Today was the first day of Bravo Team for the 2016-17 school year. Every day we practice a moment of silence on the water. Our journalist chose to end today’s moment with a quote by Helen Keller, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

We have a full crew this year of both new and returning students, ranging from new sailors to experienced boaters. After some time getting to know each other (we love fuzzy bunnies, our pet dogs, peregrine falcons, red tail hawks, clams, giant pacific octopuses, porpoises, cheetahs, and sea turtles just to name a few things) we got ready to go on the water.

Down at the Boatswain’s locker we packed our coast guard required gear and checked off the packing list. Pretty soon we had two dock carts piled with gear- exposure suits, life rings, navigation equipment, VHF radios, and more.

A winter wind was blowing from the south east, which made for some challenging rowing but this crew persevered. We learned and practiced rowing commands and made our way along the Port Townsend waterfront. Then we dropped anchor and enjoyed our snacks (thanks Food Co-op!) After some rest we pulled up the hook and made our way back into Point Hudson. The wind gave us some opportunities to practice our power strokes!

After making it safely to the dock, we stowed our gear and settled in for a few minutes reflection. For most of us, the windy conditions were a “High Tide” of the day, a chance for adventure.