2012 Trip 1 - Pacific Swift

Leaving our anchorage from the Twin Islands we headed down the Strait once more to gain some southerly momentum. The day was filled with sunshine! We have been waiting for a beautiful day like this for a while and it finally came along with some burnt shoulders, feet, and noses, but so many happy hearts. It´s amazing what a change in the weather can do. Trainees spent the morning reviewing their lessons from the past week and followed up with their Junior Sail Training test in the afternoon. There were also a lot of good times just spent hanging out and talking as the day progressed. One of the greatest things to happen onboard is that time in the trip when everyone starts to get into the rhythm of life at sea. A day like this spent onboard is when that is most likely to happen. Watches and meals come and go, you have a great list of things you´d like to get done, and in the end of the day you´re never sure where all the time has gone. We were earnestly hoping the wind would come up and give us even a little bit of a sail down, but no such luck. We made our anchorage at Hornby Island just as everyone was finished up with tests and promptly opened up the “pool” and rope swing for everyone to cool down from the hot day and enjoy the last of the warm water before we make our way down to into the Gulf Islands today. Last night we rowed the dories in and spent the evening on the beach, or what was left of it after most of the tide had come in. We spent a few hours playing games and hanging out in the sunset. A couple highlights from last night: A giant game of “Big Booty” (a rhythm and clapping game) where our first mate Sam reigned “Biggest Booty” after some close dethrone-ings by Amanda, Isabella, Tannis, and Stephanie; there was an exciting game of Ultimate Frisbee where Griffen, Eamon, Leonard, Michael, Ansell, and David rang out as allstars for the evening; and perhaps funniest and saddest moment was when Isabella found half a snake, that by the expression on it´s face was having the time of it´s life before it got cut in half by a local lawnmower... Today is day 7 and “Boat Sunday” and all the boat is sleeping in a little. We´ll have a Sunday Service aboard later today and a one sitting breakfast of Crepes, bacon, and hash browns, cooked up by Sam, Skipper David, and Zach before we cross our fingers for some wind and start our journey south once more.