Tuesday 25 May 2010 (ANGUILLA)

Picton Castle at anchor in Sandy Ground, Anguilla; Tuesday 25 May 2010 בס"ד

Yesterday's wakeup came a bit earlier than normal as the ship came into a harbor called Sandy Ground on teh island of Anguilla. After a bit of sail-handling and dropping anchor, the Captain and Maggie took a skiff ride in to the customs department to clear us while we up and stowed. I must say I feel quite salty after these two weeks out and I scrambled up to the fore upper topsl yard no problem and easily lowered myself to the lower topsl yard, which had daunted me in Lunenburg. The 8-12s had first anchor watch, so they remained on board as we rode the skiff to the beach. I pretty much spent hte whole day relaxing on the beach and enjoying rum punch cocktails and Carib beers, though in the evening I tried to use the Broken ATM Hotel's (we didn't know its name) wifi service but it wasn't cooperating with me. I came back on the 2100 skiff run (we're now on Anguilla time which is the same as PA when I left). I set up my hammock on the foclsehead, but relocated to the aloha deck when it rained at 0200.

We 12-4s took the watch at 0800 and after a deckwash and domestics, I worked in the headrig rustbusting the stem top with Jimmy while Katie wirebrushed turnbuckles over my head. We rustbusted, corrosealed, and primed, which took most of hte day's working hours. During lunch we enjoyed a swim call off the port side to cool down. After work, we did some monomoy rowing around the harbor, and while some people did crazy tricks from a swing rope we had rigged on the fore yardarm, I took the opportunity to climb up to the royal on the mainmst for hte first time, which was great. We cleaned up the galley and I helped do dishes in the scullery and now I'll type up some of my logs so that if I do find internet tomorrow I can go put them up quickly. I have to stand night watch at 0400 and light the galley stove, which I haven't done yet. We are slated to leave on Thursday at 1400.

Monday 24 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Monday 24 May 2010 בס"ד

Night watch was pleasant tonight, even with the massive electrical storms illuminating the sky in the distance throughout the four hours. We are in fishing waters now, so when I stood first lookout I was being extra-vigilant for unlit small vessels. The second hour I cleaned the galley with Yo and Georgie, the I was put on the third lookout on the port bridgewing to aid starboard and forward lookouts. I did 0330 wakeups and at the end of watch we learned that we're 48nm away from our waypoint. We expect to be at anchor sometime during the next 12-4 watch.

Sunday 23 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Sunday 23 May 2010 בס"ד

Morning watch was cool because we got to do a bit of rapidfire sail-handling. When the watch started, the weather was nice, but that didn't last for long. We sailed through a squall for about fifteen minutes and so had to take in the spanker. After it passed, we reset the spanker. I stood second lookout and got a free shower when another squall came by. I observed from the focslehead that we had significantly changed course towards W, and when I was done I watched as Rebecca tried to adapt to the frequently shifting winds. I, along with Yo and Leonard, cleaned the galley, then we set the spanker one more time prior to the turn of the watch. I know the goal is to make it to Anguilla still, but if the winds are uncooperative, who knows where we'll end up?

Woke myself up at around 1000 and continued work on my Spanish/Portuguese nautical translations. I also stitched up the spikesheath on my rig because my spike was poking out the bottom and stabbing my ass. Had a very eventful watch today filled with sail-setting, -handling, and aloft work. I was slotted for fourth helm, so the first hour I had Nadia quiz me on my Spanish terms while we had to jump to set or take in the spanker a few times. We also had to set the outer jib. It's getting much better with trainees knowing where to go instead of having large groups in one spot, and sail-handling is much smoother. We were under power the whole day because what are almost always NE winds in these parts are today SE winds due to the unusual weather. About three or four squalls passed over us during watch, but I didn't even bother putting on foulies. While Yo was on helm I relieved her for fifteen minutes so she could go and loose the tgallants and royals so they could dry a bit. However, another squall came later and they were up and stowed again while I was on fourth helm. Rebecca went aloft to stow and told me, "Fred, you have the con," which I thought was the coolest thing that could ever be said to me. At the turn of the watch, I went aloft to up and stow the foresl, which is the first time I've been up in what feels like a while. Plus, I did it barefoot and shirtless during a squall! (I forgot to mention that Shawn, Liam, Dan, and Donald [the fishing crew] caught a bluefin tuna today, but released it because it wasn't big enough. Big enough for what, I don't know, because it was about two feet long.) Before dinner the Captain mustered us to tell us basically not to be idiots in Anguilla and to have a good time. After dinner, I spent a while typing up my logs from Lunenburg to present although in two hours I only made it to the gale. It's funny how much I've developed since then. Jimmy and I polished off the rest of our secret Oreos stash and now I'm going to bed. Sometime tomorrow we should arrive in Anguilla.

Saturday 22 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Saturday 22 may 2010 בס"ד

Night watch (or morning watch as I'd like to call it) began with still lumpy seas but otherwise nice warm clear weather. After I drank my coffee, I went up to the quarterdeck and had a comical slip where I slid athwartships about 6ft. I was not assigned a lookout or helm, so I only had to do final shipcheck. I cleaned the galley with Yo and Michael, then hung out on quarterdeck telling stories until I went to help make hot water and coffee, then did my final shipcheck. An uneventful night.

The day watch was quite squally. We sailed through two separate squalls, though they weren't all that bad. We set and took in the outer jib during our watch. I stood second helm, and it was pretty easy steering SW except for a squall which could swing the ship as much as a whole point in a few seconds. At the turn of the watch we braced sharper, then after I spent many hours translating nauticalese English into Spanish and Portuguese. Oh, I almost forgot... Monday AM we're putting in to Anguila for a few days to dodge an unusual low in the Caribbean. That should be neat.

Friday 21 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea in the tropics; Friday 21 May 2010 בס"ד

My good sleep wasn't so good after all. The winds are quite strong and the seas lumpy, so now on the port tack I was pressed up against the sealing the whole night. But I still did get enough sleep and woke up refreshed. On deck the weather midships jackrope was rigged up, and the seas were giving quite a bit of spray. It's not practical to do shipswork in lumpiness like this, so unless on lookout or helm the order was to stay on the quarterdeck. We set the mainsl, which made us have all canvas spread but the royals, outer jib, and spanker. Rebecca had me nip the port mainsl sheets to a shearpole on the lower main shrouds with some rotton cotton to keep the line from chafing on the monomoy davits. I didn't feel worried going on the shrouds (low though I may have been) with the heavier weather. On the quarterdeck I practiced my buntline hitch and learned the snuggle hitch. Then Rebecca had us box a compass to all whole points on paper, which was followed by a terminology class. This carried on a bit, until at 1450 a strange, fast-moving ship was seen off hte starboard beam. My lookout began at 1455, so I grabbed my binoculars and saw the Green Reefer pass us astern. I think it was German-flagged. Otherwise, no sightings on lookout. JImmy and I had a DMC (deep meaningful conversation) about life, then an all-hands muster at 1700 on the quarterdeck had the Captain tell us about our progress. We're about 1800nm in, having done an S-curve from Lunenburg to take advantage of the winds. We are roughly 300nm from the Anagada Passage, which is between the Virgin Islands and St. Martin. We'll go through there, then it's about 1000nm in a fairly straight course to Colon, Panama. We entered the tropics today at 1320.

Thursday 20 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Thursday 20 May 2010 בס"ד

Night watch was like usual. I was again put on third helm (not sure if on purpose or just coincidence?), so the first hour I hung about midships, second hour cleaned the galley stove, stood helm steering SxW, then made hot water and coffee and did aft wakeups. We had a brief quarterdeck muster to discuss abandon ship plans and address any questions. Now I'm going straight to bed because today I'm on galley duty, so I'll have an 0800 wakeup (since I'm 12-4; the other two people get 0615 wakeups). On galley with me are Lauren and Jo. This is the first time I'm on galley since we left, and my third time overall.

My wakeup for galley was delayed about 15 minutes, because we set sail at the turn of the 4-8 and 8-12. Took me about two cups of coffee but then I was awake enough to start my day. On galley crew, you spend most time washing dishes, although we did clean the scullery shelves and change ice packs from teh coolers before lunch. After liunch cleanup, Jo and I worked out a bit and then I did some math study with Joanie and after I read some Master & Commander. Dinner came out and right after I heard the 4-8s taking in the royals as we saw a squall off the port beam. Within minutes the engine was roaring but only for about an hour or less to get us south of the weather, then back to sailing. Donald treated Jo, Lauren, and I to some wine, which was a nice and unexpected surprise. At the end of galley duty a sloop was spotted off starboard making a northerly course. After galley duty, a few of us were chatting on the aloha deck when we heard a smack on deck right next to us... a flying fish had flown aboard and came to an abrupt halt. For the most part, my calluses are still intact despite constant soaking with soap and bleach water, and I'm getting better at figuring out what Donald is saying when he's giving orders in his thick Granadan accent. I was particularly proud when he told me, "Boy, fetch me twegs." and I correctly came back with two eggs. I did slip twice today due to lumpy seas and gave my right foot a good thwack on the aft bulwark stay, but walking bow-legged like Popeye seems to do the trick. I won't be standing nightwatch this morning, so I'll get a very good sleep in now.

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Wednesday 19 May 2010 בס"ד

After our watch muster, all of the 12-4 trainees went to the quarterdeck and stood at attention in lines. This was Georgie's plan for the past 24 hours and Rebecca, Logan, and Meredith thought it was funny, although to be honest I'm not sure why Georgie thought we should do this? Anyway, I told Nadia and Niko the Hideout SMP story, then we loosed and set the foretopmst staysl. The maintopmst staysl was already set. I stood third helm and steered SxW, and it was unusually easy, requiring only a half turn at most every so often to correct. After, I told Yo the story and we made hot water and coffee for the next watch.

Day watch, with the exception of my second lookout, consisted of more work on the backstay booties. On lookout I saw nothing but seaweed (which I remember from Planet Earth grows abundantly in the Saragossa Sea) and a few flying fish. After watch I tried evening out the brutal beater tan I've got, and I took a shower. Around dinner time, the seas got a little lumpy and seem to be worsening, but I doubt it will e as bad as the gale seas. Jo and I did a light workout today. I was reading a bit of my Small Boat Seamanship Manual as well. We're still under power, but have the maintopmst staysl, foretopmst staysl, and inner jib set. We're riding pretty close to the wind but as we make south the trades should start coming from the east more and more.

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Tuesday 18 May 2010 בס"ד

The weather for nightwatch was nice, but quite humid. Overhead the sky was for the most part clear, but you couldn't see the horizon up to 10° on account of the haze. Rebecca wanted everybody to e able to name all of the running rigging and able to box the compass by at least whole points, so we partnered up and studied. Nadia and I helped each other, as she was stronger with the rigging and I the compass, although both of us know them very well now. I had a nice conversations with Rebecca about the stars and constellations, and also about my building back in PA and how I think I'd like to do this professionally. The pro crew obviously will teach everybody how to sail on the PC but for those interested in a maritime career they'll probably go into further detail and make sure the traine gets the most out of the instruction. I had third helm, steering SxW, and although we're under power and the sea state is relatively calm, I feel that I'm greatly improving my skill at the helm. The air was so humid that the quarterdeck PFDs water-activated light beacons turned on, so Meredith and I freshwater rinsed them and put them in the charthouse to dry. Otherwise, I just studied the night sky, and saw Jupiter rising off the port beam. Soon enough I'll be looking at a new night sky and have to learn all over again.

The day shift started with more work stitching up the turnbuckle booties. Yo and I worked on them for an hour when we both had to relieve people (she the helm and I the lookout). I saw only several Portuguese men-of-war float by on the very calm surface as we motored past. I did get a little red but not what I'd call a burn. After lookout, Nicksa asked me to put some primer on a turnbuckle eye, shackle, and thimble on the headrig. Finally, Mitch and I finished off a long line of baggy wrinkle, and I trimmed it down with the mallet and hatchet. After watch, I read on the focslehead for a bit and observed a crescent moon overhead, which excited me since I haven't seen the moon in a while. I went below when it looked like a weather system might be approaching and accidentally fell asleep. Luckily Shawn woke me up towards the end of dinner and I didn't miss it. After dinner we had a good laugh when I failed miserably at solving a riddle (“my grandmother is dead, is she dead?”), then I did some working out with Jo and then Paula and Alex. Tonight began Shavuot, but since I can't have a bonfire, I guess I'll just chill.

NOTES: We are south of Bermuda; we braced on a port tack to reduce windage.

Monday 17 May 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Monday 17 May 2010 בס"ד

I've decided that I should write in my log twice each day since it feels like I have two mini-days everyday. The time right now is 0410, and I've just been relieved from watch. The first hour I spend reviewing and being quizzed on boxing the compass by quarter-points. I feel confident that if I was told to steer, let's say, SWxS ½ S, I'd know how to determine that course quickly. We also brainstormed ideas for Norway National Day, and I'm going to attempt to fashion out horns and put them in my hat to make a Viking helmet and also use baggy wrinkle or robands for hair. The seconds hour I spent pretty much just stargazing from the quarterdeck and figuring out constellations. I know a few now, and even from the few days we've been at sea I'm already growing accustomed to the sky and can tell which general direction we're headed. I saw a few good shooting stars, one of which actually left a trail behind it. I had third helm, and I started on a due S course, but the winds started to change a bit and so Rebecca had me steer SxE and then SSE, where I remained for the remainder of my helm. I did the final shipcheck and ran into Nadia and Katie sneaking into the hold to hide rice krispie treats they made as a food bribe for tomorrow. The even is scheduled for 1700.

I woke up before lunch and began my preparations for the Norway event. I made sharpie tattoos of the Norwegian flag for myself and a few others. For the day watch, I started with Meredith covering some backstay turnbuckles. By the time we got set up, however, I had to relieve the lookout. Nothing of note was seen; just a drifting buket. I returned to work with Meredith after my lookout, but was told I had to get a type of rod (whose name now escapes me), but after a half hour of searching in the sole with no result, I was put back to the backstay turnbuckles. Doing this I learned how to sew a baseball stitch. After watch, everybody was busy getting ready for the event at 1700. I was dressed as a viking and wore a red hat with attached horns made form socks, aluminum foil, and hockey tape. My name was Fred the Fjord, and at 1700 all the watches mustered for a deck parade. We then had a Norwegian trivia competition/potato spoon relay. The batcave and focsle won that and went on to do a tug of war, which the focsle won. In all, it took about a half hour, but was good fun. An actual bat was found on the aloha deck, but it was very injured and I heard it was put down, though I don't know for sure. I observed two butterflies fluttering around which confuses me since we're in the middle of the ocean, but perhaps they were stowaway chrysallises. We had all canvas spread throughout the day, but after dinner a large storm system could be seen astern, so the call went to take in sail and up and stow. I read some Master & Commander, and took some video of a large pod of dolphins off starboard. Now off to bed.

Sunday 16 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea; Sunday 16 May 2010 בס"ד

Though the gale had officially ended, the sea state was still quite lumpy. However, for what reasons I'm unsure, I had practically none of the apprehension that plagued me earlier. In the first hour I stood lookout with Niko, again from the bridgewings. This time I thought I saw a very distant light 1pt off abaft the starboard beam, but when I reported it to Rebecca, she told me it was a setting star, and I didn't see it again. It was an otherwise uneventful lookout, except when I saw a huge swell break midships and splash up to completely drench me. Luckily I had my foulies on and only underwear beneath them, so it was not a big deal. After my lookout and shipcheck, I taught Adreinne, Michael, and Mitch how to clean the galley shelves and put on the stoveblack, as they had not yet done it. I spent the rest of the watch working on my sea legs, and by the end of watch the ratio of OH SHIT swells to just 10ft swells was significantly less. Jimmy and I were saying that now the 10ft swells were like child's play comparatively. We then did wakeups and final shipcheck, then were relieved.

I woke up today for lunch cooked by Siri, Yo, Nadja, WT, and Nicksa, who were the volunteer cooks and galley crew today. The weather was gorgeous and the sea was restored to a tolerable state. On Sunday, there is no shipwork done other than necessary sail-handling and helm and lookout, not that there had been shipwork on Saturday since it was impossible. I stood second lookout and saw only a sea turtle drifting along off port. At first it looked like driftwood since it just kind of floated by and was sort of brown. I'd say it was no longer than three feet. I had a beater on but my shoulders started to burn so I put on a light collared shirt and hugn out on the quarterdeck with my watch reading up on Panama and its cuisine. We had a mini-watch muster about the Norway National Day parade that will happen tomorrow. Each watch must compete to have the best Norwegian stuff to be judged by Siri, Yo, Mate Mike, and the Captain (which will be interesting since nobody brought any Norwegian stuff). After watch I took a nap on the hatch, while Liam and Shawn played Smut Scrabble and Jimmy, Katie, and Michael played Bananagrams on either side of me. Right before dinner there was an all-hands muster on the quarterdeck where the Captain explained that we'd probably start motoring for the next few days starting tomorrow just so that we can catch the tradewinds. Today we had all squaresls set and the inner jib and maintopmst staysl. After dinner, I worked out a bit and stowed away all of my cold weather clothes and sleeping bag. I've noticed that I'm fairly adapted to my new sleep schedule, that being midnight-0400 watch, 0430-1130 sleep, lunch, noon-1600 watch, 1630-2030 freetime, 2030-2330 sleep. Also there was a fishing line off the aloha deck today, but I had no part in this.

Saturday 15 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea; Saturday 15 May 2010 בס"ד

A lumpy 24hrs it has been and still remains. The night watch started with wake up from Brad stating, “It's freezing and raining and lumpy so wear layers and foulies.” However, when we got on deck it was tolerably warm, and so after our muster I went back below and removed some layers. Jackropes had been rigged midships, and we were told to stay at the quarterdeck if idle. I had been assigned fourth helm, so after an hour I helped clean the galley shelves with Nadia and Jimmy. I put on the stoveblack also. I returned to the starboard quarterdeck, but after a few minutes, Meredith asked me to accompany [person] on the midships deck. I found [person] there seasick as a dog. So I stayed with [person] and did my best to make [person] feel better, though I don't think I had much effect. I also slacked lines that were tightening in the drizzle. There I remained until my helm duty. Shortly after I relieved the helm, the seas became significantly lumpier. I was steering due south, which wasn't terribly hard to maintain. The hard part was holding on for dear life when the ship bucked like a rodeo bull. In the binnacle, there were times when I couldn't even see the compass because of the pitching. While I was at helm, the watch rigged up jackropes on the quarterdeck as well. By the time watch was over, my arms were super stiff from the OH SHIT grasp I had on the helm. I went below to the relative calmness of the forepeak and slept like a baby despite the pounding of the anchor chains in the hawsepipes.

At the start of my day watch, the seas were still quite lumpy, but in daylight it was a bit easier to deal with. I wore my bathing suit and a beater and no footwear since the air temperature was quite comfortable. I, along with Georgie, was put on first lookout. Since the focslehead was a nightmare to walk fore and aft from, lookouts were put on the bridgewings. I was on port and just held on to the shrouds as I scanned my 180° field of view. I didn't see anything, however, for my whole hour. The next hour on the quarterdeck was fine, and I practiced with my sea legs, which was not easy. At one point a huge swell splashed starboard and sent a wave of spray clear across the quarterdeck and even over the charthouse, thoroughly soaking us all. The latter two hours of watch saw a big increase in swell size and wind force. This is when, I regret to say, my nerves got the better of me. The look on my face was apparently one of pure dread and terror, as I held on the jackrope for dear life. I felt the way I do on rollercoasters; not nauseous but rather extremely anxious. The swells were easily as high as the quarterdeck, and the one time I sat down on the veggie locker, we rolled to port at such an angle that I was almost vertically hanging from the nearest backstay. I hope that I conquer my fear enough to at least not freeze in nervous tension, but today's watch let me know I'm still quite a lubber. At the end of watch, Niko cut his finger open while trying to get through the forepeak to the salon on the watertight hatch. He got stitches for his injury. The watertight door is heavy and you must time it exactly right between rolls, which is impossible, and I've literally been flung about more than once trying to pass through it. It's now been lashed open though. Just read more Master & Commander and going to bed. I'm being tossed around my bunk now, and I'm really hoping that it calms down in the next three hours, though I doubt it.

Friday 14 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea in Gulf Stream; Friday 14 May 2010 בס"ד

Night watch was fairly uneventful. I didn't stand lookout but I stood double helm with Georgie since steering under sail is trickier than steering under power (and if you fuck up the wind takes you aback). At the end of watch I did a ship check and we did some bracing at the turn of the watch.

Today I actually woke up for breakfast, which was french toast! (a new item). I ate, tried to read for about fifteen minutes, then went back to bed until lunch. On the day watch I tarred some headrig lashings, then stood a double helm with Yo. It was much easier this time, though we adjusted course to catch the winds and our watch took in the foresl and spanker. I am getting better at keeping track of turns in the wheel for weather helm, and Yo explained to me the way to box the compass by quarter points, which is easier than it originally seemed. I resumed work on the tarring, then cut off and redid some sailmakers' whippings on the starboard headsl sheets where the line is spliced to a thimble. After watch I did my workout routine, then read up on splicing. During this time we up and stowed all sails except lower topsls, probably for the oncoming gale. We switched to engine before dinner. After dinner I took a shower and in that short time the weather turned very foggy and dreary. I imagine when I wake for night watch it will be quite miserable out, but we'll see I guess.

Thursday 13 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea; Thursday 13 May 2010 בס"ד

The night watch started out drizzly, so I had my foulies on. We started to do regular hour-long rotations on helm and lookout; only since we were hove-to there was no need to have helm and we had two people on lookout. Adrienne and I stood second lookout from 0100 to 0200. When we relieved the lookouts before us, we were told of a ship in the distance off starboard. At first it appeared to be going away, but we were spinning and then after a while I noticed it was getting considerably closer. I reported this to Rebecca, and she told me that they had changed course, that they were not obeying the rules of the road, that she was in contact with their captain, and that they'd pass about 1nm off starboard. That happened, and later on my lookout I hared a sound 3pts off port bow which sounded not unlike a distant river through a forest. I reported this, thinking it might be a weather system. Rebecca said nothing was on the radar, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be rain or winds. After my lookout a new ship was sighted off port bow, so maybe that was the source of the mystery sound. After 0200, we not on lookout had a “halftime show” where we tell stories or disclose talents to pass the time. Logan told the joke about the woman with the glass eye at the bar, but started it with telling how he worked at South Street Seaport on the Lettie G. Howard, which I confirmed with him later to be true. At around 0300 we started bracing the yards square and some people up and loosed sail. I went to wake up the focsle and forepeak people on the next watch, but apparently I suck at wakeups and only succeeded with Dave. Nadia woke the focsle for me. At the turn of the watch we started setting sails. There was a moment of confusion hoisting the fore upper topsl yard when port side got cockbilled. Logan went aloft and found that a gasket coil from the upper got snagged in the footrope of the lower. Anyway, I was pretty proud of how well I knew the lines in the dark and assisted some fellow trainees too. My night watch was sent below at 0435.

I woke up again today just for lunch and then started my watch. I again was designated second lookout and got no helm duty. I tacked down Conchey and coated her with Penetrol; however there was a paint locker fiasco as the last watch left it cluttered and disorganized and then slops got on deck. WT said, “Those bosuns who yell all the time at everyone; this doesn't happen to them.” I relieved Georgie from lookout and this time brought my binoculars with me. Shortly after I started, I noticed a very tiny figure on the horizon off starboard beam. After checking my binoculars, I confirmed it was a ship and reported it to Rebecca. I was pleased with myself for my prompt observation. Other than than a pod of dolphins dancing in our bow wake, I saw nothing else on my lookout. I did a ship check, and then reported back to WT for work. I actually didn't do much, save going into the sole a few times for ratboards. It was a bit difficult getting them out from underneath a dozen or so turnbuckles, but I did. Towards the end of the watch, when I was in the sole again, Tina and Jan startled me from what apparently was a one minute nap. I was quite embarrassed, and can't quite figure how I dozed off, but they thought I might be in trouble since I wasn't moving. After watch I read some of Master & Commander and practiced knots. The Captain called an all-hands muster on the quarterdeck, and told us three things: 1) we're about 400nm east of NYC, 2) tomorrow we'll be in the Gulf Stream, and 3) about the time we enter will be our first experience with a gale, according to forecasts. After dinner I became a personal trainer again (forgot to write that yesterday) and helped get Jo ready to do chinups. Our top speed today was 9kts, with almost all sails set. That's probably as fast as we might ever hope to go.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea; Wednesday 12 May 2010 בס"ד

My night watch wasn't very eventful, but I guess night watches usually aren't. It was very cold so I layered up a bit. I helped Yo clean the galley shelves and we learned how to make hot water and coffee for night watches. I took the helm and steered a SW course for thirty minutes, and I also stood a thirty minute lookout. On my lookout, Nadia told me when I relieved her that there was a 900ft Danish ship off the port bow and I could see it's port light, meaning we were going in somewhat opposite directions. Walking on deck in the dark with somewhat lumpy seas was quite tricky, even with the red nightvision lights on under the pinrails.

This morning I heard people telling me it was breakfast time, but apparently I was dead to the world and slept through it. I woke up for 11:30 lunch then stood my watch. I went aloft a few times; first to move buntline blocks around the jackstays and relash them, then I went to stand lookout, then I returned aloft to the fore upper topsl yard to continue. After that I took the helm and steered a SSW course. Later, Meredith and I went to the chain locker to fit in the hawsers until watch ended. Before we were stood down, we got the order to up and stow, so we did. Shortly after the start of the 4-8, we noticed the ship had stopped moving and everybody speculated on why. It was quite calm and during this time we saw plenty of dolphins all around. Before dinner Mate Mike explained that we were letting a low pressure system pass in front of us so we could ride its tail NE wind down. Also, we're about 250nm off Cape Cod or so. Either this 8-12 watch or my watch will be setting sails during our night watches.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Picton Castle at Sea in North Atlantic; Tuesday 11 May 2010 בס"ד

Stood my anchor watch at 0300, which was not much unlike port watch except you must make sure the anchor isn't dragging. Went to bed after 0400 and woke up as per usual at 0715 for all-hands breakfast. Our goal was to be underway at 0800, but the Captain was ashore for official captain stuff until about 1030. We did some line reviews while we waited. Then the Captain told us we were going to do something that's never been done with a new crew; sail off the hook. No engine was going to help us out of the harbor. We set sails and braced to-and-fro to navigate our way out with the winds. Once we rounded Battery Point, we set sharp on a port tack and remained at all-hands until 1400, when we were well clear of land. The wind that had sailed us out died before this, and nobody complained when the “up-and-stows” came as we started to steam south. At 1400 the 12-4 officially took the first sea watch of WV5, albeit a half-length watch. During this time we rotated someone at the helm with Meredith and someone on the focslehead with Logan every twenty minutes to learn to steer and do lookout. I took the helm for the first time at 1420 and tried to keep on the PC on a SWxW 3/4W course, and although they had said steering under power is easier than under sail, I found the whole twenty minutes to be correcting my oversteering in either direction. For a while I was idle (as there was no shipwork to be done) and so Nadia and Niko quizzed me on lines and sail-handling procedures. It is starting to become instinctive and not just rote memory. At 1540 I stood my first lookout and after five minutes WT came up and told me that there was a weather system (rain squall) 3pts off the starboard bow, which I then reported to the mate. Shortly after, I sighted a pod of whales or other cetaceans broad on the port bow, about 3 shiplengths away and reported it. In all I saw four surface nearly simultaneously. I again saw them broad on the quarter. My watch was then relieved, and I went below to take a nap until dinner. After dinner I finished Mr Midshipman Hornblower and have remained below since it is quite cold and now dark on deck. I will stand my next watch in under three hours time. I had about thirty minutes today where I was keenly aware that today is the day when I finally began to do that which I've always wanted to do. I feel that, though not without trying, I've failed to make a man of myself yet, and now I may finally have the opportunity. I think often of Dad and wonder what he'd think of me. Sometimes I feel like him when I'm aloft, and that makes me immeasurably happy, but then I remember that I'm nervous, and I can't imagine a time when he seemed so to me.

Monday 10 May 2010

Picton Castle at Anchor in Lunenburg Harbor; Monday 10 May 2010 בס"ד

Today started as usual with 0715 wakeups and breakfast. At 0800, we began to draw a crowd at the dock and at 0900 we were ready to disembark. The Mayor bode us farewell and we cast off our mooring lines and began to make way under some engine power but also on a starboard tack with lower topsls and the headsls set. Once underway, I went aloft to loose the foresl, which was a bit trickier since we were on a tack. We were making good speed when all of a sudden I observed that we weren't making any more headyway. Before lunch we had an all-hands muster where we learned that in a very unusual turn of events, both of our two radar systems malfunctioned for unknown reasons. If just one had, we would have continued, or if we were far offshore we would have continued to a near port for repair. But since we were just out of harbor, we turned right around. We can't pull back to the wharf since customs and immigration had cleared us out of Canada already, so we set to anchor in harbor. Once there, a radar technician would be brought to the ship via smallboat. But since we were at sea, we broke into sea watches and after lunch the 12-4 took to deck. I worked on a mousing aloft and three on deck. Then time was taken to learn lines for a while. When we arrived to our anchorage, we were told to up and stwo all sail to prevent windage. I returned to the starboard foresl and stowed. While I was there, WT told me to put a whipping on the clew gasket to shorten it (for it was too long), and so I prepared sailmaker equipment and fixed my sewing palm to a lanyard, then did my first whipping aloft. Right after that the 4-8 took the watch. I sewed my workhat in the batcave, read some Hornblower, then had dinner. After dinner I joined a game of Smut Scrabble in the forepeak. We had another muster where Rebecca told us we'd have anchor watch tonight. My watch is at 0300. One of our radars is fixed and our goal is to weigh anchor at 0800. Just read more Hornblower in the salon (the chapter, “The Man Who Felt Queer,” was quite visual and nerve-wracking given my newfound appreciation of aloft work). Now going to bed for a few hours when I'll get my 0245 wakeup.

Sunday 9 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Sunday 9 May 2010 בס"ד

It's been one month to the day since I arrived here in Lunenburg to begin my voyage. As predicted, today had very little shipwork and we just tidied up the ship and warehouse. After lunch we were relieved (save the 4-8s who had the watch) and so I went to the Banker to upload some blogs. Afterwards, I returned to PC, had a kip (UK for nap), and found Mr Midshipman Hornblower in the salon library and read to mid-chapter 2. I hung out aboard for a bit, then returned to the Banker, called Karla, and enjoyed the local company for one last time. Now I'm back in my bunk, so I probably won't post this entry til I get to Panama. We depart tomorrow around 0900, and the Mayor will see us off in a small ceremony. Everybody is very excited.

Saturday 8 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Saturday 8 May 2010 בס"ד

Double-entry due to tiredness, not drinking. Friday was a good day and a bad day. It was good because it was my turn to have the afternoon off, so I worked getting stuff in the sole and into the hold and at the warehouse again, then after lunch I was free. However, at lunch muster, Mate Mike explained to us about the conflicting low pressure systems around us and that our new departure date is Monday 10 May at 0900. That's the bad news, which isn't really that bad but we were all a bit disappointed to say the least. After lunch, I went to the Yacht Shop and the Bluenose II shop (both of which are usually closed when I'm off) and picked up some things. I also mailed some postcards, picked up my laundry, printed some pictures for my rack, and went to the Banker for internet where I Skyped with Corrinn.

Today was cold and rainy for the most part. 12-4 had the watch again, but all hands worked a full day. I was put on mousing detail, which is lashing the pins into the shackles with metal wire. I did that for a while on deck and aloft and alongside in the rescue boat. My hands took quite a beating, but it's good to let some blood every now and then, right? I almost went up to the tgallant yard, but I only made it to the crosstrees (which is still pretty high up there) before I came back down. Next time... While I was mousing, others were lashing everything for sea. The work day ended at around 1630 and at 1730 the captain had a muster in the salon to explain how our voyage will start and we learned a lot about the winds. Today was Davey's birthday and Juliemom made cake which was awesome. I stood my hourly watch at 2000 (nice and early!) and performed a ship check, slacked lines which tightened in the rain, and worked out on the newly-lashed pullup bar. Just worked on hemming my foulie jacket and hung out in the salon with some people. Tomorrow should be almost no work since we're mostly ready to leave.

Thursday 6 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Thursday 6 May 2010 בס"ד

Today started with helping move stuff from the deck into the hold. When I say stuff, I mean A LOT of stuff. After a lot of lifting the cement bags, I became a "sole man" again with 3rd Mate Rebecca, AB Meredith, and Alex. I went down in the sole for a long time with them moving and arranging extra sails and canvas. In the sole, which has about 3 feet of headroom and no lights, I lost all track of space and time. I was stretching and bending my body into strange contortions while lifting very heavy objects. Meredith said, "About 5 minutes to lunch," and I replied in complete sincerity, "You mean dinner? We already had lunch," and she's like, "WTF hahahaha." After lunch I returned to the sole for a while, which I rather like. Then I helped move more stuff from dock to ship. It had been quite nice out all day until this time. Then an electrical storm came with gusting winds and moderate rains, so we had to haul ass getting everything aboard. After dinner, Jimmy and I went and dropped off laundry, got some snacks and rum, and stopped at the pharmacy to get some odds and ends. Came back to PC, shared some snacks, and lashed my PFD to my bunk overhead aft. Now the Brocave is watching Tropic Thunder.

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Wednesday 5 May 2010 בס"ד

The weather this morning started out cold, foggy, and wet. We did a quick deckwash and stood by for the inspectors. One is the official inspector from the Cook Islands; a guy who also works for Lloyd's. The other is from Transport Canada and does the survey at our special request as a courtesy. They walked around the ship with the Captain and Mate at first, then we did a MOB and then a fire in the paint locker drill. After these we did an Abandon Ship drill, and at the following muster, the inspectors said we did quite well for new trainees and wished us well. We were planning to go to the actual PC wharf, but construction complications prevented us from leaving the Adams & Knickle wharf. The watch system was established today. My watch is the 12-4, which at sea is on duty every midnight to 0400 and every noon to 1600. In port, watches take turns standing duty for 24 hour periods. Before learning our watches, we did sail handling exercises and I went aloft to up and stow at one point. Once the watches were finalized and we knew weren't going to move the ship, we split up and some people started getting stuff from the warehouse to the ship while my watch did a lot of work in the sole (the storage crawl space under the salon) organizing things. After dinner I began to hem my super-long foul weather jacket because it was pretty much a trenchcoat and that's no good aloft. Now I'm waiting for Georgie to get me so I can stand watch from 2300 to midnight...

... Just stood my first night watch with Meredith and Niko. Normally we'd do this alone, but Meredith had to teach us how to do a ship check. Niko has sailed PC before, so it was pretty much Meredith telling me what to do and me doing it. It reminded me a lot of the opening scene of the Master & Commander movie where the man with the lantern silently moves about the ship. Anyway, I did a ship check and wrote my report in the ship's log. Just got relieved by the 0000-0100 group. This is WAY past my bedtime.

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Tuesday 4 May 2010 בס"ד

I started today with reassembling the inner lining to the now-dry immersion suits we donned yesterday at the pool and waxing all buttons and zippers. After, I was put on rust-busting duty at the windlass, but in a very short time WT and Mate Mike needed to work on it and sent me off in the skiff with Logan and Erin. We made our way to the Dory Shop and met with others to lower the newly-finished rescue boat into the water for the first time. She got in and no leaks or other maladies were observed, so Mike and Logan took it out for sea trials after we swapped the outboard from the skiff into it. Dave and Erin and I then put the new outboard that I picked up with Shawn the other day onto the skiff. Then we went to clean out the office on shore. There was one point where we lifted a solid mahogany table upstairs from the shop, and it seriously was very heavy. Anyway, spent til lunch cleaning the office, then during break I ran into town to the local optometrist to fix the frames on my glasses and sunglasses, which had been bent at some time during the wedding festivities. After lunch, we finished some work quickly then learned to do our Abandon Ship drills. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing fire drills, MOB drills, and bracing practice. We also hoisted up the rescue boat. An MOB drill happens very quickly. We cast off forsl and mainsl gear after a floating object is thrown into the water. The boat crew is usually in Mustang suits and in the water in under 1 minute. Almost everyone else is looking and pointing at the MOB. After dinner, I went to the Banker to use the internet, then came back and there was forepeak movie night. We watched The Prestige. Tomorrow, inspectors and surveyors are coming to check out our readiness. Embarkation is scheduled for Sat 8 May at 1400 and this week we'll be establishing our official watches.

Monday 3 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Monday 3 May 2010

My birthday started out very nicely. When I walked out on deck this morning to the beautiful weather, the batcave girls presented me with a gift bag which had a card, a "birthday prince" crown, and a pair of cheap pink fuzzy handcuffs. I was very flattered since I was not expecting anything more than a pint at the Banker later on. Morning work consisted of wiping exterior bulkheads with Via using a chemical solution known as TSP. I don't know what that stands for, but we called it "THE SUPER PRODUCT," since it was much more powerful than the Green Knight solution. We prepped the surfaces for painting, and even though it took quite a bit of elbow grease, I enjoyed it a lot and Sophie was surprised by this. After lunch, the starboard dwellers went to the Bridgewater Days Inn via taxi vans to utilize their swimming pool for immersion suit and life raft training (the local pool was still out of commission). It was awesome and I kind of had a pool party. Wearing an immersion suit is like being in Yam HaMelach (Dead Sea) and it's hard to do anything but float. When we returned I did a deck sweep and then we learned a bit about Abandon Ship procedures and were told our station bills and raft assignments. I would assist lowering the boats and my life raft is #2 (port foward). Tomorrow will be mostly several runs of hte drills, so we'll get them all down pat. After dinner, I and a crowd of about 20 went for a birthday bowling party. However, I was surprised to find the alley didn't have bowling as I know it. The variety I played is known as "Candlepin Bowling." The balls are a tad bit bigger than skeeballs and the pins are narrow cylinders. It was different but a lot of fun nonetheless. I just came back to PCand drank some rum with Dan and Dave and now going to bed. The verdict: AWESOME BIRTHDAY!

Sunday 2 May 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Sunday 2 May 2010 בס"ד

Yet another double-entry... Yesterday began with a drive to a hardware store outside of Lunenburg with a shipwright named Dave ____?____ to pick up a sheet of wood for use aft. I saw Bob out and talking with other tourists. When I returned, we were setting sails to dry, so I unfurled the foresl and I saw Bob taking photos. The day was mostly spent doing sail-handling drills, and also a fire drill and we learned about the safety nets and have weather gear. Karla came out too and saw me furl the main upper topsl. At lunch we got a beer collection going and I went with Niko and Davey to the liquor store for the final errand in the truck. The wedding of Nikki and Buddy was scheduled at 1400, and it was a marlinspike attire event (meaning wacky attire). My outfit was a Buffalo Bill flannel shirt and my sou'wester hat. The ceremony was officiated on the quarterdeck by Captain Moreland and the Mayor of Lunenburg, who apparently is also a Christian minister of some variety. Quite nice and appropriately serious despite the atmosphere. Immediately afterwards there was a marlinspike reception on deck, and I with the rest of the bros had some beers and a celebratory cigar. Then we stealthily snuck off and decorated the newlyweds' van with cans on strings and filled it with balloons. We snook back, and I brought Karla and Bob aboard and introduced them to most of the crew. We then moved to the Banker with the rest of the party and had more drinks. Then I treated Karla, Bob, and Tammy to dinner, which merged in with Saturday night Trivia. Our team was the "Cawfeez" and we came in first place. Tammy and I then went to the Dory Shop party, which was roaring. I got quite drunk, danced a lot, and eventually made it back to the PC and passed out.

I woke up today at about 0730 and met Karla and Bob at their "Picton Castle" suite at 0800. We hung out til about 1000 when I saw them off. I guess I won't see them until July 2011, which is a strange idea, but c'est la vie. Since today was Lag BaOmer, I shaved off my beard and everybody said I look like I'm about 10 years old now. I had lunch at Subway with Nadia, Jimmy, Georgie, and Davey, because the volunteer cooks today made fish and Nadia is deathly allergic. I sewed up a big hole in my long johns, made a lanyard for my pocketknife, upgraded my computer to Ubuntu 10.04, and just cleaned my rack. Head to the Banker now after sharing Mrs. Bulman's cookies with everybody at dinner. Tomorrow I turn 24 years old; who knows what will happen?

Friday 30 April 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Friday 30 April 2010 בס"ד

Got my 0615 wake up for galley duty. I did some exploration in the hold looking for Donald's breakfast ingredients, then after breakfast did dishes in the scullery with Jon and Lauren. During this time, I learned that Lauren is Jewish also, which took me by surprise. After dishes and other galley cleaning, Jon and I learned how to fetch diesel from the engine room and fill the galley stove tank. After that pretty much just hung out in the scullery doing dishes and other odd jobs. Shawn poked his head in and said to me, "Dartmouth!," then took off, so I figured I was making another trip to the Dirty D. Sure enough, after lunch, Shawn and I went to Dartmouth to pick up a firehose, an outboard engine for the rescue boat, and a lot of Gangion line. When we returned, Michael volunteered to take my galley duty because Karla and Bob were here. I gave them a tour of the PC, and we had dinner. She gave me a few things I had forgotten from home, and also a bag of chocolate chip cookies from the Bulmans and a birthday card from Camille. I left them to go to bed, but at the ship the newly-moved-in Batcave girls were having a party (which was actually more like a giggle-fest) and so I had a few drinks with everybody. Now off to bed.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Picton Castle at Lunenburg; Thursday 29 April 2010 בס"ד

Started today with learning some lines after a run to the warehouse for sails. Meredith taught our small group about setting and taking in the headsls, 3 of 4 of which we have bent at the moment. There is the foretopmst staysl, the inner jib, the outer jib, and the (not yet bent) flying jib. All are for-and-aft sails that are triangular. The sail has three parts, the bottom is the foot, the top that is bent is the luff, and the outer end is the leech. The corner connecting leech and foot is the clew, the corner connecting the foot and the luff is the tack, and the corner connecting the luff and the leech is the head (I think...). To set a headsl, you must haul the halyards, which are on the well deck, cast off the downhauls, which are forwardmost pins on the focslehead, and secure the appropriate sheets, which are aft on the focslehead on port and starboard sides. The sheets attach to the clew, and there are two; so you must make fast hte sheet in order to prevent the clew from flapping wildly. Some wind will make the blocks go crazy, so they are aptly known as "widowmakers" or "bullet blocks." Avoid them when taking in or setting headsls. Anyway, the procedure is prety much reversed to take in... you haul the downhauls and cast off the halyards. After learning this, I actually forget what I did next because so much happened today. After lunch, I returned to capstan duty and hoisted up the main tgallant and royal yards. I almost went rowing again, but Jimmy hadn't yet gone out so I let him go in my stead. I laid in to some jobs here and there. Then we had another training session with the entire crew rotating about the decks to different masts and we learned about bracing and setting and taking in the squaresls and headsls. We are going to be drilling more and more on this in the next week and certainly when we're underway. We then had to furl the sails and I admit, I had my first fright. I was climbing the starboard main shrouds and it was raining a bit and quite windy. About halfway up I got nervous and came back down. Mate Mike told me to go to the headrig instead, so I did and learned to furl the headsls form Shawn and Nicksa. I was still very tense though. I better get over this because I want to be comfortable with going aloft at sea when I'm needed most. For dinner we had crazy delicious fish, and I told Donald that just when I thought I couldn't love fish any more, he had to do this to me. After, I taught Jimmy the bowline and clove hitch and rolling hitch, then we went to the Banker where I did some internet. Tomorrow Karla and Bob arrive. I'm on galley duty, so hopefully I'll be able to finish quickly.