Monday 5 July 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Monday 5 July 2010 בס"ד

The 4th of July was fantastic. Even though we were a multinational crew in a ship out of the Galapagos, the Americans aboard showed everybody what it's all about: BBQ, races, chilling out, and of course, pyrotechnic display. It started out with my 0500 courtesy galley wakeup, which I requested to get a headstart on galley duty. I actually made it out of my rack at 0530, but whatever. Nadja had already prepared pancake batter, and with help breakfast was that and scrambled eggs, fruit, and granola. For lunch, I was in the galley house while Mitch and Lorainne were aft at the scullery. We made macaroni and cheese, boiled some dirty water dogs, and Nadja baked hot dog buns. I was pretty much doing all of that, and I wasn't stressing. Liam put my music on a backup iPod of his and so even though it's not super American, I was able to listen to my music for the first time outside of my rack. After lunch, preparation for the backyard BBQ got going. Aft, they made potato salad and three-bean salad; in the galley Mitch cut up meat and we gave it to Mate Mike and Paul to grill on the well deck, and I fried up green peppers and onions while Jo baked apple pie stuff. Before 1700 when the eating began, there was a build-your-own-swimsuit contest, which I missed while I was cooking, but luckily I got to catch the turtle races. Paul had made a wooden turtle race track and so three little Pitcairn-bound terrapins rushed across at turtle speed, which is quicker that you'd think. We listened to good old American music, ate a ton of awesome BBQ, and relaxed until sunset, when the [previously unmentioned] rumors were confirmed that we were going to set off an expired flare or two. I got a sick video of it taking place on the quarterdeck to Jimi Henrix's “Star-spangled Banner.” Watched some cartoons in the forepeak before my 16+hour day came to a quick, passout end.

Today woke up to do first helm on the morning watch steering NE½N towards isla Santa Cruz of the Galapagos. We were close already as you could make out a faint glow in that direction. Started a deckwash at 0630 for a bit but we were cut short by arrival to our waypoint. We came in to Admiralty Bay and the 4-8s worked the spanker (I went aloft to free the hanks), before we dropped anchor and were settled by 0745. We had one breakfast, then the Captain explained that there are three likely scenarios: Paula goes ashore and A) has appendicitis, gets surgery, all goes well, and we're out of here in three days, B) has appendicitis, gets surgery, there are complications, and she must return to Canada and we're out of here in three days or less, or C) Paula doesn't have appendicitis, and provided she doesn't need surgery, she comes back with medicine and we're off in twelve hours. I took a nap that lasted longer than I had hoped (until 1300), and read Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville while we had a swim call with rope swing. I apparently have a ridiculous hat tan on my head, and worked on evening this out by reading away from the sun. At 1600, Paula returned without appendicitis, but rather colitis, and the necessary meds. We had to wait to clear out, and at 1730 we ate early dinner. At 1800 we were weighing anchor (I was in the chain locker) and we were off. We braced up sharp on a port tack and before that I had to go in the headrig to overhaul the sheets. I then cleaned out the slops buckets, plastics, and ground coffee. Somebody had been fiddling with the knob on the grinder, and now the grounds are too coarse or too fine. We'll have to work on this.. Now going to finish Billy Budd, Sailor and go to bed.

Note: In harbor we saw a three-masted schooner (or barquentine?) the Captain told us was the Mandalay, formerly the Vima, of Nova Scotia. The foresl was furled to the mast, which would mean it would shower curtain open?