Pacific Odyssey - Leg 7

We have had an amazing day, but then, all our days are good.  Today we
celebrated Gillian´s 26th birthday.  Sarah B. organized a game of ´Assassin´
that started at breakfast and ended at 1830 hrs with a winner.  Everyone
starts with a name on a slip of paper and sets out to assassin this person
by coming up to them stealthily, without anyone else noticing and pointing a
finger in their side, back etc. and saying quietly "Bang, you´re dead."  If
no one else has witnessed the murder, the victim is out of the game and
gives his/her slip to the assassin and the assassin then goes on to tackle
the next target.  If someone witnesses a murder, the murder doesn´t count,
the game continues.  It took until suppertime to find a winner; in the end,
Skipper tricked Adam into the little boys´ cabin and got him.  Adam was
suspicious but fell into the trap nonetheless.  It was a very fun game;
everyone was on pins and needles for most of the day, trying to stay ´alive.´
Simon lay in wait for Sara R. as she came out of the head and got her.
Jacob approached Katie and asked if she´d killed anyone yet; she answered
´no´ then moved in behind him and got him . . . ´are you kidding?´ he asked
her.  Leighsa had made Gillian a beautiful birthday card along with a
chocolate bar and as Gillian hugged Leighsa to thank her, Gillian also added
a ´bang, you´re dead.´  There are many very funny examples of people laying
in wait for the perfect moment; the boat is a good place to play, we are all
confined to an area just large enough.  Katie made an amazing birthday
breakfast:  eggs, toast, hash browns, sausages, yogurt, granola, fruit . . .
many of Gillian´s favorite breakfasts all rolled into one.  The sea and the
wind have calmed down somewhat.  The ship still rolls from side-to-side but
that is inevitable with a constant offshore swell.  The plunging of the bow
and the slapping of water on the hull is gone, the decks remain dry, it´s
nice, it´s easier.  The scuttle hatch doors were both opened today and the
washboards came out of the after cabin hatch.  They are closed for the
night, but it was nice not to have to deal with the cold wind and the
boisterous motion and feel some fresh air below.    Since the ship is not
heeled as far over, Skipper was able to light the after cabin stove and the
dampness and cold have been lifted . . . aaaah, nice.  The air on deck is
still very cold and one still needs to wear many layers, but the sun did try
to make an appearance several times.  At 1600 hrs the hold was very busy, a
´fun busy´ with chapattis being rolled by several people, a few of them
assassins still left in the game, who were trying to kill and stay alive.
They figured if they helped out and stayed where the witnesses were, they
could possibly last longer.  Christina led another great Writers Guild class
this morning; we worked on creating poetry together.  Leighsa is knitting
faster than we´re moving; she´s at least halfway through a very long scarf.
Sara R. has made a good start on another pair of socks; they´re beautifully
bright with reds, purples, blues and more.  Maddie and Adrienne have
designed the canvas shoe part of their moccasin and have started sewing it
on to the leather sole; they look good.  On the 1600-2000hr watch Steve
noticed the spout of a whale.  We watched for awhile longer seeing only 3
more spouts, still exciting.  Work watch has sanded and painted the funnels
as well as scraped, sanded and oiled the flagpole.  It all looks nice, ready
for our return into the harbor in a few weeks.  Even though this voyage is
finished in a few weeks, we feel very far from that life.  We continue
moving through this vast ocean on our ´island,´ the Grace; an island of our
own making, not attached to anything, physically or mentally.  We feel as if
we belong here and nowhere else, this life feels sufficient.  It is a
strange feeling and like usual, as one nears the end of something precious,
everything is perceived as more concentrated, the senses are heightened, and
the loss seems greater.  I wish you could move with us through our day and
see us, so familiar with this life.  After supper Tristan, Steve, and Mark
played a massive game of tag with Simon, Noah, and Jacob.  They were
sweating, removing jackets and moving at great speeds, completely into their
game, all 6 of them.  In the end, Steve pinned down all 3 Anderson boys
twice, and then the little boys tackled him and forced him to his knees.  He
agreed it was a great wrestling match.  Christina and Elske have been
putting lyrics together for a song for and about Gillian to the tune of ´I
Hate Winnipeg´ which was changed to ´We Love Gillian.´  Jose played the tune
on the guitar while Sarah B., Christina, and I sang the personal rendition
to her and the trainees; she loved it.  At 2000hrs we held a Mug Up in the
hold with Jose playing guitar and Noah playing the big marquesian drum.
Arwen and Lisa M. made oatmeal cookies, Gillian´s choice.  It´s been a full
day, very fun from beginning to end.  Raven would like to wish his dad Paul
and Uncle Ian a very Happy Birthday.  "May you both have a wonderful and
great day, love from Raven."  Leighsa wishes her dad an amazing birthday
today, May 28th, Happy Birthday dad, love Leighsa.  Adrienne wishes her
sister Lauren a great day on her 20th birthday tomorrow, May 29th.  Happy
Birthday Lauren, love Adrienne.  Until tomorrow, good-night, Bonice.