After 72 hours for the voyage of 966km, the Gamania Bravery has successfully returned Taiwan! The summer school hosted by Gamania Cheer Up Foundation had a topic of [Bravery] this year. The outpost event in June was started with the Gamania Bravery.
▲Picture taken before setting out
A brave voyage from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung
Gamania Bravery had recruited 10 brave youths to join the voyage. Their mission was to sail the powerless sailboat, Gamania Bravery from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Teenagers from all over the world had to establish the mutual understanding, learn how to lift the sail, how to tie the ropes, and even cook for every meal on the ocean in a short time without knowing each other in advance.
▲Establishing mutual understanding is a crucial part
▲Gamania Bravery, let’s go!
Solid Training, Sail on, Gamania Bravery!
The activity lasted for 6 days, 3 days training and 3 days sailing. Students who arrived Hong Kong started to receive solid ocean training program which included, how to read the nautical chart, 4 meter-high platform diving, how to turn the sail when the set of wind changes, and how to handle the situation when the shipwrecked. In addition, there were the programs for building mutual understanding and trust. The dense training in the short time allowed students to know each other better. In order to make everyone getting used to the small space in the cabin, the students had to spend their night on the boat before sailing and that’s all for the 3 days training.
▲The route for Gamania Bravery was from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung
▲The ocean training is also necessary
▲Participating the ocean training
▲Trainees listened to the lecture attentively.
▲Students have to live in the small cabin with narrow bed and aisle.
▲The master’s cabin is not big but full of sailing instruments and information
▲The best meal before setting out because once setting out it will be a luxury to eat like this.
In the early morning of the fourth day, students are fully expecting for taking to sea. There was a diving ceremony before sailing. Everyone needed to work together to get out of the water. Students reassured their determination of sailing Gamania Bravery back to Taiwan by helping each other. The Gamania Bravery was finally starting off!
▲After diving into the water, students have to help each other to get off water
▲Make sure everything has been taken care of on the boat
▲Tie up the sail together
The strong sunshine and consistent shaking hit the students with no mercy
However, the excitement wouldn’t last long. The strong sunshine and tossing waves made students dizzy and sick. During the sailing, students had to take shifts every four hours for handling sails and watching on the deck. The greatest challenges for students were the dizziness and vomiting. Also, there was the strike of typhoon, Sarika which brought the monstrous waves and shook the boat even worse. The sailing was getting more difficult.
▲One of the most important works on boat is to tie the rope
▲Let’s pull up the sail!
▲Students must record the longitude and latitude of the boat as well as relevant information every hour
▲Students watch out on the deck with exhausted bodies
▲The shaking makes things dropping down and the sink is covered with vomit
Self-breakthrough! The voyage mission of Gamania Bravery officially a success!
After 3 days, 10 heroes conquered all the difficulties in the ocean and sailed the Gamania Bravery back to the ocean city – Kaohsiung. Though the duration of this activity is not very long, the process and experience had impacted all the students deeply. It was believed that these little heroes would be more mature and independent after this voyage. Their courage for accepting the challenges would no doubt bring them to their dreams.
▲Finally, let’s take a look at the captain of Gamania Bravery, isn’t he good looking?
▲The students are unable to go to the hotel after getting off the boat so they have to wash up on the street side.
▲Successfully returned students, you future will be filled with courage