Pacific Odyssey - Leg 7

It feels as if we have passed into a more northern frontier.  We awoke
to sun, but soon the clouds moved in, and the air was much cooler.  Instead
of the usual shorts, tank tops, and swimsuits, we´ve switched quickly over
to pants, sweaters and jackets; hats and the wind-proof SALTS jackets also
made it out of duffle bags.  Mid-afternoon the rain started and we have
officially pulled out the rain gear and the gum boots as well, the biggest
parcel in most of our bags.  From now on, they will fill and haunt the areas
behind and around the companionway when they are not being used; there is
never enough room for everyone´s rain gear, especially when it is wet, it´s
one of those things we learn to live with.  Today we celebrated Emily´s
birthday.  The hold was decorated with balloons and streamers saying ´Happy
Birthday to you,´ and she was presented with a 20cm diameter button to wear
proclaiming her to be the ´Birthday Girl.´  Many versions of ´Happy Birthday´
were sung and tonight we gathered in the stern of the ship and held a Mug-Up
with Jose leading on the guitar and everyone else singing and requesting
songs; very fun.  Arwen, Caley, and Becca baked chocolate cupcakes this
afternoon and Arwen iced them this evening.  They were decorated with
candles and offered with another round of "Happy Birthday´ and enjoyed by
everyone after the singing.  We usually make cupcakes instead of cake
because the ship is heeled over i.e. leaning heavily over to one side.  If a
cake is made with the ship in this position, one end of the cake usually
comes out thin and dry, the other tall and sometimes under baked.  Arwen´s
cupcakes turn out perfect.   The Offshore Club met this morning and is
decided on a general area for the route.  2 groups have been created to
study what times are best to be in which areas of the world.  Intermediate
lessons have started; juniors wrote their exam yesterday.  Skipper taught a
seniors chart work lesson and Jordan has begun teaching Celestial
Navigation.  I noticed Raven taking a quick sight when the sun peeked
through the clouds.  We sailed all night until noon today under just the
foresail, making 2.9- 6 knots.  The wind is steadily picking up strength.
At 1200 hrs the trysail and the jumbo were added to the foresail.  Maddie
tied the lacing lines of the trysail to the mast, while Port watch raised
the sails.  The engine remains off and we have made excellent speed all day,
averaging 6-7 knots.  The motion has increased and the decks are covered in
water.  Water comes up between the scuppers when we heel over.  The scuppers
are the holes in the rail of the ship at deck level which are made for water
to escape the deck.  The waves have increased in size and some of them slap
the hull and water sprays over the deck, soaking anyone with the bad luck to
be in the wrong spot.  Several splashes made their way below through an open
hatch, surprising trainees below.  The Grace usually rides nicely over the
swells; they are coming onto the starboard side, which means the starboard
side lifts up as the wave moves under, then the starboard drops down again
as the port side gets lifted.  This creates the intense rocking and rolling
motion of the ship.  A few of the trainees are feeling the effect of the
motion and are back on seasick medication.  There were several times when
things flew off the counters or the deck houses; it takes us all awhile to
get used to it, to constantly check our footing, where we put our things,
compensating for the angle when we use the head, wash our face etc.  The
water coming out of the tap hangs at an angle away from the spout and swings
from side to side with the ship over the sink.  Today we caught our first
fish on a homemade lure.  Blake´s ´porksicle´ lure caught a spectacularly
colored Dorado; it was especially beautiful and everyone was pretty excited
about it.  Tonight during Mug-Up a flying fish flew over the rail and
smacked into Blake.  Jose pulled it off him, showed it to everyone and then
threw the fish back into the ocean.  Our ´fishermen´ were disappointed as
they would have liked to use the flying fish as bait for tomorrow.   During
Jose´s watch today there was a great discussion on music and film.  Jordan
T. led it and was introducing new tunes to Jose and Christina on his ipod,
each one having one earphone.  A group gathered around them listening and
commenting, adding their thoughts and ideas to the discussion; it´s great to
have the chance to spend hours in this way.  Work watch started sanding some
of the bright work today; as the weather gets cooler and damper, the chances
to finish the bright work get less.  The sailing is beautiful; it is
incredible to feel the power of the wind on the sails, to feel the Grace
surge forward.  With the engine off, the sounds are just those of the ship,
the water, and us who are aboard, wonderful.  Katie would like to wish Matt
well on his exam:  "I hope you feel good about your exam today Matt.  I´m
thinking of you and praying for you, love Katie."  The sky has cleared up,
there are lots of stars; it is cold and damp (humid) on deck but incredibly
beautiful.  Until tomorrow, good-night, Bonice.