Townshend is in great shape and we hit the bay ready to row after snowpocolypse finally let up. We were all happy to get out on the water again with several new team members to train up! It was a cold day but we layered up and practiced our power strokes to keep warm. A crew overboard drill gave us a chance to maneuver under oar and help new people learn the rowing commands. During our moment of silence, we were able to relax and take in the unique scenery with snow showing on the surrounding bluffs. We enjoyed snacking on Cliff Bars for energy! Thank you to the Cliff Bar company for donating!

We came back to the dock a little early, so we could get to work on our environmental project. We split into teams of 2-3 people on the following topics: Plastics in the Ocean, Deforestation, Southern Resident Orcas, and Ocean Acidification. Some research had already been done on these topics in previous classes.  Returning students shared information with their new teammates and filled in a worksheet to help focus our study. We are getting closer to choosing one of these four topics to do our project on this year.

At the end of class we reflected on what we appreciate about the group or about a particular crew member. Responses ranged from “this group gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning” to “everyone helping each other on the boat”. This class is a valuable offering for the students of the OCEAN program at PT School District. It gives students who have chosen the alternative route for education a meaningful way to connect and work together with others as well as providing a service to the community by maintaining the longboat and doing environmental project work.