🦈8.12 Shoals Marine Lab: Farewell Appledore !

On the plane from Shanghai to New York, tears fall as I miss my mom. On the return from Boston to Hong Kong, my tears are for the bonds I made on the island. I miss the friends I met, Flora, the kind Chinese grandmother who offered us warmth and food, and even the restless gulls that kept me awake each night. The ocean’s whispers linger in my mind, along with the commons where we ate, Leighton where we took lectures, and PK where we dissected. I remember the shoetree that scared us, the tide pool where we drew and skipped rocks, and the cliffs where we watched the sunrise. The dock where we lay under the stars, observed bioluminescence, and waited for food and luggage runs stays with me, as does the Kingsbury where we sharkfished on, the gazebo where we gathered for sunsets, and the garden where we stargazed together. When I close my eyes, I can still feel the ocean breeze and hear the gulls beside me, but I’m no longer there.

In Boston, everything feels salty, the flavors unfamiliar on my tongue after so long. The seven days on the island felt like a dream, and now it’s time to return to my regular life, but I’ve already adapted to the dream. I don’t know when I’ll meet my friends again and when I will be back to Appledore...the place was serene and insane, with sweet people, painted skies, peaceful oceans, shooting stars, and bioluminescence. I will forever remember the memories and bonds I created on this lovely island. I feel so fortunate to have known such a beautiful place, to have walked its shores and lived in its beauty.

🏝️🦈2024 SHOALS (SHARKS)🫶