the flag flap 

As the captain lay down for a very brief nap.

As two shooting stars went by in a flash 

I passed the forestays'l, 

then heard a small splash.

I went to the rail and peered at the swell 

When what to my wondering eyes did appear 

But a little old tuna, without any fear.

Its tail was strong, its scales on fleek 

And to my surprise, it started to speak:

"Yo Barb! And Pamela! A Watch! And Kels!

C Watch, B Watch, and everyone else!

Although you are tired and potentially sick of each other,

 And miss your pet dog, or boyfriend, or mother, 

And smell worse than mung 

And want a long shower, 

And haven't had private time for even an hour, 

Remember how lucky you are to be here,

And that the end is soon drawing near.

So treasure each moment, each callous and bruise 

And the respite from internet, cell phones, and booze."

The tuna swam off into the west,

And left behind it the great RCS*.

*Robert C Seamans

-Sierra