Pacific Odyssey - Leg 7

Today was great in so many ways but what stands out is that we were able
to raise sail this morning and turn off the engine for about 3 hours.  It
was idyllic; the silence was stunning.  We drifted along slowly at about 3-4
kts and that was fine with us, we were sailing and we had handled sail
again.  All fore and aft sails were raised; a full main, the foresail, the
jumbo, the jib, the fisherman, and the main topsail . . . beautiful.  By
1130hrs, the wind had disappeared and one of the two engines was started up.
We have been motor sailing since, making between 5 and 7kts. When we woke up
the sea was different again from the previous day; instead of the glassy
calm there were small ripples on the surface and the swells had flattened
out considerably.   The temperature has been very cold today; we stay
layered up and keep the tea and coffee coming.  The sun looked like it was
trying to break through, the clouds were lighter; cottony and layered, like
the sand ridges on a beach.  Right now the sky is nearly clear and the ocean´s
surface is glassy again.  The stars are reflected in the water, it´s
stunning.  Gillian is in the stern with Sarah B, Adrienne, and Raven,
finding stars and constellations.  Everyone else is in the hold or the foc´sle
´hanging out;´ there´s a good feeling there.  Christina is making books with
the Writer´s group; they are put together without glue and look smart; we´ll
start filling them up at the next get-together.  Today Sara R. taught the
Writer´s Guild how to write sonnets and they had some time to practice
writing one.  Steve and Emily wrote beautiful sonnets and read them out
loud.  Fore watch laughed through morning dishes listening to Brian Regan, a
comedian, on Jose´s ipod.  Everyone enjoyed homemade granola and yogurt this
morning; Gillian makes delicious granola and Adam has decided to call the
yogurt ´bogurt´ as Bo is the one that makes it.   On the ship there is time
for practical jokes and one of the better ones so far happened last night.
Adam has been plaguing Elske with his garbage candy wrappers; she
consistently finds them in her jacket pockets and under her pillow.  She
tried stuffing them in the fingers of his gloves but he discovered them and
returned them to her.  So, yesterday, Elske unpicked a few inches of the
casing stitching of his pillow (which is a hand-me-down from several legs
ago and ready to be thrown out).   She found his alarm clock and buried it
in the foam filling of the pillow, trying to keep the hard corners soft.
She set the alarm for 0345, and told his bunkmates on either side of her
joke; they were totally ´game.´  Adam, unfortunately for us, was so tired
that he slept through the alarm, though his bunkmates heard it.  Tonight as
Adam was resting he felt something hard in his pillow and was dumbfounded as
to how the alarm clock got in his pillow.  I´m not sure whether he has put
everything together yet, but I´m sure this story will continue.  Jordan T,
Maddie, Selena, and Jose have started a photo club.  They are taking photos
of interesting and different objects i.e. the bosun´s whistle, the brass
inclinometer etc. and comparing them, looking at them from an artistic point
of view.  Work watch today sanded and oiled the after cabin hatch, started
sanding the stern seat lockers, and sanded and oiled the stern bitts.  We
had a beautiful evening tonight, the clouds were light and the ocean was
calm.  The horizon was barely visible with the blues of the sky and sea so
similar, yet with so many variations in hue.  Just before the sun went down
and harnesses were needed, Jordan, Tristan, Elske, Bec, and Arwen had a
massive wrestling match on the foredeck.  It was a great spectator event;
Selena exclaimed, "This is better than TV!"   The main topsail was lowered
after supper with Steve, James, and Mark climbing the mainmast to stow and
furl the sail.  They were up the mast about half an hour; it takes awhile to
get the sail stowed so it looks good, especially if it is a first time.  The
view from up the mast is incredible and I noticed that at least Steve had
his camera with him.  Our days continue to feel full.  I know that some of
the trainees are looking forward to land and having the chance to visit
restaurants, do some shopping, see something new.  Some trainees are
starting to think of home and feel ready for that part of their lives, and
are looking forward to it.  Everyone on the ship has a different view about
the end of the leg, or the end of the voyage.  For myself there are
definitely things I am looking forward to about home, but also, I know there
is much about our life aboard this ship that I will relinquish reluctantly.
I am quite content to stay out here for another 2 weeks and squeeze out all
that I can; I think the majority of crew and trainees feel this way.  Katie
would like to wish Matt a Happy Birthday for May 29th.  "Happy Birthday
Matt, I love you!  Love Katie"  There are 2 weeks remaining of this offshore
voyage and I would like to spend a bit of time in the evenings being with
the crew and trainees in the hold, or up on deck viewing the stars,
chatting, playing games etc.  If I don´t write for an evening here and
there, this will be why; I will have taken the opportunity to be amongst the
trainees and crew after my boys are in bed.  Thank you.  Until tomorrow,
good-night, Bonice.