On the first day of the voyage, it took around 5 hours to get to the port in Greenock. Upon arrival, we faced an eager anticipation to find Challenger 1, our vessel, and when we found it, we met the crew for the first time. The crew were very welcoming and friendly when introducing us to what life on board would be like; they went through safety inductions and gave us a tour of the boat to ensure we felt as comfortable as possible. Then, once we had put our belongings in our bunks, we geared up in any waterproofs and safety equipment that were necessary. Enthusiastically, we prepared the boat for sailing after which we were given the opportunity to sail the boat. In turns, we were able to commandeer the boat by acting as the main steerer with given guidance from the skipper, which was an exciting and unique opportunity. What we really appreciated was the fact that we were able to spend some time socialising with our fellow crewmates; as well as this, we were able to take pictures of the scenery so we could capture memories to take home with us and to keep for the rest of our lives. When we reached our destination, we got split into a port group and starboard group, in which our roles on the boat would be split across the entirety of the voyage. The port team were allocated the task of making dinner: splitting the different aspects of preparing the meal allowed us to connect with our other crewmates, as we worked together to cook for the whole group. We found the first day enjoyable which made us look forward to the following days!

Sanaa & Ammaarah

Today was an exciting and overwhelming day. We were challenged by the new routine as we had to wake up early at 6 o’clock, which was unusual at first because we don’t normally wake up this early, but it was worth it as we were able to see seals which was very serene.  Having to set up the mainsail and the headsail at around 7 o’clock was difficult because we did not have enough energy. However, we managed to pull through this as a team. This later made us realise that we were resilient and ambitious because we knew it was hard, yet we wanted to make it possible. On the other hand, as we made our long journey of 5 hours to Campbelltown, which was equally exciting and exhausting. It was exhausting as we couldn’t get a berth at Campbelltown, so we had to make another very extreme journey to Tarbert. Today was a very exciting day for me as I was helming which was a once in a lifetime opportunity as I was the one making decisions of where we were heading and if we were heading in the correct direction, which really helped me to build my decision-making skills and boost my confidence.

Another thing which I loved was how relaxing the sailing was, being able to just sit and see the breathtaking view. This has helped me get closer to the crew members. We had the chance to relax and have conversations. This made me realise that being on my phone stopped me from hanging out with lots of people. Sleeping on the deck was so relaxing and I absolutely loved it.

By Marwa & Misbah​

Breakfast was had and then we got the boat ready. We left Tarbert and headed out to sea. Day started with man overboard drill after we had left the harbour, after Paul (Skipper) had explained to us what the actual procedure was we started joking about who was going to jump over the edge and let us save them. Much to Mustafa’s disappointment we didn’t end up doing that cause of safety concerns, so we just pressed an overboard button and sent out the life ring with a flag attached to it to practice looking for someone’s head in the water.  Next, we all took turns climbing up ropes attached to the Spinnaker Pole Ayaan was really excited to do that and pretty sure he got the fastest time as well. The rest of the day was chill all the boys were pretty much half asleep when we ate lunch, we had tortellini which was a new experience for most of us others just had plain pasta which was a good substitute.

We headed back into Tarbert and tidied the boat up. We then climbed the mast, with most of us having a go and a lot of us made it to the top. Honestly, there was a second where I thought I was going to fall off, but I wound up making it in the end. We got to go out for tea most of us got pizza in a café and a few of us got dessert. It was a very nice treat, and we all appreciated it. After we went to the beach and had a competition to see who could find the best thing, I don’t know who won, but I think Marwa did, because she found a crab shell and the rest of us mostly got rocks. We then came back to the boat and before we knew it, it was time for bed.

By Xavier & Mustafa

Today we woke up at half seven and had breakfast. we then spent around 2 hours exploring the town of Tarbet where we visited the Royal Castle of Tarbert which really made us realise the importance of preserving historic monuments. We then visited the local church where we got a tour from a local lady who showed us around the church. The moment was truly mesmerising looking at the detailed architecture and decor: it was truly a moment of peace and tranquillity. Lastly before heading back to the boat for our departure, we explored the local souvenir shops which really helped us develop further understanding of the history of the town by talking to the local and the elderly shop owners.

Beginning our journey was pretty difficult due to the harsh weather conditions, which made helming and putting the sails up a very tough job. It was the first time during our voyage where we had experienced such intense weather, however we managed to persevere and continue our journey back to Greenock. In a way the journey today was quite similar to the voyage on day 2 as we had undertaken a lot of heeling which was a nerve-racking experience seeing the boat tilting so much to one side.  Upon arriving to Greenock, we had to wait for a huge cruise ship to leave before we could enter. We were given the opportunity to use the skippers’ binoculars which was amazing opportunity seeing things we wouldn’t have been able to notice such as the different types of birds in so much detail. Today was the first time I had participated in cooking things I had never made before which was truly an eye-opening experience seeing my ability to be able to do things I never thought I could do and making me want to further develop these skills.

By Zoya & Ayaan​