Our final day was a scorcher. Following an electrical storm last night, we awoke and prepared for breakfast. It was pancakes (or eggy bread for those that chose it). Starboard watch prepared and cooked the food, and we all enjoyed a variety of toppings including banana, syrup, chocolate spread (no nuts) and lemon and sugar. We left Cowes at about 9:30, and went underway after lots of work putting sails away etc. We navigated our way out of the port and headed towards Portsmouth, our final destination. On our way, we put out our spinnaker pole, which juts out of the side of the bot by about 5 metres. It’s attached to the boat buy two guy ropes. We took it in turns to race up the fore guy, after a suitably speedy demo from Sam, who timed 12 seconds from the boat to the pole. Everyone did their best and most people succeeded. Jonny broke Sam’s mark with an incredible 11 seconds, and Reuben secured 12 seconds. Following this, we tackled some cleaning jobs and then prepared lunch, tomato soup. It seemed silly due to the heat that we were having hot soup but when we got to eating we were all pretty hungry so we enjoyed it very much. We soon arrived in Portsmouth and made our way to the other challengers, where we moored alongside challenger 2. This required some concentration but we were soon alongside. After another hour of tiding and putting the boat to sleep, we all gathered to go mast climbing. There are limited footholds on the mast so all of that weren’t climbing or operating the winches had to sweat them up to the top. The views from the top of the mast were incredible, as you could look across the whole of the marina from 27 metres up. And finaly, our voyage was over.

The End

Jono

Well today didn’t start in the best way with the generator and atrocious music that should have been played the night before when we were sailing in the dark. We tacked our way from our night location with all three sails to Cowes harbour. Van I was happy to be getting off to have a shower as everyone was starting to smell a bit. So we all went to the sea and the sea was cold because Tilly and Freya are wimps. Fortunately the showers were alright and w o r m. After that the lads were able to have reasonably long showers and were then able to go to Sainsbury’s twice but the girls took forever and were late by 10 mins and still only went to Sainsbury’s once. We’ve also been trusted with money for breakfast and bangers and mash are for diner which should be good this is the first meal I’ve actually wanted eat after the first night when I threw up and the lovely people on board have helped me feel so much better from the bad jokes to good weather. I kind of do want to leave to get my comfy bed but also don’t because it’s such a lovely atmosphere. I am enjoying writing this blog but now I must go.     –Tillmeister out. (MIC drop)

*Insert slightly upper-class monotone voice here* this morning we arrived at Portsmouth at such and such a time that we could be deemed by certain individuals as “Early birds.”

We were greeted by the gratuitous face of Iain as he politely opened the gate for the late(ish) arrivals for the Tallships Challenger three. We were deftly divided into different watches (groups) in which we do most tasks throughout the trip. We were then escorted to our esteemed hammocks of residence in which we would be sleeping. We lobbed our bags at our bunks.

The port watch was first assigned to set up the sails to be ready for sailing while the starboard watch was first making lunch. We were on some jaag as ship and set sail for some old geezer Harry and his stumpy wife. After what seemed like roughly 7 hours, 4 minutes and 3.74 seconds, we anchored up and port watch made dinner while starboard put the boat to sleep. After that, part of the whole group started to wash up as 2 alpha males undertook the arduous task of writing this existentialistic blog.

Simon + George