Tuesday 28 December 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Tuesday 28 December 2010 בס"ד

An extra hour because of time change to ZD-5. Woke up at 0530 and went to the quarterdeck, where Bracken was discussing Abandon Ship scenarios and protocols. Then laid in with soapy scrub-stoning the maindeck, using BBQ scrub pads, soapy water, and sand to scrub the deck, which was starting to become slick from algae. Wrote my log, now read and finished the Hunt for Red October. Breakfast, then work. Today's jobs included:

- final coat of stone on new sponge hotel

- paint starboard monkeyrail pads gray

- prime fore lower topsl sheet cleats

- two coats primer, oen coat tropical blue on propane tank D

- paint oxyfuel bottles black and seafoam green

- wash, scuff, spot scrape and wirebrush forward port davit from outboard in to the welding line above the bitt-cleat. Corroseal and prime exposed metal

- scrape the jibbbom parrils and the bowsprit to remove scale

- paint lower part of capstan and pawls red

- scuff and varnish flyrail spindles A and B and charthouse door

- sand and clean parts of town pump that wirewheel couldn't get, then corroseal

- sand town pup itself to remove layer of corrosion, then coat with grease

- corroseal steel part of town pump head

Work ended at 1600 for the seizings workshop part II. This time we broke into small groups and got a length of rope and some marline and worked on two types of seizings: the single flat seizings and the raking seizing. Our group also started the doubled round seizing, but we were told to save that for tomorrow and just practice these ones now. Dinner, then began to read The World According to Garp by John Irving and kept going until bed. Happy birthday Joe!

Monday 27 December 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Monday 27 December 2010 בס"ד

Woke up at 0715. Breakfast, then back to work. Jobs today included:

- painting buff on the jib boom cheek blocks and spot painting

- cleaning, corrosealing, and priming wire seizings in the headrig

- second coat primer, first coat tropical blue on propane tank C

- scrape, wirebrush, and corroseal propane tank D

- wirebrush, corroseal, prime the fore lower topsl sheet cleats

- wirebrush, corroseal, prime rusty patches on oxyfuel bottles

- paint the primed parts of the capstan black and red, accordingly

- paint another coat of stone on new sponge hotel

- paint another coat of stone on new sponge hotel receiving posts and basket hooks at the coffee station

- rinse, wirebrush, rinse, corroseal freeing port in port breezeway across from engineer's door

- wirebrush, corroseal, prime pads on starboard monkey rail

- second coat of penetrol on bamboo deck brush holders

- TSP white bottoms of mainstay and partners

- soapy scrub of tropical blue overheads

- scrape, brush, clean, corroseal starboard aft bands in the headrig

- scuff charthouse door and two spindles and 50/50 and 70/30 varnish

After work, had a workshop on making various types of seizings at 1630. Did that until 1730, then got advice from a shipmate on how to tie up my shorts and drag them in the water to clean them. I went to do this, but the Captain stopped me and said we won't drag laundry. Dinner, then read more Hunt for Red October. Watched a KvsS, then read late until only 20 more pages, but had to sleep. Clocks retarded tonight to ZD-5.

Sunday 26 December 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Sunday 26 December 2010 בס"ד

Woke up at 0745, had breakfast at 0800, read Sea of Glory and finished it, then napped until 1030. Wrote my log, had lunch, started reading “The Hunt for Red October.” Read, napped, read, dinner, read, bed.

Saturday 25 December 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Saturday 25 December 2010 בס"ד

Woke up at 2330, and mustered with the 12-4s to some of their surprise. I was put on the rotation as fourth helm. The weather was nice, and I spent most of the time upon the quarterdeck just chatting with the others. Yo and Pania were in the galley baking all sorts of Xmas stuff. At 0245, Yo asked me if I could stand third helm and she fourth, as she wasn't done cooking, and I certainly agreed. Stood third helm, steering WNW with ease, although the wind would be blowing force 4 and then lighten up, which would cause the ship to fall off, and then when it would pick up again, she'd round up quickly. It was my first time steering since before Bali, and my first time steering under sail with nice fair winds in I don't know how long. Stood my hour, filled out the log, then hung out until 0345, when I did final shipcheck. I decided to do a double watch, and so I mustered with the 4-8s, also to their surprise. I was assigned first helm, and so I went to relieve Yo, who had relieved me just before, and she was a bit confused to say the least. Steering was even easier this time, now that the wind was blowing more consistently, and halfway through, Nadja had me go from WNW to NW*W*1/2W. After helm, Nadja and I shot morning twilight as Bracken scribed, and it was great because I got to use a very nice sextant. My sights very closely corresponded with Nadja's, so my accuracy was probably very good (although I didn't find time today to calculate my sights). While deckwash happened, I cleaned the scullery for the oncoming galley team. Then I laid in with soogie, and Michael Stevens and I and then Shawn went into the hold to unlash and make ready the BBQ and some plywood. It proved a bit difficult to get the stand out, as it was Cape Horn-lashed in a nearly impossible to access corner to the overhead by the wood pile. We got it though. Watch below, and then a truly gigantic breakfast, where I ate like a champ before going to my bunk and passing out DTW for real. Woke up at 1430, and people were getting ready for the present-opening ceremony under the tree. At 1500, the Captain came out and wished all a Merry Xmas, and I hopped on the galleyhouse to take photos with a million cameras. The ship tradition is that the most senior and most junior crewmembers hand out gifts, so WT and Megan distributed them. I did end up getting a few, including a nice shirt from the Captain, a varnished, Rasta-colored coconut yarmulke from Nadja, a dick in a box from Yo (the penis-shaped wooden bottle openers that were ubiquitously available in Bali), a small carving from WT, a coin bag from Tiina, a letter from Joani, a beer from Brad, a drawing from Taia, and interestingly, Jan and I received very nice Picton Castle model kits as gifts. The other day, Bronwen had posted a letter on the scuttle saying “two people interested in PC models see her ASAP,” and Jan and I, being the two most interested people, signed up. We didn't think we'd get actual model kits as gifts though, so it was a nice surprise (I thought we'd have to purchase them!). I mustered with the 4-8s, so I could stand watch with them again, and was put on third lookout. It was mostly an Xmas marlinspike for the watch, and I partook in the dancing once the music came on. I even danced a bit on lookout. Dinner was at 2000, because the whole pig that was roasting on the BBQ took a long time to cook. It was quite a feast, and after the meal I laid in the scullery cleaning dishes. Read more Sea of Glory before going to bed. It was a nice Xmas, and I found that as long as whenever somebody said “Jewish,” I just told them to “forget Jewish, it's Xmas, celebrate your damn holiday! Merry Xmas ho ho ho, etc etc” that they did, and the focus was where it should be, on Xmas, not Fred and his lack of Xmas spirit. I had a very nice experience with this holiday I so often dread.

Friday 24 December 2010

Picton Castle at sea; Friday 24 December 2010 בס"ד

Woke up at 0715, wrote my log a bit, found out that [person] had fallen in the night off the focslehead ladder and broken their arm, then had breakfast. I was unsure if WT and I were going to finish up any small jobs, but the answer was no. Finished my log, then got a haircut from Shawn the barber. Wrote nice notes in the cards I made for my “role models.” Then read some Sea of Glory before taking a nap. Woke up at 1145 and was told the Mate wished to see me upon the quarterdeck. I went, and he told me to put a coat of Penetrol on three newly replaced deckboards, which I did. Had lunch,then made an ornament for the “tropical ikmus tree.” Put a second coat of penetrol on at 1400. At 1600, Katelinn performed a “candlelight concert” (although there were no candles), playi8ng a few Bach pieces on the violin as per a family tradition of hers. Played cards with Jan til dinner, then while everybody was eating did I deliver my holiday cards. At sundown, the Captain explained the nice history of the PC's xmas tree and then it was lit along with other colorful lights. Pies were served, and in an odd but funny gesture, I saw that one pie said “FRED” and had a magen David on it. It was a nice Xmas eve, and everyone was merry, although it was still an odd time for me to be Jewish amongst goyim. Since it is such an important festival for them, many of them are often unsure why anyone wouldn't celebrate it, and then when I try to explain, it often happens that they feel some sort of pity for me, and try to make me feel more included (like the pie gesture), which brings a strange attention to me that I'm not a huge fan of. I think I heard the word “Jewish” more than “Christmas” today. Of course, the notion that Hanukkah is a Jewish Xmas has people wishing me a happy one, even though it passed by unnoticed three weeks ago, not that I minded. Some of my friends feel bad that they “missed it,” as they say, but don't understand that I wouldn't expect them to know the dates of any of the Jewish chagim or yomim tovim, let alone Hanukkah. Despite the fact that I've explained more than once how Shabbat is the most important day in Judaism, excepting Yom Kippur, and more than anything embodies the core of Jewish faith, practice, tradition, and culture, all the people who felt bad about missing Hanukkah didn't realize that the Xmas tree was lit at the commencement of Erev Shabbat. But anyway, it doesn't matter much to me, I'm not religious. I just had to rant like I do every Xmas time. I've asked to get a 2330 wakeup so I can stand watch with the 12-4. I already played my religious holiday card with Yom Kippur, and I won't take off for a holiday that isn't mine, regardless of how religious or not religious I'm told it is. That said, it is Shabbat, and since I'm not religious, I'll stand watch. Shabbat Shalom.