First we arrived in Portsmouth with our bags ready to meet the team and boat. We said goodbye to our parents and boarded the boat. We then had a safety briefing, learning about all the different hazards that we could come across and what to do if they happened. We also all introduced ourselves and all said where we came from.

Once we had set sail, our first task was to unravel the sails and raise them. The sails we were raising were the Yankee 2 and Staysails. It required everyone to use the skills that we’d just been taught, and was a big group effort to get them up.

After this, we sailed comfortably for a while before a man fell overboard! Don’t worry, it was just a drill! We had to pick up the horseshoe buoy that was in the sea. We successfully saved the buoy and sailed on for Yarmouth.

When we were nearly there, the Starboard team (my team) were required to cook dinner for the crew and leaders. We had to prepare pasta bolognese. This went rather well, apart from one burnt pan, and everyone enjoyed their meal.

After dinner, the Port team had to clear away the mess we had made in the kitchen while we went and had first showers.

It’s been a fun and successful day one, and we are looking forward to the rest of the trip!

On the second day we left Yarmouth, by getting the sails up for the first time. This deemed to be quite a challenge, but our team pulled through. We hoisted the Mainsail and both head sails. We also hoisted the pole and poled out the Yankee 2 to windward. We ran downwind towards Weymouth goosed-winged. As the day progressed, friendship blossomed in the vast cobalt blue waves and our camaraderie grew.

For lunch we had some delicious pasties and beans underway. We eventually dropped sails, brought up fenders and lines and docked at Weymouth for dinner, which was some tasty fish (cooked by us), supplemented by chips from the chip shop!! After the fuss of cleaning up, we gratefully threw ourselves onto our bunks for the night.

On the third day at 11:00, the crew set sail from Weymouth, after having to flop out of our bunks at half past six. We hoisted the Staysail and Yankee 2 and perfected our tacking skills in a strong easterly breeze.

Overall, we worked well as a crew cracking jokes, telling stories and what not. We eventually anchored at Worbarrow Bay for pasta, which our watch made. The sea was quite rough while anchored; bashing our boat around while some poor souls were cooking. Some of our crew members made a delicious cake, which we all shared after lunch… while others (not mentioning names) caught up on some sleep.

After lunch, we hoisted the Mainsail and both fore-sails and set sail for Lymington, which is to be our overnight stop. Once we arrived (quite late), we tidied the ship and cooked thai green curry with naan bread. Yum!!

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BREAKFAST: We started off the morning with some delicious pancakes made by our lovely Skipper, Terry. Afterwards Kate’s watch cleaned the boat including toilets, kitchen and floors, while John’s watch prepped the deck for the day ahead.

MORNING: Before we set sail for the day, the whole mighty crew had a go at climbing and ab-sailing from the 29 metre mast. Many found this exhilarating, yet some overcame their fears and enjoyed it nonetheless. The views were incredible with a clear blue sky making it very tempting to whip out our phones for a photo! We made sure that we wore helmets and our harness was safely secured and fastened.

LUNCH: Around 13:00 our watch (Kate’s) cooked and served jacket potatoes with a choice of tuna mayo, cheese and beans. It was thoroughly enjoyed and everyone was fuelled up and ready for many tacking events. The crew readied the foredeck for travel through strong winds and due to much difficulty to escape the same area of water, we turned on the engine to leave at a faster pace. Instead of our usually entertaining, beautiful landscapes, we encountered and parked alongside a motor-boat race to watch, which was  a delight.

AFTERNOON: We are currently anchored and prepping a delicious meal for dinner, sausages and mashed potatoes. The rest of us are packing our personal belongings and making sure the deck is ready for the night. After dinner, we will complete some night-time navigation.

By Alice and Amelia.​