Clinging to the bow of the Billy Green as we caught some air off a wave near the western coast of Alaska I couldn't help thinking "Sam, you are a loooooong way from your desk". But I couldn't sit and think it for long cause there were sand bars to navigate and lines to tie in and another wave rising in front of us.

On shore I'm a 20 something Bronx native working at a solar development company in New York and a long time Greenpeace volunteer. On the Esperanza I'm the new assistant cook. So what does that mean? Well I spend most of my day chopping, peeling, or scrubbing something in the kitchen, eh GALLEY, sorry "galley" (still breaking in my shipese). When you're cooking for 25 people there's always something that needs to be cleaned or carried or boiled or baked and I've learned so much from our amazing chef Raymond, but the best part is when I drop my knife, dry my hands, and head out on deck.

Some days it's the scenery that will just knock your socks off
"wow, did you get a shot of those volcanoes?"
"yep, and the sunset and the rainbow and the whale."
Some days you're a lucky pair of spare hands walking by
"hey sam, wanna crew the billy g?"
"you mean if I hold this rope and watch for kelp I get to ride in the boat for an hour? Ugh, yeah that sounds good to me."
And some days, after 14 hours of straight slogging in the galley, the best thing to do is head to the lounge and listen to salty dawgs tell sailing tales
"*censored*"
=)

So I've been thinking the title "assistant cook" doesn't really capture the whole spray in your face, grease on your hands, "holy crap is that a submarine?!?!" aspect of the job (unless Asst. Cook is actually some crazy acronym for, i dunno... Actions- Support- Specialist- in- Training Cacciatore- Organizing...eh that's all I got). So anyway, I'm opening it up to you all/asking for trouble. I think I need a title to put on my resume that will describe the Esperanza experience and really pop next to the likes of "Project Manager" and "Coordinator". There have been a few suggestions namely "Galley Slave" and "Scullery Maid" which do colorfully illustrate part of what I do here, but if you've got a better suggestion (or can clean up that acronym for me) I'd be much obliged and start using it straight away (Activist- Spinach- Service... aaand I'm spent)

Until next time, cheers from the galley
Sam