Location: Mountain Point, Virgin Gorda, BVI
This morning, after a hearty breakfast of oatmeal and an assortment of succulent fruit, we had a pin rail orientation. This was a race to test the shipmate’s knowledge of the location of lines, and it included a lesson in hydration. We separated everyone into two groups, odds and evens, and our first mate, Tor, would call out a line, and then the first person in line would have to speed walk (no running on deck) to the correct pin the fastest. Upon completion, they would hurry back to the start line and then chug half a bottle of water and hold it upside down on their heads to score the point. It was a heated battle that came down to a sudden-death match where the oddballs ended up victorious over the lesser, even keels. This was all in preparation for our first sail today. As we made our way out of Savannah Bay, we were showered with goodbyes and farewells from the ActionQuest squad. As Kris turned the boat head-to-wind, we feverishly attempted to raise sails for the first time. It was a perfect day for it as well. The wind was steady and not overpowering, and the sun shone bright with barely a cloud in sight.
After we practiced a few tacking and jibbing maneuvers, we heaved for lunch to steady the boat. After everyone had eaten their fill, we passed the jib, took in the sails, and continued on our way to our new destination, which was the mountain point. After we anchored, we set off for many of the shipmate’s first open-water dives! They are one step closer to being certified. Wahoo! It was a wonderful day so far, and the shipmates also have their first oceanography class tonight! It sure has been a jam-packed day so far, with the perfect sunset to bring it to a wonderful close.