At last!!!!!!!!

AH!! For those of you without facebook (I can think of at least two people) you will not know that I went back to Redhill for the day yesterday to my gran's funeral.  It went really well and I was extremely pleased to be able to go and still have the opportunity to pass the course.
Being back in Redhill without the sea, and the biggest body of water being the small puddles collecting in the pavement was strange, even after only eight weeks on the Isle of Wight I've become used to it.  I really enjoyed being back, I felt older (though not by much) and it was good to see everyone again.  However, the train journey back was annoying.  The train was delayed due to a broken signal at Chichester and so two stops before my destination the "High and Mighty Train People in the Sky" decided to terminate the train early, presumably to remove any congestion on the tracks.  It meant I had to wait another 20 minutes on a cold station for the next train to Southampton Central.  May it also be noted that I was busting for the toilet and, whilst the ladies toilet was open, the men's was locked with a high metal gate and thick metal chain.  So I had to wait...  The only thing that made it bearable was finding the rest of a cake that had been given to me by the wonderful Emily back in Redhill when I met up with her briefly for a chat.  It was a most amazingly wonderful cake and even the remaining, slightly squished third of it, was enough to brighten me up and make me quite happy to wait for the next train.
By that time of night the ferries only ran once an hour though so the delayed train meant I missed the ferry, having to wait twenty minutes at Southampton central for the last bus at 20.30 and then just about managing to get onto the 20.45 ferry.  I was back at 9.10 and grabbed a fish and chips for dinner.

However what I wanted to say in my blog tonight was this: I finally got hold of the video that I was talking about weeks and weeks ago.  the one where I was hiking out of the boat.  I'm not sure which blog posts I mentioned it in, but I said I'd get it, ad I did eventually.  So I want to show you that too...

So yea, have fun watching.  Please may it be noted that it isn't a perfect hike.  It was in the first week of the instructor course and I had three more weeks to work on it.  You can see my feet are pointed up; they should be flat.  The sail could be pulled in tighter (see the gap between the end of the boom and the traveller - where it's attached to the stern [BACK] of the boat)  I should possibly also be using the rudder less, but that's a debate for another time.  Please note also that the black strap of material that my feet are under is the only thing keeping me in the boat and that my bum is completely over the edge, all my support is from where my feet are under that strap.  Hope you enjoy it. 

Heading Home

I have just, for the first time in my life, used a debit card to make an online payment; my train tickets are now bought.  And the return tickets were only a nice, manageable £15 of course that isn't counting the £16 that the ferry tickets will cost... but it DOES mean that I don't have to pay the £14 extra that it would cost to buy a ticket that comprises the train and ferry tickets combined.  I was surprised at the massive price gap... until I realised that actually the UKSA (who sell Red Jet tickets) get batches of tickets and therefore will get them cheaper and hence can sell them cheaper also.  My journey is planned, I have times and will be home sometime around 12 ish. 
So that's all sorted.  Today was good.  The kayaking assessors are ALL outside assessors and are great guys, much more relaxed than the two guys we had for the dinghy instructor course.  When they found out that we'd done lots of capsize practise already they were even more willing to allow me to go (and they were fine with it to begin with) so that's all good. 
I guess I should also add that I'm intending on returning home on Saturday night which, I have now realised, means that I may well be able to get to Praise Night :O :O :O :D :D :D :D :D so that is alllllll goood :D :D :D
So yea, tomorrow will be interesting.  See you on the other side? Or during the day if you're around Redhill.  Now let's not lose the booking reference...

Good Evening.

I am in an amazingly buoyant mood.  It's crazy, cos earlier on I was completely knackered and out of it, I couldn't even hold a conversation properly without falling silent or losing concentration.  It was annoying.  But now for some strange reason I have all the energy in the world. I feel like I could go for a run or a cycle ride or SOMETHING! I don't even know what.  I haven't drunk or taken anything alcoholic or drug related (as if I ever would) but something's switched.  I don't think that it's sleep deprivation driving me crazy, though perhaps exhaustion is playing tricks with me.  Either way GOOD EVENING everyone and I hope it finds you as well as it finds me.  Yes, I have cut and blistered hands, and YES, parts of me ache lots, parts of me are scratched and tired, but I am feeling great.
I am heading home for the funeral on Wednesday and due to some amazing miracle-circumstances I can do that without failing the Kayaking Instructor part of the course.  So that is also great. :D :D :D 
I don't know what else to say.

This afternoon was mad, we were constantly capsizing on purpose.  to start with we had to jump out of the kayaks/canoes to practise getting back into them from the water unaided, but then we had to practise capsizing every boat we had on the water simultaneously and getting them all back upright and emptied of water in the quickest amount of time possible.  We thrashed it out in 2.15 which was well below the target tie of 3 minutes.  Then we were in the pool capsizing a million times to practise rescuing each other... of course men being men this ended up in those of us not in the boats (the pool could only fit kayaks enough for half of us) sneaking up to people in kayaks and capsizing them then letting other people rescue them.  So much fun; tiring, but loads and loads and loads of fun.  Then we ended for the day.  So all in all a great day of kayaking and canoeing though most of the time we spent in the water.  It's great being in the water, even in the sea, the temperature doesn't really seem to affect me when I'm in a wetsuit.  You get the first cold-shock as it floods your wetsuit but then it's fine as the wetsuit does it's job and keeps you warm.
We also had an amazing game of kayak-canoe polo where the canoes (two-manned, powerful, big) were on one team and the kayaks (one-manned, small, manoeuvrable) were on the other.  I was on the kayaking team and we beat the canoe team (oh yea we did :D :D ) And that, also, was great fun.

So yea, all in all a great day.  As I said, hope everyone else has had an equally good time and I'm looking forward lots to seeing my family at home again on Wednesday.  Steve, if you're still up to read this, then I might also mention at this point that the last Eragon book (called Inheritance) is out in October :D :D :D Also Steve, keep that tie up and don't forget to thrash Josh on Fifa for me a few times as I'm not there to do it myself (yes, I definitely beat him at Fifa at least once...)  Mike, you watch that tie of yours, and I'm sure you haven't stopped trying to get Steve to lower his :P I'll see you Wednesday also... my room had better be exactly as I left it and if you've put ANY of the swimming-pool or cinema ideas into action in these last two months then I'll be having words with you (I know what you're like ;) )  And Josh... well.... not much to say to YOU! :P lol You should probably be in bed it's ten to nine you know, way past our bedtime.  If any of those sweets in my room HAVE disappeared I'll know where they'll have gone, but keep yourself well until Wednesday and don't get any of your frequent injuries.

So, for now everyone.
Good Evening. :D

The Splendour Falls

So I've spent the last couple of evenings in the computer room because it's calm and sleepy.  Although it gives the chance for a much needed rest, the evenings are becoming increasingly boring.  In this modern age of the Internet though there is, if you know what to look for, no real thing as boredom, which I would almost consider a loss.  If you use the Internet incorrectly, which - I'll admit - I often do, then spending time on it only means sinking into a long chain of meaningless webpages as you surf the web for random, nonsensical articles and videos, like a physical extension of the brain the screen will end up showing whatever pops into your brain, whether it is the answer to the question of "how many rivers are there in the world?" or a wikipedia page explaining everything on anything. 
If, however, you use the Internet correctly then, amongst other things, it can become an extension of that wonderful activity called reading.  And reading is ALMOST always beneficial; especially if it's the reading of poetry; especially if it is one of the works of a certain Lord Tennyson.  And that is basically what I have done a lot of, and though I am ashamed to say it, this is possibly the first time I have read any of his works (other than "The Charge of the Light Brigade").  He really was an amazing poet though, the way he fits his words in with such an effortless quality about them is amazing, if you don't think so then try writing me some poetry that's on par with his within the next day.  Not going to happen.  A master craftsman and writer.  So on that note I will leave you with one of the poems that I liked in particular...

THE SPLENDOUR FALLS

The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story;
The long light shakes across the lakes,
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying
Blow, bugle; answers, echoes, dying, dying, dying.

O hark, O hear! how thin and clear,
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing!
Blow, let us hear the purple glens replying;
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying, dying.

O love, they die in yon rich sky,
They faint on hill or field or river;
Our echoes roll from soul to soul,
And grow forever and forever.
Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying,
And answer, echoes, answer, dying, dying,dying

Back to the Past

So I'm glad that I left it late tonight to write this.  There I was, happily enjoying my evening in the computer room, mainly because it gets quiet in here later on in the evening, whereas the bar gets louder.  Then I get the text from one of my course-mates telling me that we're moving rooms tonight as there is a leak in the toilets above our room.  Great.  I rush out of the computer room (after closing everything down) rush down to our room, half expecting this to be a prank.  But it's not.  The room is empty, one of the cupboards has been moved, the drawers are out and there is a large wet patch on the floor, accompanied with several brown dots on the ceiling. 
Well.  That's certainly a leak from somewhere.  So I find my roommates (who are, by now, sitting up in the bar) and find out where we're being moved to for tonight.  And I find out that it is "Endeavour 20."  That is the same room I was in for the first two weeks of the course :D :D :D  It was very cool going back there, walking back into my old room again. 
Then there was the toilets, walking into them gave me the same almost-deja-vu feeling that I get going back to New Wine every year, when you recognise everything but it's slightly changed not necessarily in the way it looks, just it feels slightly different.  It's hard to explain, but possibly anyone who has been to New Wine multiple times will be able to relate.  So yea, an exciting evening.
I think it's just for tonight and we'll see what happens in the morning. :D :D
Oh and if anyone is interested in human habits then I'll add that I made sure I got the same bed that I had for the first two weeks of the course.

Whilst Kayaking...

So I've said that the last two days we've been kayaking, but I haven't really said what we've been getting up to, so I thought I just describe a few of the activities that have been mixed into learning correct posture and stroke technique....

We've done Cave-Exploring - sort of; we kayaked a short way into some caves and did some kayaking through rock arches and stuff.  We also were going to do some on foot cave exploring but the tide wasn't right so we couldn't. The instructor said we may go back another day and do it.  We've done some kayak-surfing, catching a few waves and using the power they give to help us learn to do some steering.  As well as that we've done a fair bit of capsize recovery - always good.  Then we've done creek-exploring - getting across extremely shallow, non-navigable parts of the stream by pushing ourselves across.  Not to mention playing bulldog in kayaks and kayak-polo.  Lots of fun. 

One of the guys on our course has been kayaking since he was six, he has his own kayak with him and can do loads of tricks like forward flips and cartwheels.  Yes, it is impressive.

So a brief summary of what kayaking has entailed in just two days.  It's a lot dryer and warmer than sailing and hurts you more, kind of.  your muscles ache more in your shoulders and upper-arms/elbows rather than in your fingers.  Also when you're in the kayak for long periods your legs feel like they've gone to sleep, which isn't a pleasant feeling, but you just have to kind of ignore it and get on with it.  Generally it's much fun.

Happy Birthday

So today is Josh's birthday and, before anything else: I REMEMBERED.  So yea, sucks to everyone out there who didn't.  I was half expecting myself to forget, so I'm extremely pleased to say I didn't.  I was kayaking all day on the sea however so I didn't get to wish him a happy birthday until after I got off the water.

So here is where I say Happy Birthday Josh, to whom I've now been "lumbered" with for 17 years.... has it really been that long...?  Oh... And reply to my text.... >:(  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!

(you'd better read this now, I did tell you to...)

Now to inform everyone of a hard/easy decision to make, so that I may get some opinions (in whichever form ppl wish to contact me in).  Easy cos I know what I should choose, hard because of what it means to give up.  Basically to get to gran's funeral I have to miss a day on the kayaking Instructor Assessment.  And missing a day on the assessment means I don't pass.  So it's hard to say goodbye to getting ALL three instructor qualifications and just getting the two.   I'll probably be able to tag on with another group when I'm back after Egypt, but possibly not, I'm talking with someone about it tomorrow morning, but as far as things go for now, I'll be coming home on the 30th of March for ONE day. 

Canoeing

How to hold a paddle
Power stroke
Goon stroke
Forward Sweep
Reverse Sweep
Bow draw
Skulling Draw
Inside Pivot Turn
Outside Pivot Turn
Crossdeck stroke
Crossdeck skull
Backwards stroke
Canoe Recovery

A list of the strokes/skills that we learnt today are featured above.  We went the furthest up the river we've been to date, which was cool, and we saw a dead rabbit floating in the river there, it looked weird and not very nice.  The English in that last sentence was abominable, though an admirable summary of the average standard of English that I find myself using in these blogs.  I guess lack of drafting is the cause of this, but oh well, I literally don't have the time to do one draft, let alone multiple drafts of these blogs.
When we got back we had to go speak to the new Chief Instructor here, he's nice but he was having a moan about room states.  First of all, may I say, that my stuff was ALL off the floor and relatively neat.  He also was NOT happy about the hole in our wall... oh, I didn't mention the hole?  Yes... well, i came back from writing my blog the other day to find that there was a hole in one of our walls and a lot of drunk-ish people in our room.   This new guy has laid down his ultimatum: the truth by tomorrow or he'll bill one person and they can pay it all.  The other guys in my room don't reckon he'll believe the truth that one of the holes was an accident.... oh; I only mentioned one?  Well there are two... one hand sized one just above a long fore-arm length/sized one.   So the guys in our room don't believe he'll believe the truth the the small one was an accident and that they don't actually know when the second one got there.  I guess cos I wasn't really part of it it's easier for me to say what I did, but I said that it doesn't matter whether he believes it or not, you just tell the truth anyway.  If you try make more plausible solutions up then you're lying and if he catches even a hint of a lie then "game over", figuratively speaking.
So yea... today was good.  The sun was up and shining.  I wore suncream for the first time as we weren't in wetsuits, just in waterproofs
And that was kind of today....

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday (aka I've done it again)

No, this is not actually a Mayday, don't worry, we were just doing our VHF course, learning how to make Mayday calls (distress) and other such things.  Pan-pan (urgent) Securite (safety) etc etc etc and, I've done it again, cos I've passed that so I'm now going to get a pretty certificate saying I'm certified to work radios (it's actually quite a serious thing although, I agree, it sounds silly.  I think it may well act as a form of photo id as it will have my photo, date of birth and loads of other details on too.... hmmmm....
Anyway.  It was a nice day, bright and sunny.  Passing my dinghy instructor and gran haven't really sunk in yet it feels like, just like it's all happening really far away.  I don't know.  It will definitely be weird going back home, I'm going to do my best to get back for the funeral.  I don't really know what else I can do.  I knew when I came away that this could happen, we all knew, but we had to go ahead with it anyway.
looking forward to kayaking tomorrow, hopefully the weather will be just as good though apparently it's supposed to be moving into a low pressure system sometime so our weather will get worse :( (low = warm, wet and windy)
Otherwise, doing well.
:D :D :D

A Day

I PASSED!!! Yay!! Enough said.

So today I got a call from home.  I'm alone here and my gran has passed away. 

Neither one has really sunk in yet, I don't feel like my mind has grasped either one of those facts.  he sun was out today, which was good. And I saw a red squirrel for he first time ever today (I took a short ride along the cycle path this afternoon)  I'm not really sure what I'm feeling.  Everyone is celebrating tonight, even those who were action-planned.  They all plan on getting insanely drunk.  I'm still going to church then I'll go and have a drink though I'm torn between wanting to celebrate this small step towards the ultimate goal (one out of three instructorr qualifications achieved) and being sad over my loss.

I know I'm blessed to have both an amazing nan and to have had an amazing gran, both of whom have been praying for me, I know, for a long, long time.  I doubt I'll ever fully appreciate how much they've done for me.  Of the days it could have happened I think this was probably a good day, it has been balanced with the insane amounts of happiness I had from having passed when I thought I'd be action-planned.  Literally I'm so happy I passed.

I still remember her saying goodbye and wishing me well on my course. 

Back for Crunch Time

Hey everyone, I'm back.  I count it as three days having not blogged, but I'm back with all my enthusiasm restored and fully looking forward to bashing this out.  The last few days have been hectic.  This week has been our Instructor Assessment, which I think I mentioned on Tuesday possibly?  Anyway it's involved learning how to teach to the RYA method and it's been quite fun.  Much more serious than the rest of the course has been and under continual assessment, but good.  On the whole I feel like I've done quite well, my presentation went fairly well, though with all of our presentations they've pretty much commented on all of ours by showing us a much better version of it.  Ah well, they're Coaches, we're not even Instructors yet... YET.
Tomorrow may change all that.  By the end of tomorrow we will know whether we are Dinghy Instructors or whether we have been action-planned.  Doesn't sound so bad as having to walk the plank, and for good reason too - it isn't.  It basically means you just have to do one thing and then you're a dinghy instructor.  So you get given an action that you need to complete another time (for instance, do a presentation on such and such, or do a tacking land drill) and once you've done that action satisfactorily then they'll tick that off and you'll have passed.  So in a sense you can't really fail (that's how they put it to us anyhow).  Obviously I'm hoping I won't be action planned but I'm kind of expecting it.
I spent an hour after our day ended today going over the land drills and how to reef a double hander (we all found out today that we'd been shown the wrong method when I tried to do a mock session on how to reef and they shot it down - admittedly I knew it had gone badly) so that I've got it in my head.  I probably should be revising now... I will do after I've done this...
We've had homework, was what I meant to say when I started talking about the Instructor Assessment Week, that's made time short to get out to Cell on Wednesday and to Catlayst on Friday, but I've managed both.  It's been a great week, learning and practising how to actually teach.  We've had to make our own session plans and lead sessions for each other, all with debriefs afterwards and we've learned lots of tips on teaching.
On a sadder note, I found out yesterday at about 7 o'clock that it was Comic Relief... I still can't believe that I missed it.  So annoyed.  I wanted to wear a red nose whilst I was sailing.  Ah well, there's always next time.
What else has been going on... not that much.  We've just been continuing to improve and tomorrow on the moderation (the coaches swap round to moderate each other) everything will come to a head.  I could have kept this quiet and then I could swallow it quietly if I get action-planned until I've passed.  I've taken the risk of telling everyone (well everyone who reads this anyway) so now I have to tell you which way their decision falls tomorrow.  (If there is pretty much no wind, as there has been for the last 2 or so days then we'll be doing land based stuff, which is fairly easy :D :D :D :D :D)
So yep, that is all I can think of to say.  Sorry for those of you who wanted a blog everyday.  I shall try to not miss another day, but we'll see how it goes.  I'm off to Egypt on the 3rd of April I think so two weeks away.  As regards to the blog when I'm out there... we'll see.  I'll probably be paying for an Internet cafe out there as my phone Internet won't be free and I doubt there;ll be a conveniently free Internet cafe anywhere.  Just to give you the heads up on that.
Now bring on tomorrow!!

The Pre-Assessment

Today went okay.  I mucked up coming  in and my tight circles could have been better, but I think I did OK.  I kind of realised that although it's constant assessment this is still a COURSE.  The are still coaching us to do better and teaching us new stuff (HOW to teach dinghy sailing) so that's all cool.  We finished at three, which was annoying.
I'm undecided as to what to do.  I think I may be blogging too much so I'm wondering whether to blog every couple of day sinstead of every day.  Makes it easier for people to follow.... possibly... means they won't miss as much if they miss one day either.... hmmm........
Not much more to say really....

I would go...

So this is mainly going to be centred around a copy of an event that's going on up in London tomorrow.  I only just saw it, or would have tried to shift arrangements so that I could make it, however as it stands I am starting the instructor assessment tomorrow and we've been told to expect a late finish. :(  Definitely not enough time to get to London :( :( :(  If I was back home I definitely would be going.  I'm so frustrated that I can't make it, but there is nothing I can do.  
But, about the Instructor Assessment.  Pretty much I learnt today that it is basically a course within this course.  The only difference is that it is accompanied with continual assessment.  Expectations are that you'll arrive five-ten minutes before the time set to meet.  It seems crazy but it keeps you on your toes.  I've already got the tide information for the next week and checked out times and everything that we need to be rigged up and changed for tomorrow morning.  Let's go out and smash this assessment (I say let "us" because it's a team effort) pulverise it into the ground and come out whistling merrily with our certificates hanging nonchalantly over one shoulder :D :D :D  So, I'll say it again (I said it yesterday), in five days time I could be a qualified Dinghy Instructor.   Here goes!!!

Time 15 March · 19:00 - 20:00
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Location Parliament Square
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Created by: Pat Allerton
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More info 7:14 – Parliament Square Prayer
An hour of prayer for our Nation and Leaders.
A visible statement of faith.
A brandless, grassroots, flashmob event.
...For everyone, led by students.
Tuesday 15th March
7:14pm – 8:14pm
Parliament Square
Bring candles, glow sticks, lights of all kinds.
When Big Ben strikes 8, all drop to our knees.
Students, Young People, Church, rise up!
Let your light be seen.
“If my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)


The Vision
7:14
“Into the darkness you shine. Out of the ashes we rise.”
We’ve been singing these words in Church recently, and what amazing words they are.
But what if these words could actually become visible? What if we could literally see a gathering of God’s people, that displayed the light of Christ in the heart of this City, and saw the Church rise up in an apathetic age?
I believe God is calling his Church to come together, for a ‘one night only’ event in London. A statement of faith and unity, that will capture hearts and minds, and bring healing and change to the nation.
Some time ago, just after the first student protest, I was praying about student ministry in general and for God to move on campus. At that moment, I had a picture. In my mind’s eye I saw the Houses of Parliament, and a gathering of people in front of it, holding candles and praying. In an instant I knew they were students, coming together to pray for their Government and Leaders.
I believe God wants to see Parliament Square full of people, coming from all over, carrying candles and praying for our nation and leaders. Whilst at first I thought it would be just for students, I now feel it will be much broader. I believe this event (called ‘7:14’ after 2 Chronicles 7:14) is an opportunity for the WHOLE Church, young and old, to come together in a very public and visible way, to bless the nation and be seen by its people. A beautiful image of what the Church is called to be. A visible sign of what the Church is called to do.
But whilst it will be an event for everyone, I believe students and young people will lead it, mobilising themselves to come together, in the opposite spirit to that of the protests, choosing to pray for the government, even when they may not agree with its policies. As they take the lead, I believe the wider Church will follow, and a significant and visible statement will be made by the Church in Central London.
This is a one off event, and my aim is for it to be as anonymous, brandless and grassroots as possible. No agendas. No platforms. Just a call to pray.
As for 7:14 itself, it’s all about simplicity. We'll come together in a window of time. The rest will just happen as it does, and as God’s Spirit blows. There’ll be no public address, or gathering spot, no sense of a centre at all, just the People of God coming together as one for an hour of prayer and light for the nation. We’ll meet at 7.14pm in Parliament Square, and we’ll just take things from there. Walking, standing, praying, blessing. Seeking God together. It will rise up from the ground and then seemingly disappear, peaceable and beautiful, apparently unenduring, but something will have changed, and God in his mercy will have heard.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
One People. One Prayer. One Purpose.
One hour, to see our Nation changed.

Last Day of Sailing (Before the Assessments)

Today was the last day of sailing before the week of exams (which starts on Tuesday)  Tuesday is the pre-assessment, which basically means you show that you can actually sail.  I'm reasonably confident about it all, bit's not like school exams where you get told what you need to know and told to remember it all.  here you get told probably more than you need to know so you have a good understanding of everything you're expected to know, I like it much more this way, you can feel more confident in your abilities. 
We didn't actually do much sailing today as the wind died.  :( Sad times.  We had a bit of practise at towing boats and then went out, tried sailing rudderless for a bit in what wind we had and when that died then we went in and did a few questions and general recap on everything.  We finished fairly early and then the usual: dinner, computer room, blog.  I'll be off to church in a few moments.
Rudderless sailing is quite a bit of fun, weird at first, but fun.  It would have been better with a bit more wind but ah well.  Apparently at the moment it's looking like the first half of our instructor course will be done in little wind.  May sound like it's not good, but it could work in our favour as we've done a fair bit of light-wind sailing, unlike most people taking the assessment (light winds usually means a day of theory, so they never get to practise sailing in light winds, which relies more on balance of the boat than rudder for turning)  We have however, so it might count for us that we can sail in light winds :D
I don't particularly want to get my hopes up... but by the end of next week I could officially be a Dinghy Instructor.... or I could be "action-planned" (told a target I need to achieve before I qualify) apparently most people "action-plan".  Hopefully I won't.... we'll see. :D :D
Have a good evening :D

Sailing Splurge

Hard to believe it's Saturday today AND our penultimate day on the water before the Dinghy Instructor Assessment :O :O
We were still practising our seamanship skills today, very repetitive, but good practise.  Lots of stuff to get in our heads for Tuesday.  Monday we don't have off.  In the morning we'll be doing presentation stuff and in the afternoon possibly navigating our way to a pub up the river. 
I went back for seconds today, and learnt a very important lesson I should have already known.  So I ate at twenty to six as soon as we'd finished for the day and was left feeling like I'd like some more, which only happens occasionally.  So I asked the kitchen staff when they served seconds and was told quarter to seven.  So I went back to my room and read a book whilst I waited for the allotted time.  Then I returned down and there they were: waiting for me.   There were maybe five other people in the canteen at that moment so it was pretty quiet.  Now I had only wanted a single piece more of the pudding... but one of the guys on the kitchen staff got hold of a plate and started asking me what I wanted and, being sometimes too polite, I thought "ah well, I'll manage it" and so got another plate heaped up for me.  Then it came to getting puddings and I helped myself - quite willingly, if unthinkingly - to two pieces of the jam and coconut sponge and poured lots of custard on it.  So there I was, sitting at the table with a whole new dinner in front of me...  I just had to go at it, so I did.  I would love to say I came out of that place fully filled and fresh as a breeze.  Actually I came out holding my stomach, bent over and walking very gingerly.  That's what I get for being greedy. 
On the other hand I was astonished at how much food they had left over.  It was RIDICULOUS!! Unfortunately, unlike normal, there was too much for me to finish it off for everyone.  I wonder how much has gone in the bin... apparently some of it gets frozen and given to the yachters who go on long-distance voyages.
A good day, overall.  I think we're spending most of tomorrow on rudderless sailing, apparently it's almost impossible to stop yourself from tacking constantly when you first begin to learn... we'll see.  (For anyone interested as to why this is then I'll try and explain

Three things steer a dinghy: balance, sails and rudder.   Without a rudder you are then left with using the balance of your boat (port or starboard, but what matters is whether the side is windward - nearest the wind - or leeward - side furthest away from the wind) and also the sails on your boat.  In the water your boat will pivot around the daggerboard, which, as a side note, converts two forces pressing on it from either side into a forwards force.  It is the centre of lateral resistance.  The centre of effort, where the most force is on the boat, is somewhere above the centre of lateral resistance.  Boats are designed so that the centre of effort is immediately above the centre of lateral resistance.  This keeps the boat going straight.  If the centre of effort moves forward of the centre of lateral resistance then the boat will bear away (go more downwind) and if it moves backwards then the boat will head up (go more towards the wind).  When you have two sails the boat is designed so that the centre of effort is above the centre of lateral resistance when BOTH sails are perfectly trimmed (set in the right position to get the most amount of power from the boats direction to the wind)  So if the main sail (more towards the back) is put on and the jib (at the front) is let off then the boat will naturally turn upwind because there is more force on the back of the boat, moving the centre of effort backwards.  Get it?  I would draw diagrams.  Then if the mainsail is let off and the jib is pulled on then the centre of effort moves forward and the boat bears away.  However, as the main sail is larger than the jib I believe that even when it is let off it slightly it can still move the centre of effort backwards, meaning that you are constantly being turned upwind.   Once you've gone past where you are heading straight into the wind (a tack) then you progressively go downwind though, so once there is wind in your sails again (there is an area pointing into the wind where there is no power at all, called the No Go Zone) the larger main sail will force you back the way you'd just come, because upwind is now in the opposite direction.  And that makes you tack again, thus you are always tacking.
Balance is quite simple to grasp, if you lean the boat leeward it will naturally (I'm pretty sure because of the shape of the hull, but there is possibly another reason I can't remember) want to head up.  If you lean it onto you more (windward) then it will want to bear away. 

There a little splurge of stuff I now know, even if it's hard to explain simply by description.  (Think about if you had a bottle lying on its side on the ground and your hand is the wind  The lid is the front of the bottle.  If you push your hand against the front of the bottle it pushes the front away from the direction your hand is coming from.  If you push your hand against the back of the bottle the front will turn more into the direction where your hand came from.  So if you make it so more wind is on the jib at the front of the boat or on the mainsail more to the back then the same effect will take place)

"Manic week over, relaxing weekend... not a chance"

I'll have been here five weeks on Sunday. Lots has happened in that time.  I can't believe that next Tuesday our Dinghy Instructor Assessment begins.  It's come around so quick.
We were zooming around on Lasers today (basically, good boats) and also practising seamanship skills on the Visions (the double-hander training ones) in the morning.  First day back on the water after the catastrophic Wednesday and it was surprisingly good.  Did fairly well and got back into the swing of it, though I was thankful for yesterday's full day of theory.
I thought I had staved off the cold... now it's come back in the form of a blocked nose, which is mega annoying.  I don't really notice it on the water.  Also got a VERY slight headache, so I'm going to grab an early night... WAS going to grab an early night, but I've been writing messages and replying to peeps (and I still haven't got through everyone, I will do)
It was a long day today.  11.00-17.30 with a small lunch break in the middle.  And a full on weekend as well.  Possibly a day off on Monday.. POSSIBLY.. possibly only half a day off... we'll see.
OH and I lost my knife today as well, it must've come off when I was in the water :( going to have to get a new one. >:(
Hmmm... yep, I think that was about my day.

Theory and Owls

So today went better, probably because we didn't actually go out on the water, we were doing theory all day.  the reason for this?  Well, partly because we needed to cover the theory, partly because no one particularly wanted to go out this morning and also partly because it was possibly getting up to Gale Force 8 occasionally out there. Having said that I think that had we not needed to cover seamanship skills we still would have gone out.  Seamanship skills are things like sailing backwards, sailing without a rudder, turning in tight circles, anchoring, coming alongside, man overboard procedure, pick up and mooring etc etc
Only when Steve (head instructor for us) said that we would probably do all theory today did I realise that we've been out on the water for the best part of everyday for the last sixteen/seventeen days, two and a half weeks without a day off.  Everyone is flagging a little I think.
This is a quick break before I go back for the evening session we're having tonight that starts at six thirty.  We're working on our presentations, this could take a while. 
Last night when I was cycling back from Newport from Cell Group, something flew over my head and flew ahead of me.  I used one hand to turn my front light to follow it and several times it turned around, looking at me then wheeling back around to continue forwards again.  I had my suspicions from the beginning, but it could have possibly been an extremely large bat... it was in fact what I thought it was at first: an owl.  I think it was a barn owl, not massive, but extremely cool.  It probably flew ahead of me for a minute or so, but it felt like much longer, I've never seen one in the "wild" so close before.
I had hoped that for the evening session tonight when I THINK it will mostly be individual working that my brother wold email the songs that he has just acquired but yet to give to me, so that I could listen to them during it, but it seems that he hasn't. So BOO :(  Maybe by the time the evening session is over.... hmmm... it's not like he'll have much to do this evening... it is Rag Week back at home after all.
Oh and finally for tonight, Carolyn had her op last night and it all went well.  We saw her briefly this afternoon but she's gone home for a couple of days to recover properly. So that's all good :D 
Thank-you to everyone who txtd, emailed or messaged me last night, I will get round to replying when I get the time, but it was very much appreciated, so in the mean time: Thanks, it meant a lot.

What a day

Today sucked.  Can't put it plainer than that.  It was rubbish, I did nothing right, our boat didn't work properly, and I was unable to cope with the smallest thing.  Lots of capsizes. A few tears, okay, more than a few.  I don't think I've sailed worse in the last four weeks.  Nothing more to say, I'm ok now (ish), but I'm glad I'm going off for the bible study in a bit, be good to chat with some Christian friends.  Carolyn is having/has had an op I think.  I don't know much more than that.  Last night was also not so good.  Well it was at the beginning.  Not particularly wanting to be away from home right at this moment in time, but there is nothing for it.  The next two weeks are the two most important weeks as well.  Not good.  It seemed like a very long day today. 

The Amazingness of Church

Today's biggest disappointment today was dinner. And for one reason: a ration of ONE pancake EACH!!  My heart sank, though I was happy to at least get one.  I wolfed it down then had a brisk walk over to the church.  They'd had a pancake party going on (a good idea I think, though it's a bit late now to be thinking about it)  Maybe Reigate or Redhill Baptist could have one next year?  I'd offered to go down and help clear up.  That done I discovered that there were pancakes which were about to be chucked away and wasted.  So I saved them and ate them all.. there were probably about twelve-ish of them... I ate them all... :S :S  The church is amazing, one of God's names is God-who-provides.  Definitely provided abundantly here. 
As I ended my pancakes I got a call from Carolyn, she'd had a doctor's appointment earlier in the evening, now she was phoning to tell me they were keeping her in overnight.  I rushed back to the UKSA and got a lift over with James to see her.  She was Ok... ish.  She was on morphine and in a bit of pain, and generally not too well, but capable of holding conversation and having a laugh. 
Me and James had been sailing together today so we recounted all the hilarious adventures we'd been up to... from screaming manically and panicking as we capsized to him determined more about saving his percy pigs than me.  Today was a very funny day.  Funny, but hard.  We were sailing with asymmetric spinnakers today and that provides lots more speed, but is harder.  I ended up getting wet more as well as, when we capsized, as I was the one wearing a drysuit (James lost his when it got cut after he got BOOMED the other week) I had to get in the water to pull in the spinnaker as you can't right the boat until you have.
Another guy got concussion today after being hit by the boom when rigging up.  He's already back with us here and completely fine, which is great.  I think I may have the beginnings of a sore throat... I'm taking the occasional throat soother and drinking lots.  Hopefully it won't progress any further, loads of people have a cold on our course, I really DON'T want to join their ranks...
enough for tonight, sorry it was late, I was at the hospital.  One of the people from church offered to give me and James a lift back from the hospital as well, which was amazing.  James especially was extremely grateful as it meant not having to pay for a bus fare.  The church is rather amazing.

Presentations and the Return of "Homework"

So it's not really true to call it homework.  I mean, it's barely work and this place can barely be called home.  However there is writing and thinking that we are required to do outside of our instructor's presence.  As part of our Dinghy Instructor Assessment - not this week but next week (so close!) - we need to have done a ten minute presentation upon a given subject.  During this we are expected to show a good structure, a good knowledge of our topic, a well chosen medium of presentation as well as being clear, concise, confident and engaging. (i.e. looking at who you're talking to, making eye contact, not fiddling, no using fillers such as "erm", or "like" etc.
Should be fine.  I've been given an ok-ish topic, shouldn't be too hard.  It's entitled, "The Art of Anchoring" so I guess that will include scope, type of anchor, positions to anchor, considerations when anchoring, taking transits... just basic stuff really... might have to research a bit more on types of anchor as I can't find it in the books we've been given though I'm sure I saw some stuff on anchors in it somewhere.
That's pretty much the biggest thing of today, an amazing day, on Facebook people have been saying that, but for us it's been amazing days for the last three or four days... I'm enjoying it, I don't want it to go wet again... but it will... ah well; Egypt in four weeks.
MUST GET MONEY FOR IT!  (Just so I don't forget)

Photos, Videos and Music

So I have tried to get a few pictures on this blog but came across the difficulty of not being able to get them from my phone to this computer, I tried emailing them, putting them on facebook.. everything I could think of, but nothing is working :( I shall keep trying, it may just be that the connection was bad at the time. 
I had some photos taken today, we finished early to go into town to get passport photos which were needed for the powerboat level two certificate; it's a new requirement because RYA have had a lot of fraudulent powerboat level two certificates.  Cost me five pounds :(  We went to Cowes and discovered that the shop was shut so I went back, intending to get in a bike ride along the cycle route I came home along in the dark as it was a sunny and beautiful day.  As I cycled in i realised that there would most likely be places in Newport to grab photos so I hurried up and got into Boots just before four, when it closed.  As I was heading back to the cycle route from the town centre I saw five people i did not expect to see: all the way from Cowes, five friends from my course.  They had got a bus to Newport and decided to walk home along the cycle path, so I stayed with them and got home three times slower than I would have alone, but it was fine as it was sunny and fairly warm.  Lots of exercise occurred, therefore, this afternoon.
I'm still waiting to get the video of me hiking out at the beginning of the Instructor Course (about two weeks ago!)  It will be as soon as the instructor has got it onto the computer and I've got it onto my memory stick.  This week I should improve considerably as we're learning a lot of advanced techniques apparently like sailing backwards, tight circling and other such stuff.  Should be great, but it's an important week and one I can't really miss.  The week after that is the Dinghy Instructor Assessment week :O :O :O It's come up so quickly.  But, if all goes well, I should, by the end of it be qualified to instruct dinghy sailing :D  Something to look forward too... i just need to get my head down and work seriously hard at everything.
I've been listening to quite a bit of Lecrae recently, yes, still.  However when I'm on the computer I have access to youtube so I thought that tonight I'd share a few of the songs/music videos which I've been listening to whilst writing these blog posts.

Hawk Nelson - Crazy Love.  Great song, definitely recommend listening to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js_hgkHQ6Bc

Francesca Battistell - Beautiful Beautiful.  Just a beautiful song really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbCfyZHSQbE

Group 1 Crew - Live it Up. Decent tune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9N6b_sk_ME

Those are just a few, my favourites for the moment.  I have breaking news however, my bro has just bought a copy of ChipK's EP so hopefully tomorrow evening or Tuesday evening I should be getting those songs to listen to as well :D  Looking forward to that.
Tomorrow everything goes up ANOTHER notch.  This coming week will be the most demanding yet, lots to learn.

Another day at the UKSA

Another day in the double handers, I didn't do too well today, couldn't get myself to do very well, don't know why.  I think the fact that the sun wasn't out till we got back made the day seem a lot gloomier than yesterday.  I kept being needed to be reminded of simple things, obvious things.  Not very happy with how I did today, but I'm going to go out tomorrow and do better, I'm determined to.  Not much else happened today.  Tomorrow is a free-sailing day, so we get to choose which boats we wish to sail and go out with one of the instructors and practise sailing.  I'm kinda missing my pico so I may go on it just to keep practising and getting better, but then I do need to practise on the double handers as well, I just don't know.  Ah well, everything will sort itself out I reckon.
Fruit salad again for pudding and however nice it is it is still not filling!!! :( Pancakes for breakfast the other day and there is a high chance we may be getting some on pancake day as well :D :D :D  Don't know what else I can say.  I'm starting to feel tired so I'm going for an early night tonight.. as I have been trying to for the last three or four days, one time I may actually succeed....

Unbelievable

Today was such a good day; the sun was shining and he wind was not too strong or too weak.  We were out in the double handlers today (with two people "handling" it) and they're not only bigger than the little picos but more comfortable and much nicer.  You are further off the water and so to be gliding across the unbelievably calm sea with the sun shining down on you, sailing alongside a friend to chat with.  Beautiful.
The only thing that could have made it better would be if I'd had sunglasses, and - I've kept this next statement quiet for a while - I've lost mine, about two and a half weeks ago, not even a week into the course.  I have no idea where they have gone but I don't expect to see them again and I miss them LOTS. :( I got them only in the summer and they were £15 down from the original £40 and now they're somebody else's bargain I'm presuming.  Unbelievable: February and I've already lost my sunglasses.  Well I now have a new pair, and I'm £15 down.  I guess I'll get used to them, but they won't be as good as my others.  Ah well.  As I read somewhere: if you own an object that you can't give away then it actually owns you.  I thought that was quite good and rather thought-provoking.
For you Christians reading this I'm going to add a few prayer points, not for myself but for a few others on my course.  First off a couple of guys who nobody likes, one of whom keeps getting picked on.  Second for the guy who got boomed and has had a couple of feints since then and is still not too well.  Third, for my friend from Kickstart who still is unwell and seems to be getting worse.  She has another Doctor's appointment next week and though they have narrowed down the causes there is still a lot of uncertainty.
I'm off to "Catalyst Vibe", which is the half-monthly youth meeting which is aimed more at the chilling out rather than the worship of "Catalyst".  To those of you who know praise night, it's more the Afta Hourz than the main service.
So I need to be off.  For the sake of getting the word in again, I hope tonight is "unbelievable" and that you are all "unbelievably" well.

Late-Night Cycling.

We were racing today.  I don't like it.  You have to be too aggressive on the start line and it's flipping hard to do a good start.  No, I do not like racing, but apparently we're going to be doing lots of it as it's supposed to be an amazing way to get up your skills and knowledge on the rules of the road.  I'm getting better at sailing, lots of hiccups today though, struggled through it: capsizing lots, giving way lots, throwing my hands up in despair lots.   Yep, it was a pretty hard day.  I wasn't too bad after last night surprisingly... 

I cycled back into the UKSA at 23.48 after travelling along the cycle path which would probably have been a very nice ride during the sunlit hours of the day, but at night felt very in the middle of nowhere.  Embarrassing though it is to say this one of the thoughts that entered my mind cycling back was of Noddy, and the time when he gets tricked into going into the woods in his car and then he gets mugged and his car gets stolen, and there was a little rhyme that went with it something along the lines of "it isn't very good in the dark dark wood, in the middle of the night, when there isn't any light," ....................     ..................   just giving you a pause to have a little laugh, or a big one, whatever.  Thankfully I did no get mugged or have my bike stolen from me, but it was pretty dark and my light seemed pretty small.

To get deep and philosophical, or a little anyway, as can happen in the late hours of the night, I came to the conclusion that life can be like a bicycle ride home in the dark, where you can't really see what's coming up ahead, all you can see is a little weak circle in front of you as you make your way through it.

Enough of the deep-ish, philosophical-ish random thoughts.  Yesterday evening was great, we ate cake, chatted about some stuff, went out to a youth cafe that was being started to help support the guy who was setting it up (a friend) and whilst at that cafe I came across a game that I've only ever seen one place else: in my house.  It's the pig game, immediately I'm sure that my family are going, "oh, that game, cool," and everyone else is going, "what!?!?!?"   It goes like this: you throw two small plastic pigs and depending on how they land you score different points.  You get as many points as you can in one turn but if you throw them in a certain way then you lose all the point you made that turn and it's the next person.  Otherwise you can choose when  you stop your turn and your points are banked and the next person has a turn.  Then you keep going round until someone gets one hundred points, and to make it more interesting if you throw them so that the pigs are touching you lose all your banked points and have to go back to zero again.  It's a great game and we actually had quite a bit of fun playing it.
Then by the time we got back had more talk about challenging other Christians if they're doing something that you think they shouldn't be and how it can be difficult and how you could go about it, prayed, said goodbye, it was about 23.20/23.30 and I cycled off home.  I must admit it was a little bit scary, but mainly because it was in the "middle of nowhere" (as much as you can be on the Isle of Wight) on a road I didn't know.  Great fun though.

Gybing and Cycling

The quickest blog post on record is hopefully to be following.  Right now it is ten to six, Wednesday evening and Wednesday means meeting up at the cell group/bible study/hanging out down in Newport.  My lift from last week is going to be late and can't take me so I decided all of five minutes ago that I'll cycle down.  Apparently there is a cycle route all the way down there, which is great and if not then I'm perfectly capable of cycling on the roads.  (2 minutes)  Today was cool, a fair amount of wind and lots of sun.  We were on the river today so it was calmer and we were practising going downwind and gybing (I would have always spelt it jibing but apparently it's gybe not jibe)  Didn't get boomed once YAY! and had lots of fun, still smoothing out technique on upwind as well and general sailing techniques, but I feel like I'm coming on well. So that's all good.
The guy who got "boomed" (4 minutes) came back today and he's fine, only a slight headache now, apparently the boom yesterday induced the brain to respond to the blow as if it were an old injury that he had received in the same place from playing Rugby on tarmac... crazy boy. 
had toad in the hole tonight and queen of puddings.  Both very nice and filling, which is cool.  If my English and vocabulary are dipping a little it's because I'm rushing and if they're not then I'll have (6 minutes) to have a good think later about improving my writing.  Right.  Okay.
I'm slightly wary about MENTIONING that I'm cycling down to Newport tonight, but no one need worry: I have my lights, my helmet, my gloves, warm clothes, a drinks bottle, money, phone and I'll even take my first aid kit JUST IN CASE.  That should satisfy everyone i.e. JOSH! :P :P so I'll finish there and go get ready, after checking out a map.  Have a great evening wherever you are, whatever you're doing (8 minutes)

Hospitalised: a chop and long day

I was going to the computer room but it's got too late. so midday today one of the guys on the course was rushed in feeling sick, dizzy and with a headache. an hour previously he'd had a pretty concrete thwack on the head frm the boom. we were about to come in but by the time we made it he'd already been whisked off via ambulance to hospital.  in the meantime we had an afternoon on correct pico maintenance and then an evening session running till half 7. both of which were really interesting.  
afterwards a few of us took a van up to the hospital to take him some stuff and also visit him. he was fine, even if his vision was a little doubled at times and he was a little unsteady.  he was glad 2 c us and we had a laugh. the saddest part was that they had to cut his drysuit in order to get him out of it as at first they thought he might have a neck injury. sad times.
in other news i broke two boats today. one time a screw came undone as i capsized=bye bye screw. and also by capsizing so that the mast came out.