One week out of Lunenburg and PICTON CASTLE is about half way to the Azores. Time is doing its usual deep-sea warping, what with two watches to stand and two sleeps a day, nobody really seems to know what day of the week it is. Sailing along out here, time is measured by the sun rising and setting, the turnover of the watches and most importantly the ringy ding of the galley bell.
SHIP’S WORK: Replaced some running rigging today: new fore t’gallant sheet, new outer jib sheet and new mainsail gear. Started work on a new canvas mast-boot to be fitted in port. Training today was focused on getting in the spanker quickly and sea-stowing squares: you have to jump on the canvas to bring it under control as quickly as possible – as Captain explained: that’s why they call it ‘handing’ sail, you’ve got to put your hands on it!
BOUND FROM: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
TOWARDS: Flores Island, Azores
TIME ZONE: ZD + 4
NOON POSITION: 39°46.1’N /048°25.7W
DAYS RUN: 83nm
PASSAGE LOG: 751nm
DISTANCE REMAINING: 770 nm
COURSE AND SPEED: SExE (096°True), 9.8kts
WIND: SSW, Force 4
WEATHER: 8/8 cloud cover (stratocumulus), air temp 71F (22°C), sea surface temp 73F (23°C) barometer reading 1020 millibars
SWELL HEIGHT & DIRECTION: 4-6 feet, SSW
SAILS SET: Squares set to the upper topsails, inner and outer jib and fore and main topmast staysails.