Thursday 6 January 2011

Picton Castle alongside at Le Port, Île de La Réunion, France; Thursday 6 January 2011 בס"ד

Woke up at 0715, on watch at 0800. Loosed all sail to dry, then domestics. For work, Brad, Susie and I painted topsides until lunch. After lunch, I wirebrushed and corrosealed the starbard Plimsoll marks from the boat, which is alongside on starboard. Right as I finished, big rain cloud was closing, and up and stow. By the time I got back down to deck from the fore, it was pissing down, and I had to clean up the paint locker quickly in the rain. Then, brought stuff back to deck that had been on the dock before when the other watches had oiled the decks, like the well deck bench, rag bin, etc. Then the Mate had me and Mitch sand down the chartroom floor, then clean it, tack it down, and Penetrol it with some of my pristine stuff. Just slacking out lines here and there, then at 1700, when it let up, we had practice drill with hawser lines, and how to properly make them off, take up, surge, etc, followed by heaving line throwing practice. I definitely have a good technique now, and get maximum launch. [Person] made off their heaving line to the focslehead rail, tossed it, and their half-ass knot came undone and had sunk within twenty seconds. Brad and I were starting the rescue boat in an MOB-like fashion, when the Mate called it off. You'd think after this long at sea, [person] would know how to tie a damn knot, but some people. This time it was funny, but I just hope I'm never on the other end of a line that [person] made fast, because then it definitely won't be funny. Dinner in the salon, then typed and hung out, inventing the word “sagerre” in an attempt to convince somebody it's a word and see how many people this person tries to teach it to. Bedtime. Night watch at 0400.