Pacific Swift 2009 - Trip 5

The final leg of the Pacific Swift´s annual circumnavigation began
yesterday in a surprisingly sunny and warm Ucluelet Harbour. There was
general murmur of excitement as an even split of new and returning
trainees boarded their floating home for the next 10 days. Safety
orientations moved along well with instruction in shipboard procedures,
line handling, steering and other necessities of shipboard life. Lines
were cast off by 1600 and we proceeded out of Ucluelet Inlet amid the
few remaining well wishers. There is but a short run till rounding out
of the inlet into the rolling pacific swell. The seas were relatively
calm though and a few intrepid souls climbed aloft to get a feel for the
rigging. The day was splendid; the emerald hills, peaks and valleys of
Clayquot Sound were fronted by the jagged coastline and sparkling
waters. Out in the calm and sunny waters offshore, we were treated to a
young and exuberant humpback whale displaying all his acrobatic skills,
as if saying proudly, "Look at me swimming!". There were myriad
breaches, flukes and flipper waves as we passed him by on our journey
northward to explore as much of the west coast as possible. The sun set
dramatically as the Island ranged through the many hues of purples and
greens and the stars emerged one by one as if cautiously testing the
night sky. The seas built a little in the evening to upset the tummies
of a couple trainees, however all took it in good stride and roused
themselves for the evening programme of games and singing. A favourable
forecast sent us slipping through the evening waters on a planned
nightrun to take us towards the Brooks Penninsula. The night was alive
with the luminescent displays of nature, stars shone brightly from
horizon to horizon, the milky way painted across the heavens as if by
some careless celestial artist, while below the phosphorescence ignited
our wake and the waves around us in fiery jade glow. To complete the
night the breeze came favourably  from the SE and we hoisted courses and
square topsail to the first promising puffs. In no time the breeze
filled and we were cruising around 8 knots as the stars slipped silently
back below the horizon. The experience of sailing through the night amid
such beauty is truly inspiring to all on board. That begrudged west
coast companion, fog, settled about us for much of the morning shrouding
everything in deep gray as we sped north. Near noon the breeze scudded
the mist low overhead as we spotted our landfall at Rugged Point. We
sailed right up to anchor and settled our hook in the welcoming and
sandy bottom. It´s a wild locale but offers nice shelter from wind and
seas. After lunch the dories were launched and trainees put ashore (with
a small detour for a wayward flip-flop), to the stable and sandy shores
of the point. A nice walk through the rain forest brought us to the long
sweeping arc of the main beach without a soul in sight. Driftwood
goalposts were promptly erected for ann energetic game of soccer, with
the port side narrowly edging out starboard for an extra-time win. As
dinner reaches it´s final simmer lessons on sail theory and buoyage are
wrapping up. Everyone is doing well and looking forward to a calm night
at anchor.