Noon Position: Docked in Lunenburg, NS, Canada
Weather: Clear sky, cool light wind, H 12c L 4c, barometer 1024
Training is the focus for today. In order to free up the afternoon we finished off a few projects this morning, chowed down some lunch then got ready to exercise our brains. Each watch rotated through four stations, these being setting and taking in sail on the spanker, doing the same on the main topmast stays’l and heads’ls and taking a turn locating lines to fill out pin rail diagrams. The final station, mock sail setting of square sails, proved to be a great way to see how much knowledge the crew are retaining from previous practices. Every time a training session is held the crew knows more than they did the time before. They are retaining more information which results in gaining confidence in their abilities to respond correctly to the orders given. What was especially stressed today is the absolute necessity and importance of repeating commands back to who issued them. This step assures the Captain, Mate and/or Lead Seaman that a command was heard, understood and is being attended to. Yes, at the beginning we may feel a little silly loudly repeating commands we only partially understand. But this is a vital part safely and efficiently sailing a tall ship.
Ship’s Work: Bent on the fore t’gallant; installed main t’gallant sheets; made new painters for Monomoy; seize head rig net.
Training: all hands training in rotation – spanker, main topmast stays’l and jibs, pin rail diagram and mock sail setting of square sails.
Engine room: Charged batteries, continued removal of old DC air compressor supply run.