My Journey

When I was 12, my family purchased a sailboat and began sailing around the world. The boat was acquired in Florida, and it took us half a year to repair and prepare it for the open sea. Hurricane Irma posed a significant challenge during this time. I desperately wanted to stay with my dad during the storm, but my mom insisted I evacuate. Once ready, we set off to the Bahamas as our first destination. I was amazed to see the ocean floor clearly even at depths of 100 feet. Eagle rays leaped from the water as we approached our first island, Bimini. The Bahamas ignited my fascination with the outdoors, particularly fishing. It was there that I caught my first fish and learned to spearfish. I cherished the swimming-pool-blue waters and white sand beaches; the Bahamas remains one of the most beautiful places I have visited.

From the Bahamas, we continued down the island chain to the Caribbean, exploring the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and numerous other countries. I began crafting fishing lures and selling them to fellow sailors. Along the way, my family formed friendships and created a convoy with other families on sailboats who also had children. As hurricane season approached, we reached Trinidad and Tobago, where the boat was hauled out of the water for repairs while we waited out the storms. A memorable experience was an earthquake that struck Trinidad while our boat was on land; fortunately, the only damage was a small crack in the keel.

Once hurricane season ended, we resumed our travels. En route from Trinidad to Grenada, a Venezuelan fishing boat charged toward us aggressively, but after evading them at full speed, they relented. Our friends encountered a similar incident and nearly got rammed, and we heard reports of the same vessel firing at other sailors and boarding their boats. We then proceeded to the Panama Canal. First, we visited the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), where I earned my PADI diving certification. Next, in Colombia, we embarked on a four-day hike through the forest to ancient ruins, staying at small camps along the way. We also took kiteboarding lessons. In Panama, we awaited our turn to transit the canal. We were required to have additional crew and a guide on board for the day. Navigating the canal was stressful, especially when rafted alongside large merchant vessels. We sustained minor damage when jagged rocks along the side pulled down our fenders as the water level rose, bending the stainless steel lifelines they were tied to. After a full day, we emerged into the Pacific.

From Panama, we crossed the Pacific Ocean to reach the remote islands. It took two weeks to arrive at the Galápagos Islands, where the wildlife was truly extraordinary. Sea lions would board our boat at night to rest; we built barriers to contain them, though they weren't always effective. Penguins swam beneath the boat, alongside hundreds of baby sharks. We briefly spotted our first whale shark.

From the Galápagos, we reached the Marquesas in French Polynesia. The islands were mountainous and lush. Local children paddled out to greet us immediately. I fished with them and learned their techniques. On shore, they invited us to church, and we played soccer together. We visited many remote islands in French Polynesia. On one, we and another traveling family collected two five-gallon buckets of crabs from a crab-covered beach and prepared a delicious sweet crab chili. The family we traveled with often relied on their children to catch dinner due to limited provisions. One of my favorites was Fakarava, an atoll with minimal development. I made friends with other kids on sailboats, and we camped on the beach, stringing hammocks between palm trees—one pair supported four hammocks. While sailing to another island, we encountered birds splashing the water; as we approached, thousands dove in. We passed over a wall of oceanic whitetip sharks, followed by leaping tuna. Both our rods hooked fish immediately, and a whale shark surfaced, nearly striking our rudder. Within minutes, the frenzy vanished.

From French Polynesia, we headed to the Cook Islands and then to New Zealand for cyclone season. It was in New Zealand that I developed my passion for engineering. We were locked down there for two years due to COVID-19. New Zealand was one of the most beautiful countries we visited. After New Zealand, we sailed to Fiji. En route, a severe storm forced us to turn back temporarily; we couldn't return to New Zealand due to COVID restrictions, so we waited it out. In Fiji, my favorite spot was Fulaga, an atoll with exceptional fishing and diving. Sharks were abundant, so I had to fend them off while spearfishing. The white sand beaches surrounded a friendly village where each boat was assigned a host family for dinners and tea. We formed a close bond with one family. From Fiji, we went to Vanuatu, visiting the active Tanna volcano, where we hiked to the rim and peered inside. We also visited the John Frum village, centered on a cargo cult religion venerating an American named John from World War II, who promised to return with jeeps and Coca-Cola after the war. The villagers played music and danced all night. From Vanuatu, we reached Australia. My favorite place there was Tasmania, with its unique wildlife and excellent fishing. We caught bucketfuls of flathead fish and squid as large as my forearm.

Unfortunately, Australia marked the end of my full-time journey, as I flew to Corpus Christi to start college at TAMUCC as an electrical engineering major. There, I discovered a new passion for Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. I made great friends, some of whom I'm attending the career fair with. I still return to the boat during most breaks; for instance, a couple of spring breaks ago, I met my family in South Africa as they continued their circumnavigation. This past Christmas break, I rejoined them in the Bahamas, enjoying the spearfishing and vibrant environment. Sadly, toward the end of that trip, I was bitten by a shark while spearfishing and required surgery to reattach a tendon—but at least I still have my foot. You'll see me on crutches for a couple of weeks, but I'll be back in the water soon. The sailing adventure was an incredible experience, and I plan to sail again someday.