I got off watch at 1800 and immediately put on my work out clothes for a walk around the deck. Yep, I speed walk in circles when at sea.

This does several things for me....it lowers my stress levels, it gets me some fresh air and most importantly it helps keep me fit.

I could write post after post about how hard it is to stay fit at sea but, I won't.

I also speed walk around the deck in spandex. I KNOW.

I had a super duper best friend at Maine Maritime. I was feeling shy about wearing my swim suit at Old Orchad Beach in Maine. He said, 'Megan, I'm pretty sure everyone knows exactly how chubby you are even if you wear shorts.'. He changed my life.

Now I wear spandex on deck.

I was on my fifth or so lap when I came head to head with the Electrician. He took one look at me and turned and walked the other direction. I think he is convinced that I will be the downfall of the US Merchant Marine. You should have seen his face.

I kept walking....and rocking out to a little Brit Brit, a little Christina, a little B.E.Ps....you know.

As I was coming into the house it was just getting dark. BOOM. The stars. Right over head was Ka Hei Hei O Na Keiki (Orion) and my favorite Makali'i (Pleiades). Sometimes, you just absolutely can't beat a Persian Gulf sky. (Albeit most times its hazy and the stars are barely visible...sandy air and all that jazz...)

I headed straight to the galley (everyone else had already finished supper) and made a smoothie. Almond milk, frozen strawberries, a banana and some hemp hearts. (I brought most of these items from home.)

I still had my ear buds in and the Cadet walked up behind me and scared the crap out of me! Apparently the Captain had been looking all over for me because we got word to heave anchor. He had even paged me over the ships intercom.

I ran up to my room, threw my work clothes back on and then, ran down to the Deck Change Room to get my boots on.

Then, I ran up to the Bow (with my smoothie in a mason jar of course) and commenced heaving the anchor.

I realized once I was heaving the anchor that I didn't know if we were going home or going to Kuwait.

The good news is we're homeward bound once more.