Location: Mountain Point, BVI
Today was a day of firsts for the Ocean Star Crew. First night-watch shifts, first (and hopefully only!) feeling of “no air” as our dive tanks were briefly turned off during skills practice, first sail, first ocean mammal sighting (dolphins!), and first giving thanks. After an early morning night watch shift (4 to 5 am, to be exact), I snuck in a couple more hours of sleep in a hammock on deck. I woke up to a slow sunrise over the peak of Virgin Gorda in Savannah Bay. Knowing I was “Skipper of the Day,” I was excited to get the day going. The morning consisted of our second round of confined water drills and getting the boat ready for 40/40 – meaning 40 knots of wind or 40 degrees of the heel (not expected today, but it’s good to always be prepared). As we motored out of Savanna Bay, we raised our first sail of the trip as a group. I kept the boat in irons as the crew raised the sail, then steered the boat through a few tacks and jibes as Ben taught about wind direction and points of sail. In the afternoon, we reached Mountain Point, Virgin Gorda, and set our anchor for the night. Deck showers and dinner followed anchoring. Finally, my “squeeze question” for the group was, “What are you most thankful for on this trip so far?” The group unanimously answered by giving thanks to our teachers for fostering new experiences, each other for new friendships, and our parents for supporting us in this great adventure. The sweet sunset sealed the deal and got us amped for another day in paradise.
Sail fast, Delaney