Saturday 29 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Saturday 29 May 2010 בס"ד

An awesome morning watch. First order of business was to finish making the coffee the 8-12s started. We broke into three groups: one at helm to do boxing reviews, one forward to go over terminology, and one aloft to get comfortable at night. I first went with the terminology group and Meredith pointed at things and asked us what they were called and taught us if we didn't know. For example, the little black rail on top of the bulwarks is called the tgallant rail. Why? Nobody knows because it certainly has nothing to do with the tgallantmasts, yards, or sails. Anyway, next the stackhouse was spitting lots of sparks out of the exhaust, so even though the spanker was taken in already it had to be stowed, and Yo and I went aloft to the top of the mizen and furled it. I was totally comfortable balancing on the cranelines while I passed the gasket coil around and around with Yo. Then, Logan took Katie and me aloft on the foremst. First we laid on to the upper, and since we're on a port tack we had to first step onto the foremst cap. Then Katie went to the tgallant and I went and laid on to the fore royal yard for the first time. The experience was amazing, and when I laid down on deck, I had the hugest smile on my face. I am no longer nervous Fred, and I feel completely at home in any part of the rigging. I stood fourth helm steering SWxW1/4W, and it was quite easy with only quarter turns to correct. I filled out the log, and the watch was relieved.

The day watch started with furling sails even before our muster, so I went aloft on the main upper and lower topsl yards and did it no problems. It was quite easy and my bare feet don't even hurt anymore on the ratlines. I helped clean up some painting equipment from the previous watch, then at 1230 the saltwater hose was rigged in the port main shrouds for POWER SHOWER. It was a welcome break and I busted out my Joy Lemon soap and lathered up myself and my work shorts. Two-for-one wash deal. Work on the mainsl for the sloop Mermaid resumed on the quarterdeck, and we got our first taste of sailmaking. I was cutting the tabling patterns and creasing them with fids. The material is Dacron, which is quite unlike our natural canvas sails, but sewing it isn't too much different I guess? I did this with Julie, Jimmy, and Niko until 1500, when I stood fourth lookout. Nothing of note was seen, but the weather was nice at least. After watch, I read a little bit, then took a brief nap on the hatch. At 1715, we had an all-hands muster. Since we left Anguilla, we've still been motoring into the westerly wind, which is not how the Caribbean is EVER unless it's hurricane season. This weather pattern has been lingereing longer than the Captain had expected, and although we've got a huge diesel engine, this is a sailing ship, and sailing is what we do. So at the muster, the Captain told us that early tomorrow we'll be pulling into Bonaire for a few days... which didn't upset anybody. Another unexpected stop on our way around the world is pretty cool, and I remember Joe Gruber told me he'd gone diving there. Immediately after muster, I broke out my Dutch phrasebook (Bonaire is part of the Netherlands Antilles) and got to studying. Liam taught me a few phrases in Papiamento, the local patois (he had dated a girl from Curacao). I drew myself a map of the island in my sketchbook, then did some working out with Jo. Now I guess I'll type my logs since Anguilla. Oh, at dinner the Captain shouted from the bridge, “Thar she blows! Sperm whale one point forward of the starboard beam,” and sure enough we saw a few spouts and then the massive fluke raise into the sky and dive down below the surface.