Monday 13 September 2010 (PUKAPUKA)

Picton Castle moored at Pukapuka; Monday 13 September 2010 בס"ד

Woke up yesterday at 0730 with all hands for GQ, although I was galley duty so I reported to the galley. Helped set up for breakfast as the Pukapuka boats came out, and right after, 12-4 was quickly sent ashore, thus ending my galley day. We were dispatched to the MP's house, and I hung out there for a bit with a few others while he took the rest to church. After they returned, I went walking with Dapper, Brad, and Megan for a while, and we found a relatively small coconut crab hanging out by a tree. Then two pickups drove by loaded with the rest plus the 4-8s, and we hopped in and drove around the reserve a bit. Then hung out at a beach where I passed out for an hour and a half. Woke up to find us chatting with some yacht dudes who have been coincidentally stopping at many places we have (they were at Pitcairn two weeks before us and David Brown recognized them). Then went for a walk around the beach, collecting purple sea urchin spines with Rebecca. Made it back to the MP's second house, cooked ourselves baked beans, crackers, corned beef, and YumYum ramen noodles. Then walked to another house, hung out with friends, and finally ended the night where I ate earlier, and slept on a mattress outside.

Woke up at 0745 to get on a boat at 0800 back to the PC to unload all the cargo. Got back, and jumped right into the hold in the wood pile getting out the massive amount of goods. It's a tight squeeze, but I'm small so I can cram in there and muscle stuff out. Then, I lifted out several dozen 50+lb sacks of salt, sugar, and flour. Joined in chaining stuff out when the boats would come, and WT had me saw some wood to jury rig a part onto the dolly for when we offloaded all the oil drums and propane cylinders. Finished at lunch, and napped on the aloha deck. Off watches were stood down, and we took the deck. Dan and I were organizing stuff atop the galley house, relashing things on deck, and other odd jobs, and finally worked on new chafe gear for our mooring hawser using plywood and hose rubber. A squall passed by at one point, and the crew got ready to let go the hawser and fire up the engine at a moment's notice, since we don't have much room to swing at all before certain reefy doom. According to Rebecca, we're either totally safe or totally piled up on the reef, with only about a minute or less in between the two, so if the wind that's holding us safely changes at all, we must react super fast. After work, took an action video from the main royal, then dinner and galley clean. Watched “Around Cape Horn” with Dapper, Bradford, and Megan, then showed them photos of Dad. Now set up my hammock on the aloha deck. Anchor watch for me at 0100.