Cedars Christian School

A: Take them on a 111 foot wooden sailing ship fashioned after a 16th century tall ship for 4 days and give them all the duties which are required to run such a ship through the Gulf Islands.

SALTS is such a program. The Pacific Swift is such a boat. Last Sunday, our grade 12 students continued a 20 year tradition at Cedars and traveled down to Victoria. We stayed overnight at Delta Christian School and boarded the Pacific Swift on Monday morning. Our students learned how to coil, cleat, haul, and tailor lines. They learned to steer the ship through narrow channels. They learned how to take orders, climb the shrouds, clean the brass, swab the decks, clean the galley, and ‘pump’ the ‘head’ (flush the toilet). They learned the importance of anchor watch at 3 a.m., the role of bow watch for successfully navigating dangerous waters, and how to listen for nautical warnings in the radio room. It was experiential learning at its best.

The Skipper

It was very interesting for me to watch skipper John (26 years old) of the Pacific Swift give orders to the helmsman (our students) throughout the week. The skipper never touched the wheel. Even while docking at Victoria’s Inner Harbour, our students steered the ship, with the skipper’s orders, right up to the wharf. It was such a great metaphor to describe our relationship to God. We have to trust that if we follow the skipper’s orders, trusting that his Word can guide us safely through life’s obstacles, we’ll arrive at our destination with His peace and fulfillment. Though it seems that our ways of steering are often better or easier, we must steer our lives in the direction that God has set out for us. We must listen and respond.

Grad Trip

It would be hard to think of a grad trip that could be more effective for students in a Christian school. There is spiritual growth, hard work, unique experience and phenomenal fun involved in going on a SALTS trip. We can’t wait to go again!