Student Life
Grade 8s Set Sail
A series of sailing trips on the Salish Sea on May 6 and 7 helped set our Grade 8s up for the Beyond the Gates program next year.
The Grade 8s boarded the Providence, a historic, 121-year-old ship, in Mill Bay, and sailed to Russell Island, off the southern end of Salt Spring Island.
Built in Denmark in 1903, the Providence originally served as a civilian vessel. It was chartered by the Royal Danish Navy during the Second World War, then commandeered by the German Navy. Repatriated by Denmark after the war, it returned to civilian life. It first sailed to the Pacific Northwest in 1979, then worked as a cargo vessel in the Caribbean in the 1980s. The Providence returned to BC in 1988, started working as a charter ship in 2005, and now offers both experiential adventures and cargo services throughout the Salish Sea.
“This was designed to allow the Grade 8s a day to get off campus on a unique historical vessel,” explained Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick, who led one of the three expeditions. “And to show them the environment the School is in, as the Grade 8s haven’t had a lot of opportunities to leave campus.”
On the ship, the students learned about the sails and how to raise them, and had the opportunity to lie on the bow net over the ocean as the boat travelled toward its destination. Some students even tried their hands at captaining the boat, feeling the sensitivity of the sails in the windy conditions.
Once the Providence was anchored off Russell Island, the students took a Zodiac boat, eight at a time, to the island. The three groups engaged in different activities on the island, depending on the expertise of their leaders, but Ms. Dick’s group hiked, explored tidal pools and the intertidal zone, and learned about different habitats. They also tried foraging, discovering fresh hemlock sprouts, wild mint and wild strawberries, and visited the orchard planted by the Hawaiian settlers of Russell Island, now in full bloom.
The sailing trip will help set the Grade 8s up for their camping trip to Salt Spring Island on June 16-19, the culmination of their first year at Shawnigan. On that trip, the students will experience sea kayaking, hiking and a tour of Ruckle Farm to help celebrate the end of their Grade 8 year and prepare them to transition into the more comprehensive Grade 9 experiential learning program, Beyond the Gates.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
