After around 85 hours of sailing, we have arrived in L'Orient, France. As we left Liverpool, with friends from the Oval and from Liverpool waving good-bye, it was hard not to think of all the sailing vessels that used to leave the harbor sailing for unknown lands. We just had to give up communications for a few days but when one is connected all the time to the world, those days felt like we had transitioned into another world.
Our first day was supposed to be fairly calm but we had a "baptism by fire" as the sea decided to be a mixture of waves going in all directions. So we had a very bonding experience of all looking green together and discovering how to throwing up over the bow with grace! But after 12 hours, the sea calmed down and the rest of the sail was incredible. On day two, we had dolphins swimming alongside of us all day and night. I will never forget looking out across the water and about 12 dolphins were jumping out of the water as if they were running to catch up with us. Once next to ship, they would dive in and out of the front of the boat. I love Seaworld but this was beyond that experience.
The school was divided into 4 hour watches with the crew and so around the clock each team trimmed sails, kept watch and just generally spent time getting to know each other. I stayed on a day watch and got up each morning at 6 to join the 4 to 8 crew. Who wouldn't jump out of bed to be able to sing and prayer together as the sun comes up over the water! It isn't hard to praise God in the midst of such beauty.
We leave tomorrow to sail to Bilboa, Spain where we will be for a short stop and then on to Lisbon, Portugal. My hope each day is that we will grow in our understanding of God's work in our lives and to experience the richness of his love that we want to share with those we meet on our travels.
I will post pictures later....but I better run to catch my boat!
Our first day was supposed to be fairly calm but we had a "baptism by fire" as the sea decided to be a mixture of waves going in all directions. So we had a very bonding experience of all looking green together and discovering how to throwing up over the bow with grace! But after 12 hours, the sea calmed down and the rest of the sail was incredible. On day two, we had dolphins swimming alongside of us all day and night. I will never forget looking out across the water and about 12 dolphins were jumping out of the water as if they were running to catch up with us. Once next to ship, they would dive in and out of the front of the boat. I love Seaworld but this was beyond that experience.
The school was divided into 4 hour watches with the crew and so around the clock each team trimmed sails, kept watch and just generally spent time getting to know each other. I stayed on a day watch and got up each morning at 6 to join the 4 to 8 crew. Who wouldn't jump out of bed to be able to sing and prayer together as the sun comes up over the water! It isn't hard to praise God in the midst of such beauty.
We leave tomorrow to sail to Bilboa, Spain where we will be for a short stop and then on to Lisbon, Portugal. My hope each day is that we will grow in our understanding of God's work in our lives and to experience the richness of his love that we want to share with those we meet on our travels.
I will post pictures later....but I better run to catch my boat!
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