Ship’s work: At 0800 fore and main royals were set by the oncoming and off coming watches. Another gorgeous day aboard the Picton Castle. An egret bird has made refuge on deck, taunting our ship’s cat Fiji. Our sailmaker, John, from Boston, mends a spare royal sail, while his favourite sailmaker’s bench is getting an overhaul on the well deck. The 8-12 on watch scraped the old varnish from the wooden bench in order to prep it for a new coat of varnish. A sailmaker’s bench is not your typical bench, it has compartments and a hole on the right hand side in order for the sailmaker to place his/her tools which prevents them from rolling away. When working underway at sea one must constantly remember to secure their tools, the ship is in constant motion, a small roll could result in the loss of a tool overboard through a scupper. Work on the windlass continues, the starboard windlass bar was taken down from its secured spot on the foc’sle head to be chipped and ground. And the windlass received a coat of primer.
From: New Orleans
Towards: Panama
Date: May 9 2018
Noon Position: 22 35, 7’N x 084 69,9’W
Course + Speed: SW x S 1/2S + 5,9 kts
Wind direction + Force: ENE + 4
Swell Height + Direction: <1m + ENE
Weather: Bright and sunny
Day’s Run: 129.9nm
Passage Log: 192.1nm
Distance to Port: 862nm
Voyage: 635.9 nm
Sail Set: topsails, courses, t’gallants, royals, inner jib, outer jib, main t’gallant staysail, main topmast staysail