All got up at 7:30 or earlier and got ready to leave port to head back to Portsmouth L.

8:22am = set off and began to clean the boat and have breakfast. We were motoring back.

10:22am = Got into port and finished cleaning the boat. Had debriefs with Watch Leaders individually and took a GROUP PICTURE because WE ARE AWESOME and had THE BEST TIME!

Thank you so much to John, Steve, Dan and Saoirse for all their help and to Tall Ships for allowing us the chance to have this opportunity.

Moved from one pontoon to a walk-on pontoon at around 8 and then spent the morning in Cherbourg until 7pm.

7:00pm = set off from shore with a smooth exit.

9:00pm = sailing away from port with the main sail hoisted.

10:00pm = Weirdos watch were the first on night watch (each watch were doing 4 hours). The Weirdos saw dolphins and it was sooooo cool!!!

11:00pm = motor sailing North and the day tank got pumped up. A lot of stars in the sky and we could see them very clearly, pointed out a few constellations and Nic, Nathan and Mollie had a chat about Greek myths.

12:00am = still motor sailing, the radar was checked and we slowed down slightly. Mollie’s glasses kept getting condensation on them so she had to keep wiping her glasses while helming.

1:00am = still motor sailing and it started to get foggy, the stars disappeared so we couldn’t use the Big Dipper to head in the right direction (which made us go off course a little) and Nathan, Cat and Jack were on watch in the snake pit, singing Christmas songs to stay awake.

2:00am = watch switch, the fog got thicker and we were still motor sailing.

3:00am = motor sailing and the fog got even thicker.

4:00am = wind started to slowly pick up.

5:00am = head sails were put up and the motor was turned off.

6:00am = watches changed and the Kiddos got more sleep than the Weirdos. Carried on sailing and started heading back on course because we ended up too far West.

7:00am = Yankee 1 and Stay Sail were taken down and the engine was turned back on.

8:00am = Main sail was taken down and breakfast was set out on the table. Pain au chocolates for breakfast was amazing because they are THE BEST EVERRRRR!

9:00am = dropped the anchor 4.4 metres in the water. We stayed anchored until 12. We practiced some Competent Crew skills and some people had a swim.

12:00pm = lifted up the anchor, turned the engine on and Yankee 2 was hanked up. We were getting ambushed by flying ants. Had some delicious jacket spuds made by Steve and the Kiddos (THANK YOU).

1:00pm = we hoisted the main sail and were sailing along well.

2:00pm = Yankee 2 and the Stay sail were hoisted and the engine was turned off.

3:00pm = sailing along well and had no concerns.

4:00pm = had a big singsong sat on the high side of the boat with our feet dangling down (Cat, Mollie and Nic performed Pitch Perfect songs for everyone). Did a few tacks and had no concerns.

5:00pm = practiced some knots for Competent Crew and did another tack.

6:00pm = all 3 sails were dropped (very nicely if I do say so myself J ).

7:00pm = came alongside Challenger 3 and put the sails away (everyone got under the sail back and was tucked in, it was very cosy).

8:00pm = we were in port alongside Challenger 3 and went for a walk (it felt like we were still going over waves, too used to the sea?) then the Weirdos watch prepared dinner when we got back.

For the rest of the night we went through some Competent Crew syllabus and lounged around until we went to bed. Some people packed their bags to be prepared (smart or what?)

Mollie and Cat.

5:00am = woke up, started prepping to move, pulled anchor back up and started to motor on course to France.

5:30am = everyone was awake and ready to go and the Kiddos watch prepared breakfast.

6:00am = hoisted the Main Sail for the first time but the halyard was twisted so we had to drop it and try again. The same thing happened again so it was third time luckyJ.

7:00am = Yankee sail 1 was pulled up on deck.

8:30 = Yankee 1 and the Stay Sail had been put up (after more twists in the halyards) and we did a tack.

9:00am = Turned off the motor and sailed, the Weirdos had the first watch for two hours and most of the Kiddos went back to sleep. Martin fell out of his bunk while he was asleep :’D.

10:30am = everyone in Weirdos watch had helmed and Nathan was helming while the rest of us practiced tying knots and learning new things. Mollie got really excited about the new way to tie a bowline and Cat renamed the Alpine butterfly knot to ‘Olly the Octopus’.

11:00am = Weirdos and Kiddos swapped, Kiddos went on watch and practiced knots, learned parts of the boat. Some of the Weirdos went to sleep and the others made a brew for everyone.

12:00pm = sailing through shipping lanes.

1:55pm = dropped the Yankee and Stay sail and practiced a man overboard.

3:00pm = we changed direction slightly in order to pass another vessel.

4:00pm = there wasn’t much to do within this hour so we just played some music and had a watch change.

5:00pm = land ahead.

6:00pm = came alongside yacht Gusto and assisted them with their engine.

7:00pm = started towing yacht Gusto from the stern.

8:00pm = still towing yacht Gusto and we prepared food.

9:00pm = took down the main sail and came into port in Cherbourg while towing Gusto.

10:00pm = in port and moored up and started to put the sails away.

11:00pm = finally time for bed J.

Mollie and Cat.

12:00am = Mollie and Cat’s anchor watch.

12:02am = learned how to fill in the ship’s logbook.

12:30am = had a brew and sat on deck with Nic J saw a satellite and figured out constellation names and shapes.

1:00am = completed hourly log.

1:13am = we sat on deck and watched the international space station go by directly over the mast.

1:20am = started brewing up for the next watch.

1:30am = Katie and Ellie’s anchor watch.

Mollie and Cat.

7:40AM = we leave the centre on our way to Portsmouth and stop twice in the next 5-6 hours.

2:00pm = around 2 pm we arrive in Portsmouth and we loaded the boat ready for the voyage. We then had a safety briefing about being safe on the boat. Plus we got put into watches Weirdos and Kiddos. [Skipper edit – they chose their own names!]

9:15pm = everyone enjoys a meal prepared by watch group Weirdoes. Chicken fajitas and veg however the vegetarians only had the veg (sweet corn, beans, onions, etc).

10:30 pm = anchor watches start throughout the night. Sam and George did the first watch (10:30pm till 12am).