♥OBS 5-Day Cutter Sailing Programme
Top: Samuel, Yixuan, E-lis, Raziff, Elisa, Izzam, Weiyang, Renchou (blocked), Asyraff
Bottom: Pecksi, Priscilla, Cheryl, Alvin, Teckcheong, Kenneth
Third time at OBS Yo! And this time, the special highlight was SAILING, like so totally cool right?
This is how our sail looks like at sea.
Took this picture off the Internet.
FIRST DAY
Met up with everyone in school with Boyfriend sending me to school, thanks love! Xiangyun stole the fork and spoon from Canteen 1, and it was my idea. Hahaha. Boarded the bus, and had a hearty talk with the usuals, BUT, I was damn sad after the grouping was announced. I was seperated from ALL my friends; Lao Gary, Amanda, Xiangyun, Huadong. Shihao was sick and wasn't coming, and he was supposed to be in my group! Oh well, it was time for me to make some new friends!
Watch ELIZABETH, that's my group.
Met our new instructor Samuel, and he is extremely amusing. He appears to us as a host or a DJ, and he has a thing for Happy Tree Friends. He should enter the media industry as the next Gurmit Singh man, and he has like a damn nice body. I may sound perverted, but hey, damn tanned and toned lah, motivate me to exercise and suntan more.
I was initially telling Amanda and friends about this instructor named LJ, in my first OBS, and speaking of the devil, LanJiao was watch NEHRU's instructor! Hahahhaha.
Had a round of introduction, and had lunch at the canteen. Food was much much better than the last time I was at OBS. I guess they must have changed vendor lah. We checked into our Bunks, and I chose a middle bed. We had our first activity, being the Height Elements. The 3-D logs, it was definitely challenging. I was paired up with Araziff and I really want to thank him for lifting me up that obstacle man. I so damn heavy, he damn strong lah! We completed it and we are definitely proud of it because only a few pairs managed to get to the top! Our obstacle course was so high up, that the distance between the first to the second log was about our height, and the distance increases as we go up higher. We tried the other high element which was way easier than the logs man. Araziff and I had no problem with it, and got up there really fast :D We stayed there at the Multi-Purpose Hall (MPH, denoted as Mad People's Hall by Samuel) for a pretty long time, and it was soon dinner time already. After dinner was preparation for sailing the next day. All the stores and food rations, plus our personal belongings.
SECOND DAY
It's D-Day and I was sure ecstatic about being able to sail!
We had the usual morning circles, flag-raising, breakfast, lunch, and there was an inside joke about black dog, the chef, and the dog meat. At lunch, Cheryl stole fork and spoon from our locker in the canteen.
We took a watch picture in front our boat Semangat, which meant "spirit". Just getting up onto the boat gave me a sense of satisfaction. We had a trial using the stuff on the boat and getting things set up. It's incredibly difficult to understand and digest all that we were told. It was all bright and sunny, but it started to get very cloudy and windy. Elisa was having a hard time with the mainsail (the big sail set on the mainmast), so I helped her out by aiding her to pull in rope whenever needed. The winds were so puissant, the sails catching the wind were extensive, causing the boat to fall on one side. All of us tried to put our weight on the other side to balance out the boat, moving to Port or Starboard. It was somewhat frightening that it seemed like we were going to capsize anytime. We tried rowing the heavyweight oars, and I got quite annoyed when someone wasn't really helping rotate the oars 90degrees to the sea surface level whenever it went out of position, or pull with me. Instead she was just putting her hands on the oars, and this I know, I wasn't the only one complaining about her rowing. It's okay, I've already condoned to her effortless act. I was being put in-charge of letting go of the anchor in an anchorage, safe for the boat to anchor. Si Beh heavy lah! Araziff and I rowed the baby Avon to and fro getting people and items onto land. A few of us rowed back to the boat to put the lightsticks on the boat for easy monitoring at night.
We camped out at Kekek Island, and had the privilege to jump into the quarry to get ourselves cleaned, since we had no chance to bathe. It felt so much better after getting rid of the sand in my water shoes, and washing the seawater off our skin in the rainwater pool. Our toilet were just rocks and trees further down a man-made soil path. I already peed in the sea, so I just accompanied the other girls. We cooked dinner using mass tins and pots, and food was surprisingly filling despite the diminutive amount. I got to know more about the girls in the tent, labelled Cheryl "Bimbo" because of her actions and the way she talked as if she had no brains. We chatted into the night till Elisa and I had to Patrol Duty with Amanda and Xiangyun from the other watch. Talked about our instructors, specifically directed at LJ. Hahaha. Colonies of ants came swarming in at our cooking area, and it was biting us to the max. Went back into the tent to sleep, and it sure was squeezy with 6 girls in the tent.
THIRD DAY
We woke up early in the morning before daybreak, girls made Milo for everyone, whereas the guys packed the tents for us. Pee-d behind the fly tent sheet held up and changed out into our wet long-sleeves. We got onto the sailboat once again, and prepared to sail to our next destination. This time, we were slightly clearer about the sailing terms, and also on our roles on the boat. I aweighed the anchor, and took over Elisa's charge of the mainsail. Was still trying to grasp the concept on when to pay out the mains or pull in. Amanda was telling me that LJ was screaming "Ease Sheets" during the storm, which sounded to them like "Eat Shit Eat Shit!" Hilarious man, the way she told me. I thought I had already mastered it on controlling the wind capture using the mainsail. We had a great workout once again on the oars. There was minimal wind in the sunny early afternoon once we set out and got going. However, as we were halfway into our journey to our next destination, there was a storm cooking up in three different locations, leading us to having numerous gusts of wind. Totally awesome, we were soon Gone with the Wind! It rained chimpanzees and gorillas, so freezing cold that we had to put on our Ponchos and huddled together with Asyraff and Cheryl. Cheryl was captain for the day and she finally proved herself not Bimbo. Hahahaha. Poor us, the only three behind.
After this sailing journey, I realised that there are just some people that really annoys me to the max, because they just literally sit, stop and stare. Just getting a few bites, already all complainy and whiney. Nahbeh, friends is friends lah, but move your freaking lazy hands and legs to help out man. Call yourself a leader, after hearing you share with us that you're some vice-chairman back in secondary school. I also vice-chairman in secondary school, but I'm better off than you, at least help out whenever needed. When I ask for help to find things in urgency, you just sit there and look. WHAT THE FUCK. Nevermind, I condone to your unhelpfulness again.
We arrived at Sembawang park, and did our cooking there. We had lots of beans to eat man. After that, we had to go back onto the sailboat, because we were going to sleep there for the night! I was getting really irritated because there were so many sandflies sucking my blood, I couldn't find my wet ziplock bag with my adidas shorts inside, I was starting to feel constipated, and because of that I got so heated up whenever people didn't want to try and help. I didn't get to change on land, and so did I not intend to change out of my wet clothes once on the boat. But I did in the end of course. We were passing Prickly Heat powder around and it was super shiok lah, especially on the inner thighs. I was so in love with the powder that I kept re-applying. We slept on the boat with the fly sheet over us. After a round of sharing, we had intellectual games like black magic and maa maa, and a game of 5-45 with the 8 of us, to try and finish the Milo Samuel made for us at night. We slept in and I was in a very awkward and uncomfortable position. It was chilly, and I woke up with backaches and stiff necks.
FOURTH DAY
Sleeping under the skies above the waters, was definitely an amazing experience despite the shivery moments in the morning. Once again, I was the anchor woman but also teaching people the right way to take it out. I learnt how to tie the knots and set up the Mizzen, and also took charge of the mainsail once again. And this time I got confused on what to do with the mainsail because it seemed like everything I did was the opposite! Teck Cheong was the Captain for the day, and I sure felt the stress and pressure he was under by Samuel. Samuel is frightening when he's serious, and he was scolding him all the way. Samuel scolded him so much that he didn't really know what to actually do. "Captain! Where are you going? Bear bear bear, remain course! Move towards the wind! You are moving into Iron! Poor fella, I certainly did not have the guts to be Captain, Imma coward. We were instructed to find another role to take up, so I took a break as Elisa was brave enough to take over as captain. Cheryl took over me, and I went to help out with the Stays whenever a Tack was instructed. "Prepare to Tack, Tack NOW!" Everyone was so afraid that it wouldn't be successful, to avoid getting screamed at by Instructor Samuel. Sheesh. I started to get sleepy, and once we got into a small storm again, I took over Cheryl again because she had a hard time pulling the rope. After the storm, we switched roles again, and I tried being the Dipper, which seemed easy just required to pull across on the other side during a Tack. Waliao, Si Beh difficult lah, even me being so weighty, the guys had to help me get it across. I can totally understand how Izzam went through getting the mainsail to either the starboard or port side. Didn't get a chance to do the Jib Sail though. According the Samuel, we are very very lucky because we had great winds on all three days, whereas not alot of groups stands a chance to sail as much as we did.
We arrived back at camp, and we quickly unloaded everything onto the speedboat. We washed whatever we could possibly clean like the water bottles and life vests, and also helped out in tying up the ropes, and washing the sails. Friends found my shorts which left me much more relieved, and I was finally liberated from my distress, bombing the civilization's toilets, and also getting all the dirt and salt off my body. I smelt way gooood after my bath. We had dinner, and thank goodness the dog was still alive, and the chef still hadn't slaughtered it for dog meat. It actually came to find us at our Bunks! We started feeding it with biscuits and all. Dinner time and there wasn't dog meat, but the chicken tasted best out of the three days. Samuel and LJ told us a story, and they tied our hands to whoever was beside us. So hilarious, instead of teamwork on feeding each other or something, we were playing pranks on one another. I kept disturbing Weiyang by pulling the strings when he was just about to put the spoon into his mouth. In the end I got my desserts by Cheryl and Weiyang by getting my pants dirty with the food.
After dinner, we had a night walk into the forest, and were brought to this place with tunnels with dead ends. Cheryl was leading the way, and we had no idea where we were going. Thank goodness we went in as a group, if we were to find our way alone in the dark I'd be really scared. We had a sharing session again, and I was so disappointed in myself. Samuel asked us to talk about who is the leader you want to be. I hesitated, and just kept quiet. I just didn't know what to say, I don't feel as superior I once felt in the past, and don't know who is that leader I want to be. Instead I said "I want to have followers" but that was not what I really meant. I want people to look up to me as a great leader who is inspiring but at the same time, is still learning in the process. Gosh. I need to find my purpose back in life, I need to self-reflect. Although exhausted, Cheryl, Peck Si and I chatted into the night until 2am, whilst all the rest were already deep in their sleep.
FIFTH DAY
Supposed reporting time was 5.55am but all of us woke up at 5.45am! "Malaysia" (inside joke) was the only one who had a watch and never failed to wake us up at 5am, but he poor thing, we always don't wake up on time! We got ready by 6.30am and walked over with Nehru. We did some last minute packing, and then after breakfast, we had another high element courage jump, whereby we would have to climb up onto a platform, say what we would want to achieve after the course, and then jump to grab a handle at least 1m away, at eye level. It seemed scary, but all of us made it through! Teck Cheong was the first to go and seemed so scared, that dog. HAHAHAHA. He's so cute lah, those gullible mummy's boy, lauging and smiling at EVERYTHING. As the rest went back to clearthe stores, Weiyang, Teck Cheong and I went to keep the mainsails for Elizabeth and Nehru. Heavy siah. We had lunch, souvenir shopping and settling of administration stuff, then it was the already the end of our course.
Honestly speaking, out of the three OBSs I had been to, this is the not-so-fun one. I still prefer the CCA leaders Pinnacle OBS, that one ultra fun to the max with freaking mad people. I was also a totally different person myself, a much confident one. However, every OBS course with different people has their own highlights.
Time had passed so quickly, and the three day two night Sailing expedition was a whole new experience. Although there were people in the group who were not very co-operative, but I believe every single one was very participative. There were so many inside jokes like Bimbo Cheryl, all the "No lahs", Malaysia boleh, dog meat etc. It was fun being with the group, especially when we get very bonded out of the blues. Crazy and spastic bunch. So hereby I say, Thank you Elizabeth. :D
I'm
talking champagne wishes and caviar dreams.
