Location: Middle of nowhere
Last night, a challenge between crew members rose. Who could helm the boat for the entire watch, so for 4 hours, without pause? This means no toilet breaks, no sitting, no snacks. The person at the helm is not allowed to let go of it until the end. To make it harder, the participants were only allowed minimal clothing: a pair of shorts, a PFD, and a beanie. If a woman were to enter the competition, they would naturally be allowed a top. With the climate getting much colder, this makes the challenge a lot harder than it already is. Jack and Keally have already completed the challenge, and Darius is determined to join them tonight.
This morning, we put up the 6 sails. Not having the noise from the engine is a great relief. Vela is stunning when all the sails are up. For lunch, we had the best-grilled cheese I had ever had, with homemade bread by Brianne and homemade hummus by Ines. After cleanup, we had a double seamanship class where we learned how to operate VHFs. After that, we had a leadership class where Courtney and Savana presented group dynamics. The learning game was a lot of fun as we had to guide our mates through a drawn maze using only our voices while they were blindfolded. When classes were over, those who failed their EFR, Emergency First Response, exams had the opportunity to try again. Now, the whole boat is first emergency responder certified. Dinner was delicious burrito bowls, but in plates for some reason. As I am writing, the wind has died, and we might have to turn the engine on again:((((((
Picture 1: Sunset
Picture 2: Keally doing the challenge, with Jackson behind him and Joshua is in the background
Picture 3: Watch team 3 hiding from the cold