Day 8, July 16

       This morning after a restful night, we packed up our things and left Horn Point for the last time. The sky looked as though it were going to rain, and since the wind was blowing fiercely and the waves were high the crew set sail without the help of the students just to be safe. However, by the time breakfast was over and cleanup was complete the weather was lovely again, only a little bit cloudier than normal. The students jumped right into lessons like normal, with one watch learning about boat building while the watch that had already learned this helped with navigation. 

     Towards the middle of the morning we went by Tilman's Island by passing through Knapps Narrows. This area has been very important for the economy of the Chesapeake, and while we passed through the narrows we saw many different types of ships. We also learned that Tilman's Island is the most northern location where alligators live indigenously. The highlight of this visit was passing under the raised drawbridge that stretches across the narrows. 

        After we had passed the island we ate a lunch of sandwiches, and when we were done eating the crew decided that it was a good time to clean the deck. The students all helped to fill buckets, scrub the deck, and wash all the surfaces. The deck was beautiful by the time the students were done!  After this the students were given some time to relax and play games, so we filled the time by playing both Mafia and Wink Murderer. 

        During some of the down time I talked to the students about their favorite moments from the trip or things they learned from this experience. This is what they said:

Anne- I love how we've all become so close through working together on a boat.

Alex-  After sleeping in the wilderness for a week it was great to hang out and sleep in a lobby for one night. :)

Adriana- I liked how we made dinner together and played games in the evening, it was just like we were all a family ( thumbs up). It was also really fun when all the girls slept in one tent together. Thanks to Joe for his stories, to Rohan for teaching us how to work the boat, and to the two Katies and Emily for taking care of us. 

Kaylee - My favorite moment was when all of us were together :) 

Andre- Being on the boat was really fun and I learned a lot. 

Drew- I had a really fun adventure and some of my favorite parts were seeing the squadrons of cow nose rays and getting to camp and have fun getting to know everyone and make new friends. The historic museums were really cool. Having my rabbit by my side helped to keep me from getting homesick. 

Varisa- I'm grateful for all the experiences and memories we've made, including all those good and bad because they brought us together.

Jake- I'm really happy I got to learn how to be a part of a team and respect people of different views and backgrounds.

Brian- When you have to raise a 2,000 pound sail every day, you learn to trust who you're working with. 

Tushaar-  My favorite moment was sitting by the river seeing the natural beauty while talking about our dreams. 

Jefferson- I liked seeing all the water :D

Ben -  I learned that lending a helping hand will always pay off in th end.