Highlights included climbing up the mast (see photo below taken from the top by crew mate Oli.) Not only was this ridiculously scary it was also really hard work too - I had naively presumed that I would be hoisted up there and would just get to enjoy a little ride up to the top so when I was told I actually had to put some effort in and climb it was a bit of a shock! Really need to work on my hand signals too as when I got about three quarters up and was being bounced around all over the place my lovely crew members thought that my manic waving was just over excitement meaning I wanted to go higher and not that I was signaling to get me down asap - Eek!
Anyway, highlight number 2 had to be sailing to Alderney which I have mentioned in this blog so many times (here, here and here)...my most favourite place in the world where I spent so many happy summers as a child. We munched on burgers and had a walk on one of Alderney's lovely beaches. Perfect.
Other highlights included...seeing dolphins (naturally I jumped up and down like a five year old), cooking fajitas for 16 (oh yes), star spotting in the amazing clear skies, spiking the spinnaker (essentially climbing up a rope and sitting on a pole then letting a sail the size of a tennis court down by stabbing a spike into a catch. Awesome). And of course meeting lots of lovely people (including our fab skippers and first mate - Oli, Simon and Emily), laughing till I couldn't stop, conversations under the stars, winning our first mini race against another level 2 boat, relays up and down the deck whilst attached by our safety lines, passing my Day Skipper exam (which a little help from my friends...ahem), snoozes on the sail, G&Ts every eve....I could go on....
Here's some photos.
Oo and a video of the dolphins (thankfully you can't hear my squealing from the other side of the boat)
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