CHALLENGER 2 – ON SIDE – LONDON
Day One
We boarded the ship in good weather. After waiting a while for Challenger 3’s crew to arrive we eventually set sail and had a pleasant start to our week. We had no idea what to expect however we were all pleasantly surprised by the interior of the ship. After settling into our cabins we were an in depth briefing about what would be happening both above and below deck. Unfortunately after the engine completely breaking down, we had to call the other challenger to slowly tow us into Cowes where we were told we would have to wait until at least the next morning to see if the challenger could continue. By the end of the day we were very tired and got to bed swiftly. Bar a couple of peoples incessant snoring, it was a pleasant sleep considering the tight area that each person has.
Day 2 had a terrible start. Despite Portwatch’s valiant effort at raising the mood through a large spread for breakfast, we were, to our extreme displeasure, told that we would have to wait for an engineer to come and repair our boat. After shopping for the week, we split into 2 groups, where one group went aboard Challenger 3 for a quick voyage, whilst the other stayed here for some theoretical work.
The crew on Challenger 3 had a fantastic time, in rough seas, where they learnt how to raise and lower sails, as well as tack many times – Abu’s favourite moment was climbing the mast to help lower the main sail. The only downside was someone was feeling slightly sick.
The group that stayed on the Challenger 2 explored the nearby landscape and local high street, even going as far as to venture onto a chain ferry (twice!) before returning to the ship and preparing a lovely spag bol dinner.
Hamza and Abu
