It’s day four on the boat and we are all starting to stink. Luckily there is an abundance of deodorant to hold us until the next wonderful swim call.

Today we successfully passed through the Cape Cod Canal and people were watching and waving from all sides. While under the shelter of bridges and clouds we had a much needed dialogue session. We discussed the importance of sailing and how it related to our leadership goals and challenges. It was nice to touch base with the entire group after being separated into watches for so long.

After dialogue and passing through the Canal, the Captain decided that to make it to New York on time we needed to sail through the night again. So the sleep deprivation continues, but luckily the weather was kind, and though there were numerous tacks during A watch from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., it was a beautiful night.

So as a watch we sit here in the dark and think about the accomplishments of the last 24 hours. Razan succeeded in not getting seasick at the helm, Khalil found no water in the bilges, Kasey only fell three times in one watch and Michael and Charlotte got their aloft clearance. Talor also got her headrig clearance. We can tell we are not only growing as people, but as friends and sailors too.

—A Watch

This year, Seas of Peace is bringing together 18 teenagers from Israel, Palestine and the United States. These youth engage in an intensive leadership and dialogue curriculum while working with each other to sail and navigate Spirit of Massachusetts, a traditional 125-foot schooner. The first nine days take place in Portland, Maine, as participants learn to sail small boats and begin their challenging conversations. The remainder of the program is spent on the open seas, with the schooner tracing a path from Portland to New York City and, eventually, to Boston.

Each night, a watch group writes about their discussions and adventures that day. These posts are the students’ first-hand accounts of this unique experience.