Bravo Team has been waiting for this day for over a month. After spending four weeks working on Townshend in the NWMC boatshop, today we were able to splash her back into the water. We also took advantage of the rowers to help the boatshop haulout Bear, our other longboat onto the empty trailer.
Raingear was crucial to the morale of the group today and we headed down to the north end of Point Hudson Marina, following Townshend as she was driven on her trailer to the SEA Marine boat lift. She splashed in the water and as soon as she was afloat, we checked her bilges to see if she was taking up (boats in a dry shop tend to shrink and take time to swell again). Unstepping masts on Bear, we rowed her into place for the haulout. A few new Bravo Team students had never rowed before so it was a quick study.
With Bear situated for haulout, we focused on Townshend and stepping her masts. We were able to take her on a short row around the marina and out onto Port Townsend Bay for just a few boat lengths before we headed back into Point Hudson Marina. The rain fell steadily and lots of students mentioned being ready to go inside to hot drinks in the classroom.
After safely tying up, we brought our gear back to the bosun’s locker and headed up to the classroom for our snack, hot drinks, and more environmental project discussion. Each class in each year of Bravo Team, has led an environmental project that helps bring action to an environmental concern in the Salish Sea. Plans are developing for our Spring 2020 project so stay tuned!
Our final reflection involved the question, “What happened today that was unexpected?” Some folks answered: morale was high despite the cold and the rain, rowing was fun, ‘magic bathtub’ name game, and someone’s gloves got soaking wet.