by 
It was a bittersweet morning today as we said goodbye to the deck and crew of Langseth. We hunkered down the runway onto the dock and were eager to stretch our feet and explore the land. Once on the ground, we combed the San Diego area. We went searching for wildlife, uncovered fossils at the Natural History Museum, and admired the architecture of the Balboa missions.
The day was blitzing past but finally I found a moment to settle beneath a palm tree and enjoy multiple crispy churros. As I eased into the summer breeze slowly, my body began to sway back and forth like the palm frawns dancing in the wind. I realized then that I was rocking to the beat of the boat even while on land.
The crew warned us about experiencing “sea legs” on land. A curious sensation in which while on land we all felt that we were swaying back and forth as if we were still sailing on the high seas. Not only were we swaying but we even walked a little differently. We had adopted the lurching swagger known as “sailors walk.” Our heads were held a little higher, shoulders back, with feet firmly planted on the ground as we strode forward ready to sway with anything coming our way.
At first the swaying was disorienting but it also reminded us of our time at sea. Not only did we get the chance to immerse ourselves in marine science exploration but we also had the chance to think deeper about why we wanted to engage in marine science. It was an enriching experience that allowed us to individually take a step back and recognize what sparked our passion and drive to pursue marine science. Even though we all have varied interests we were able to come together for a common goal: to not just imagine what we hope the future to be but devise actionable steps for how we would collectively work together and support one another to create a more equitable and sustainable future through marine science.
Thanks to our mentors and crew mates, after our voyage with Langseth the STEMSEAS team is walking away headfirst in the direction of our passions with sturdy sea legs to hold us up against the tide of uncertainty ahead.
-Angie Diaz
