Pacific Odyssey - Leg 2

It is the first night of Leg 2; we have a wonderful group of trainees,
we sense it already.  It feels very good to have the ship full of people again and the crew feel more rested.  By 0830 this morning trainees were starting to assemble for 1000 boarding, and by 1200 everyone had showed up. On the dock already friendships were being started as trainees waited and shared, while crew finished off last minute jobs.  After lunch Skipper and Jordan briefed trainees on some of the things they need to know.  Jose led an exercise where you spend 3 minutes discussing yourself with your neighbour.  Then, in turn, you tell the group about the person you just spent 3 minutes listening to.  It´s a great way to begin our knowledge about each other and what comes out can be quite funny, sometimes even incorrect
depending upon our ability to remember. After supper the SALTS rap video created by trainees of Leg 1 was shown; it´s quite amusing.  We were hoping to have a Mug-Up but the restaurant started up with loud live music of their own just as we were about to begin.  We will try again tomorrow if we´re feeling up to it; the first day out can be a bit rough on most of us as we get accustomed to the motion.  At the end of Leg 1, SALTS had a chance to review the invoices related to communication between the office and the ship.  Unfortunately we are quite a bit over budget and so there´s been a request to shorten the logs.  Today will probably be the last long log for awhile thanks to a wireless connection on the deck of the Grace due to our proximity to the restaurant!  It will force me to be a little more concise in my descriptions of our life at sea; not necessarily a bad thing.
Trainees seem excited to begin; enough thinking and planning, buying and packing, it´s time to live the experience.  We have quite a few returning coastal trainees as well as a couple of trainees from the previous offshore. Jeremy has joined us from the Quest program, as watch leader, and we are incredibly fortunate to have Sarah Warburton stay on for another leg as supporter in so many things.  She has sailed as watch officer on the last offshore, and has cooked and watch officered coastally. This, along with her wonderful countenance and patience and general interest in people, make her invaluable as part of our crew.  We are all benefiting from her being here. Trainees tonight had a final chance to eat ice cream, shop for last minute items, go out in the town etc.  I noticed some just taking the time to start their journals.  The first night is an experience as everyone starts to settle in.  Those big bags, all nicely packed with everything one needs, finally have to be unpacked, organized into a small area and the stuff begins to get used.  Using the heads for the first time, getting ready for bed, along with a lot of other people, getting used to a new sleeping space, possibly on deck, and learning and getting used to a new ship´s schedule etc., it can be a big deal; the last 24 hrs. has offered up many new changes already.  Tomorrow we are hoping to leave after lunch; when everyone feels as ready as they can be, bunks are set up, stuff is secure.  Skipper has been checking the weather and it looks good, north easterly winds, light
near the equator.  My attempt at writing earlier in the evening hasn´t
worked yet, it´s late, and Skipper is asleep on deck.  Fortunately for him, I can just press the SEND button and you will have something to read with your morning coffee. We are all looking forward to this leg, we feel ready and are excited to get to know the trainees and create a community with them.  Good night, Bonice...