Challenger 3 – Half Term Adventure
Onboard Challenger 3 this week, we have a group of 12-15-year-olds joining us for a four-night adventure!
Read their blog to find out more. 👇
Day 1
Monday 21
The day started off grey and blustery and ended up sunny and blustery. 💨
After all of our fellow crew members had arrived, we went through how to safely put on and clip a lifejacket, danger areas above deck and learnt how to tie three types of knots [clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches and a bowline].
After cooking and eating dinner, as well as washing and cleaning up the remains, we had some free time. As this blog is being written before we have free time and go to sleep, we do not know what will happen, only that there will probably be a Monopoly game.
Knot uses:
Clove hitch : Used to tie something – usually rope – to a fender, a metal rail
Round turn and two half hitches: See Clove hitch for their main use, although we are informed they are multi-purpose
Bowline: Used to tie non-slip knots – for example, when mooring a ship – but are again, multi-purpose
Day 2
Tuesday 22
At 07:00 we were awakened from our hammocks to prepare the ship for the day’s sailing and travel to Cowes via eastern Solent.
We got the ship ready to launch, through lots of pulling sheets (ropes) and hauling large sails from one side of the ship to the other. Quite a lot of this time was spent repeatedly fishing ropes out of the water.
We soon motored out of the harbour and were finally hit with the wind. During the trip we did not raise any of the sails as it was gale force seven wind and we would have died.
Piotr and Ellis got a chance to steer the boat, which they enjoyed. During this time we discovered that Ellis had sacrificed a glove to the sea, so we safely made it to Cowes harbour via a more direct route.
Day 3
Wednesday 23
At 08:00 we got up and got the boat ready for departure towards Yarmouth.
The sea was calm when we left and it was good weather to put the sail out. It was a bit of an experience due to the fact that the boat rolled over a lot and we sacrificed a hat and a towel to the sea so we could make it to Yarmouth safely via a zig-zag route.
We also had some turns steering the boat (Ellis, Sam, Solly and Piotr) with the sail up.
We ended the day with a text book mooring and had fajitas for dinner.
Day 4
Thursday 24
At Yarmouth harbour we set sail at 06:00 to catch the tide. It was windy and cold! The original plan was to go to Cowes harbour and do some night sailing but the plan changed and we headed straight for Portsmouth.
We spent about five hours at sea before getting to Portsmouth, where we docked the Challenger. Some people had a go at helming (Ellis and Piotr) in the horrible weather before Jim took over and sailed us into the harbour. For dinner we are having bangers and mash and then we are going to bed.
Tomorrow on the final day, we are getting up, having breakfast and then going home. We’ll have to clean the boat beforehand of course. We all had a good time and made friends and we’d definitely go sailing again.