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The first time I saw the Aldebaran, I knew that I had to travel on it; no matter how, no matter when, but I felt love at first sight for that little sailboat. Captain Kristian arrived in Mazunte with his girlfriend and first mate Sabrina and their friends and skippers Ryan and Michael, after traveling for two months from California to Oaxaca, as part of The Green Coconut Run, a journey through the Pacific Ocean to visit protected marine areas, dive, surf and do environmental research. I met this group of modern eco-pirates thanks to my neighbor and good Brazilian friend Samara, Captain Kristian’s sister. “My birthday party will be on the boat!” she told me. I was very excited, since I was looking forward to a chance to go on board. That birthday trip from Mazunte to Puerto Ángel intrigued me as I learned how life is on the boat, drooling at the sight of surf boards on deck, along with the pictures of diving and fishing sessions, all convinced me that I wanted to be part of that fascinating adventure. Unfortunately I didn’t have a passport back then. “But you don’t need a passport to go to Puerto Chiapas” said Kristian "Would you like to join us?” That was the invitation I was hoping for. It would be a relatively short trip, from Huatulco in Oaxaca to the border with Guatemala, 250 miles, but they would take a week to get there. They needed to wait for a good weather window to cross the Gulf of Tehuantepec, and would spend those few days exploring the beaches of the National Park Bahias de Huatulco, and working on the boat. One of the first things that caught my attention was the discipline needed to live on a boat. Since there is not much space, everything needs to have its place, and everyone needs to know where to put things at all time. Sabrina explained that every time someone leaves stuff out of their place, they had to pay a fine of pushups or sit-ups, and I testified that not even the captain was excused to escape that rule. “That’s why the crew is so fit,” said Michael. And the truth is that life on the boat is very physically challenging: the water pumping system is made out of pedals and levers, so you have to exercise even when flushing the toilet or washing the dishes! That night I slept on the net. I can’t describe the incredible feeling of sleeping under the stars, with the water underneath me, and waking up with the sunrise on my face. Absolute happiness is to wake up and jump right from your bed to the sea for a morning swim, and be called for breakfast with the call of the conch. Food was absolutely fabulous every time. From the fancy dinners consisting of freshly caught fish in a ginger and garlic sauce, mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, to eggs on toasts for breakfast. The next days we lived an ecstasy of virgin bays in the middle of forest and cliffs that can only be reached on a boat. In Chachacual I saw a lot of butterflies, as I’ve never seen before in a beach, and Riscalillo had hermit crabs with shells of all sizes and designs. For the first time in my life I did some Stand Up Paddling and we had a concert on the boat. I also had the honor of learning to drive the boat and follow the compass to keep the course. Even when I made the boat spin 360 degrees, no one got upset and kindly taught me the right way to steer. I woke up early next morning to take my shift to steer, and I drove by myself for more than two hours while the crew slept. These were sublime moments, listening to music, observing the seagulls fly with only seas all around. I can say that my week on the Aldebaran was one of the happiest times of my life; I learned a lot about the ocean, life and about myself. I was a pirate for a week, but I will be a mermaid for life.