So, today was joining day and honestly it was an absolute whirlwind. The weather clearly could not decide what vibe it wanted, super windy but with random bursts of sunshine like it was trying to apologise.

Everyone arrived for briefings and introductions, which basically meant us pretending we totally knew what was going on. Families came to wave goodbye, but they were kicked out by 1:30 pm so we could “focus,” which really meant figuring out where everything on the boat actually was without looking clueless.

We did the full boat tour, above deck and below deck, and yes, the infamous how to use the loo at sea lesson. Then came the MOB drill where Amalie got volunteered (kind of) as the rescue swimmer, and somehow made it look easy. We also learned about lifejackets and harnesses and then did this wild deck assault course in the dark where we had to stay clipped on while the boat moved like it had somewhere better to be.

Dinner was fajitas, which was an elite choice, followed by a very competitive round of Uno and general hanging out. It was a pretty perfect way to chill after a chaotic day. By bedtime everyone was half asleep and half buzzing.

Chocolate and sweets supplies are currently low to moderate, but we are coping.

Today started early with U2 singing It’s a Beautiful Day through the speakers. It might have been a beautiful day, but at 7 am most of us were basically zombies. We dragged ourselves up, prepped the boat, and got everything ready with Yankee 2, the staysail and the main. It felt very official for a bunch of sleepy teenagers trying to find their way round the boat.

We left Portsmouth and headed into the main channel. Getting the main up for the first time felt like a minor victory. Y2 went up too, and we cruised around the east side of the Isle of Wight before turning south for Cherbourg. This is when the seas decided to test us and our stomachs!  Lumpy seas meant numbers dropped we unintentionally played sleeping lions, finding nooks and sheltered bits on deck to hide in (or spaces to vom over the side or in buckets, with 75% success rate on aim!).  Well done to those who managed to avoid joining Green Watch and B who showed quite the bounce back after the spidey tingles of ‘I’m gonna be sick’ warned her to shift in time to a receptacle!

Eventually the sea calmed down, and we made a solid run across the channel. No scary tanker encounters, no chicken games and no drama. We sailed into Cherbourg in sunshine with decent winds, which made us all forget how gross we felt earlier. Once tied up, we put the boat to bed and had stew for dinner, which tasted way better than it sounds when you have been in the wind all day. Then everyone pretty much crashed instantly. Fresh air poisoning is a real thing. Absolutely confirmed.

Also, important update on the skipper. James did technically wear his bunny ears, although he kept them in his trouser pocket like a chaotic Easter pirate. He managed to find most of his birthday eggs, stand by for Wednesday’s updates. Happy birthday to James, and big thanks to Hugo (On Challenger 2) for keeping him fuelled with enough chocolate to power a small city.

Chocolate and sweets supplies are now at a moderate level, which weirdly matches the sea state.

Dawn’s chorus today was the Lion King’s Circle of Life blasting through the boat speakers. It definitely woke us up, although no one was thrilled about being conscious at 0730. Still, it did the job and got everyone moving.

Breakfast was an absolute win. A sneaky WL mission (thank you Other James, legend) meant Pain au Chocolat and croissants from a local patisserie appeared like magic. Honestly the best start to a morning so far.

Once boat prep was done, we headed ashore in Cherbourg for sugary treats, juice and a fast wander around town. Then it was back to the boat to slip lines at 11 am boat time. Boat time is apparently the same as UK time, but we all agreed it felt like some weird alternate dimension.

Sails went up as we left the harbour, and we had an amazing run down the coast. We even hit the Alderney Race at the perfect moment, no overfalls and no feeling like we were on a white-water ride. For once, nature actually cooperated.

Everything was great until the wind bailed on us. The headsails came down and the engine went on. The engine then decided it was done with life and threw off one of its hoses, dumping a whole lot of water into the bilge. Not ideal. With the coastguard on standby, the crew pumped the water out, reattached the hose and coaxed the engine back into being a functioning piece of machinery. After an hour of chaos, we were back on our way. Every 15-minute engine checks became the new mission.

The headsails kept going up and down like a workout session designed by someone who hates teenagers, but we survived. We dropped the last sails after a stunning sunset and cruised into Guernsey ready for a chilled day alongside.

Overall, it was a packed day of learning knots, setting sails, teamwork and general chaos, but in a good way. Zero seasickness, lots of laughter and a boatload of resilience from everyone.

Chocolate and sweets supplies are now high, which matches the mood on board after such a solid day.

Today started with something completely different. We headed over to the GSPCA for an amazing behind the scenes visit, thanks to TSYT volunteer Steve. He now manages the Guernsey SPCA and looks after everything from cats to geckos, tortoises to seals. The place was unreal. We saw a baby gecko that had arrived from the Maldives yesterday and was recovering in intensive care from its accidental flight to Guernsey, and we met Hilda, a ninety-year-old tortoise who was left to the centre in someone’s will fifteen years ago. Steve used to sail regularly with TSYT for years on Stavros S Niarchos, his time now is taken up with running the GSPCA but also volunteering his time across the island in so many ways!  He gave us a proper look at the work he does in Guernsey with a huge team caring for loads of animals and raising funds for all the good stuff they do, it’s amazing – Thank you!!

Lunch was next, along with the most chaotic meal planning session for the next two days. Trying to organise everyone was basically like herding cats. The shopping mission somehow worked and turned into a full supermarket sweep. Lunch prep brought out some iconic quotes, including “how do you turn an oven on?”, “I have never made food before”, and the post lunch classic “I am not Cinderella, I can feel the blood rushing to my head” [while someone was bent under the table attacking crumbs with a dustpan and brush for the first time].

In the afternoon, we headed into St Peter Port for a wander, grabbed some fresh air and then got back to the boat for fuelling and prepping for the passage home tomorrow. We checked weather, tides and the navigation marks we will be spotting at each end, gearing up for the hundred mile run back to Cowes.

This evening, we finally got much needed showers and freshened up before repacking our bags for the channel crossing tomorrow. Some bunks looked like a bomb had gone off earlier, but everything is sorted now. Dinner was Spag Bol with garlic bread, which absolutely hit the spot. Now we have tunes, games and chill time before a big day tomorrow.

Chocolate and sweets supplies are now so high that we could probably fuel the boat all the way back to Cowes with Haribo alone.