Ships Work: Last night’s stormy squalls kept the 12-4 and 4 – 8 watches on their toes. Heavy rain and wind mixed with thunder and lightning eventually ended with the Captain deciding to heave-to for a bit of a respite from the weather. We did this to stay on the good current, and made better time to the east by stopping than by sailing. As the sun came up the weather finally reached a calm. At 0800 the off going and on-coming watches set the topsails. A great way to start the day; hauling on halyards with sleep sand still in your eyes. Ten deckhands line up, one behind the other to haul on the upper topsail halyard, up the yard goes on the topmast, sail and all. There’s no time to waste, once the mate has commanded to make fast the halyard the crew member just aft of the pin has to move swiftly in order to get that line belayed. Our sailmaker continued work on the new royal as a helpful assistant worked diligently on seaming the new lower topsail. Work on the foc’sle head accessories continued, capstan bars are being scraped and prepped for varnish. Work was put to a halt when the command came into to take in and stow topsails and courses. Due to non-favourable winds we’ve reluctantly had to fire up the engine or as a few crew members refer to her, the ‘D Sail’ (diesel). Off we head on a course bound to the east to catch a fair wind for Panama where cheap ice cream and fresh fruit await us.
From: New Orleans
Towards: Panama
Date: May 12, 2018
Noon Position: 21 21,1’N – 084 12, 1’W
Course + Speed: Hove to + 3.0 kts
Wind direction + Force: ENE + 4
Swell Height + Direction: 1m + ENE
Weather: Sunny, overcast
Day’s Run: 12.2nm
Passage Log: 906.1nm
Distance to Port: 754 nm
Voyage: 906.1 nm
Sail Set: main topmast staysail