Welcome dear readers, today we have set sail on the Challenger 2. On board this mighty vessel we have learned to do many different things such as tying knots.

When we got on the boat at 1PM. We then got assigned into two groups to do our tasks and we got a tour around the vessel and got briefs on safety and what to do on the boat. And just before we set sail, we got a tutorial and got our life vests fitted to ensure we do not drown.

When we set sail, two people at the front and three people at the back and three in the middle to release the roving fender and slip the stern as to prevent us from hitting of the docks. Once we set sail into open waters Toby saw bees and was astonished by their distance from the mainland “the bees of the ocean” – DR McKinstry. There was also noticeable changes to the scenery as we got closer and closer to Bangor and could see Newcastle in the distance. Noah, Toby and Jude went to the front of the vessel where they then helped Sharon prepare for parking at the docks.

What we are doing now is different for both teams as one of the teams is currently washing after our team made dinner, we are typing this blog (we includes Noah and Jude) the rest are talking about a concert and singing about magic, there is word of us going onto land to get showers but we will see how that goes later.

What we are doing tomorrow is making breakfast for both teams and preparing to set sail then start sailing towards Scotland where we can go to a giant CO-OP which was the highlight of Jonah’s previous journey on this vessel.

Today on our voyage to Scotland, we woke up at 6 o’clock and did deck prep, it consisted of putting up our sails, putting the fenders and the ropes in the sail locker. When we were sailing out of Belfast loch, we discovered how rocky the boat can be. It started as 2 people being seasick then turned into 4, then 7 and eventually there were only two left on deck…

The skipper Terry helped all the seasick people and brought them to their bunks [and Izzy]. The last two people got to steer the ship and battle to see how long we could last. Then Emma went down and it was only Jonah left. He was up there for 4 whole hours on his own with the crew. The last man standing . An hour after lunch the rest of the seasick people emerged because it was less rocky than before.

We all started chatting and listening to music while putting up the Yankee sail then Jonah and Zara went down to make our dinner. They cut up the vegetables and stirred the pot. Then dinner arrived we put on our Hawaiian shirts and ate our tasty curry.

After our delicious dinner we got showers and went to the amazing fantastic and wonderful co-op! there were Scottish snacks like red cola and tablet. After our long 12-hour boat trip we are settling down for bed. We will write again tomorrow.

To begin the day, we woke up to some bad news – the water pump had developed a fault. However, a man called Monkey came to bring us a replacement part for the engine.

After breakfast, we climbed the VERY, VERY tall 29-metre mast! It was very scary, but the view from the very top was impeccable. To reach such heights, we needed two people “sweating” at the bottom, pulling on the ropes to hoist the climber up.

Because the engine was being repaired, we went on a pirate treasure hunt, solving riddles full of mystery that eventually led us to a golden bounty (and some bubbles too!). The trail took us through a forest that was supposedly full of adders (venomous snakes). After surviving that scary experience, we walked towards Shell Beach. However, the tide was in, so instead we headed to a nearby rock formation where we climbed across the rocks, explored the rock pools and the fascinating ecosystems living within them, and admired the views across the sea. Jude even found some quartz. Oh, and Jonah accidentally dropped his parrot into one of the rock pools!

After that, we enjoyed some free time in the park with ice lollies and other treats before finishing the day with some delicious fish and chips while taking in the view.

The evening ended with the football match, where England were playing Argentina in the World Cup semi-final for a place in the final against Spain. Noah and Jonah cooked themselves some Simon Howie Premium Steak Lorne (the Scottish classic made with prime cuts of 100% UK beef), which tasted absolutely banging.

Opinions on the match were divided, with most people supporting England, while three of us were backing the obviously better team – Argentina – even though Messi definitely shouldn’t have been playing because of an obvious handball in a previous match… (which isn’t actually true!)

Argentina went on to win 2–1. Throughout the game, Jude was testing names for his parrot against Jonah’s suggestion. Jude wanted to call it Tim, while Jonah suggested Noah Angus Young Callender. In the end, Noah Angus Young Callender won by one vote.

After celebrating Argentina’s AMAZING victory, we all headed to bed.