Pacific Grace 2009 - Trip 4

It has been another fantastic day on Trip 4 aboard the Pacific Grace.  We awoke to sun and a promise of warmth, but possibly no sailing, as the sea was calm.  By 0900 hrs Stephen Duff, one of our watch leaders, had organized a party to start a cooking fire on the beach for the paella.  Krystle and Kiesa were busy in the galley preparing the chicken and the stock, while trainees on deck were chopping dozens of onions.  While food preparation was underway, Intermediates wrote their exam; charts were spread out over the deck and deckhouses and we had a record 14 trainees writing (for this year).

By 1200 hrs everyone was ashore. Jono and Ben created a table and benches to seat 40, out of the beach Driftwood.  Two cooking fires were heating up nicely in the sand.  Around the fire pits another log border kept trainees away from the heat and the coals. Stephen began the cooking of the paella in the 1m diameter pan while trainees and crew either helped, watched, built mermaid sandcastles, collected shells, swam, or just chatted with each other.  It was a wonderful event; the feeling was that of a large family gathering, enjoying each other´s company and eating good food.  It was interesting to watch the process of the cooking of the paella; it turned out excellent, with a caramel-like bottom crust and perfectly cooked grains of rice; delicious.  Stephen said it was the best one so far.  He has made them other years during the 10-day trips.  The 39 of us ate 3.75 kilos of arborio rice laced with safron, halibut, cod, chicken, green  beans, lima beans, homemade chicken stock, paprika, and yellow and red peppers.  The composition with the various colours was beautiful and the cameras were clicking.

We weighed anchor at 1430 hrs, searching for wind and looking forward to a downwind sail.  Unfortunately  this wasn´t in the cards, instead we enjoyed a relaxing run towards Ucluelet under a sunny sky.  Trainees worked to complete their oral exams for their Junior and Intermediate logbooks, made turks head bracelets and anklets, practiced their splicing and whipping, read, created straw animals with Dan, stood watch, and generally just enjoyed each others company.  We all know that our time together is limited and we are making the best of it.  Tonight we held our Talent Show and it was wonderful to watch, laugh, and listen to so many good acts.  Secret friends were unveiled with many "thank you, you were an awesome secret friend" offered.  We enjoyed Kiesa´s shortbread and spent some time reflecting on the past days together and what we have learned. 

Bedtime was late, as it always is on the final night.  Tomorrow we will spend a final morning together, making
plans I´m sure to somehow connect again.

Until next time, good night, Bonice.