Log date: December 21st, 2025
Latitude: 9˚ 37.36’ N
Longitude: 43 ˚ 34.91’ W
Average speed last 24 hours: 6.9kn
Distance last 24h: 166nm
Total distance this voyage: 1289nm
Total distance to destination: 753.7nm
Temperature: 26 ˚C
Sea state: 3, wave height 0.6-1.0m
Wind: 17kn ENE
Sailing status: Sailing
Log Keeper : Sydnie
Dear Families,
♪ On the eighth day of Christmas the Alex gave to me… eight flying fish! … ♪
Today we came out of a short rest period (a one-day “weekend”) and have officially passed the halfway point of our Atlantic crossing. We’re five days out from Christmas, and five days away from our first annual Irving Johnson Memorial Games.
If you’re unfamiliar with the whole “Irving” phenomenon, here’s the quick version: earlier this semester we watched the documentary Around Cape Horn, narrated by Irving Johnson. Somewhere along the way, the idea of becoming the most “Irving” took on a life of its own, and Chief Mate Adam formalized it with a nomination process. So far, two students, Kyson and Timote, have been awarded this distinction, and the Atlantic Crossing Irving will soon be revealed. You’ll have to watch the film and use your imagination to guess the kinds of things that make someone an Irving…Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9dDXywsrrw&t=39s
For the Christmas games, students will compete within their watch groups. Some challenges are individual, others are team-based, and the preparation this week has been a joy to witness. I’ve seen students practicing knot-tying blindfolded, spending extra time at the helm trying to stay within one degree the longest, running around memorizing lines, timing eye-splices with stopwatches, perfecting deck-cleaning skills, packing and setting sails, and even developing sea-story skits. The energy is high, and it’s shaping up to be a lot of fun. I’ve got my bet on Watch 4 taking the lead (Simon, Timote, Grace, Mariandre, Alyssa, Matt, Aiden & Alistair) … but I’m biased as their watch dog.
All this preparation is unfolding alongside the very real work of living together at sea. Cabin fever is making itself more known, and I say this often, but these floaties are truly remarkable. Co-living in tight quarters is not easy, even for me, a fully metacognitively developed, emotionally regulated adult (most of the time!). Crossing the Atlantic, even with your best friends, is an emotional roller coaster. And quite literally…the rolling has not stopped. Traveling up and down waves is manageable, rolling side to side, less so. Add to that the fact that Christmas is approaching and many are missing home a little more than usual, and emotions can run close to the surface. It’s the kind of time I think we’ll look back on and laugh about, realizing how much it bonded us, but as for right now, we’re just out here enduring it.
I mention this to give you full transparency of the challenges that floaties are confronting day in day out. I’m continuously impressed by what I see: the frustration turns into self-regulation moments, the “sorry I was being grumpy” comments, the spontaneous offers of hugs, and the genuine moments of companionship. On top of academics and sailing demands, it’s that emerging adult growth that’s truly special to witness. I’m so fortunate to be in the position to see it all, and happy to fill you in on individual stories on your respective children, when we all get the chance to meet again.
I do want to send out a couple shout outs… as several students have gone above and beyond in keeping the vibes strong. Emeric organized an onboard “assassin” game, resulting in students being paired up all day. Grace has been leading the charge on upcoming Christmas baking sessions, with cookie-making on the horizon. Klava has been setting the tone in the evenings with golden-hour jazz playlists on the bow. Emma’s leading our 12-days of Christmas remix. Orla’s hosting Taylor Swift End of an Era viewing nights, and Student Council has Secret Santa well underway. These moments matter more than they might realize, and the community is so grateful for their contributions.
Despite the long days and rolling seas, the overall tone today was a good one. We don’t really track days of the week out here since school runs on all days, but occasionally someone will say, “It’s Saturday,” and suddenly it feels like permission to do something a little wild. Today, that translated into an impromptu water park / water fight on deck. It was chaos. Those who didn’t get the memo to wear bathing suits suffered the most. It was most incredible to see students grinning with buckets of water, ready to attack, instead of perched over them, seasick like they were just a month ago. We’ve come a long way. We also had bacon and eggs for breakfast, followed by spaghetti and chocolate ice cream for lunch, which is an unbeatable combo.
From a final teacher’s perspective, the pressure is on with exams approaching, but students are handling it impressively. They’re juggling academic deadlines, watches, social dynamics, and emotional growth all at once, and doing so with real maturity. We’re very much looking forward to some upcoming time in the Suriname jungle, a chance to reset before the final push. Watching how hard everyone is working, and how thoughtfully they’re balancing all of this, continues to be genuinely inspiring.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy festive season. I know you’ll be missing your children in your traditions this year, but I want you to trust that they’re in good hands. Christmas eve and Christmas day will be magical onboard, and you’ll have Atlantic-crossed legends to touch base with just a few days after.
With gratitude,
Sydnie (the Global Studies Teacher)
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