Another double entry due to shoreside drinking. Well, Saturday was possibly one of the coolest days of my life to date (I'm trying not to exaggerate). We spent the day bending on sail (which means actually putting the sails on the yards). I hadn't been aloft since my initial "up and over" and out on the yard introduction, so I was unsure if I was going to feel comfortable enough to do any work in the rigging. But first thing I was assigned to do was bend on the main upper topsl, and so I went up and over and up the next level of ratlines to the yard, made my way out on the port side of hte yard, and started bending (attaching the sail by lashing it to the forward jackstay with robands). And you know what? I felt perfectly comfortable! So I learned how to do that and furl. I even had to go back on deck to get more robands and then go up again. However, my right leg did have some minor shakes, but I still felt great. Then I went up the mizzenmast to bend the spanker, and for that I had to carefully balance on a line called a chainline. Michael was on the port side and I on starboard and we each had to pass the robands back and forth since it was a vertical setup. At lunch, a few people commented on the smile I had on my face, and I compared it to an "after-sex" glow. After lunch I was bending on the fore course and helping Clark and even Brownwyn (who made an unexpected visit aloft) with the techniques. On the focslehead, Liam asked me "Fred, what is it that you're doing?" and I replied, "Why, I'm bending on the fore course," very confidently, and then I looked at WT standing next to Liam and asked, "WT, is that right?" which got a chuckle from a few people. After bending, the captain instructed us to lower hte sails and check em out, and so we did. After the display, we were then told to furl sails, so again I went aloft and furled the main upper and lower topsls. At one point I couldn't find anything to clip my harness into and I asked Meredith what to do and she said very matter-of-factly, "don't let go." And so hold on I did. THere was a moment where I felt a bit claustrophobic because I was trapped between a line, the backrope, a block and Brad and I had to bend myself backward with no harness to move to Liam and the mast. I did it, but with a less comfortable style thanb before. But I got down and Meredith told me I did a good job and I felt alright. So in this one day I managed to go aloft each mast at least once. Afterward, we were told there would be a Dory Shop BBQ, so Dave started a beer money collection and we managed to get about $200, with which we bought a lot of beer. The BBQ was awesome and it quickly evolved into a wild dance party which lasted several hours. It was a lot of fun and pretty much everybody was there and dancing up a storm. Also, it turned out to be Michael's birthday, so there was a cake for him. Anyway, I wasn't drunk but I was too exhausted from going aloft and dancing all night to write an entry yesterday.
Today started out a little cold and damp and rainy. Leonard volunteered to be the cook today, and he did a great job. I got a load of laundry ready, and made a run with Donald's bags, WT's bag, Stephanie and Jan. I came back, went to the Banker for coffee, went online, the returned to PC for lunch. After lunch I watched Hot Fuzz in the Brocave, and when I came out, the sun was shining. I picked up the laundry and Tina, sewed my workpants' zipper (which came out of the stitches), and had dinner. After dinner went to the Banker for a drink and more internet, now going to bed. I had hoped to shower today ran out of time.
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