A blue whale swam by the ship this morning. The Picton Castle is sailing deeper and deeper into the South Pacific Ocean. After a few days of overcast and light squalls not far from the Equator we now are sailing along with a fresh beam breeze to port heeling the ship a little to starboard.
Fair weather blue sky with tradewind popcorn clouds scudding low across our path towards Pitcairn Island. The seas are large and long as we expect to find hereabouts. Mahimahi and skip-jack are grabbing our trailing fishing lines. Flying fish burst from the dark blue sea and scatter to windward before us. Royals and flying jib are set and the braces have been hauled in a bit.
Daymen at the sailing ship trades have been stuck out. Sailmakers on the quarterdeck ready a few sails for bending and soon will be working on new ones. Carpenters have dragged out the considerable tool supply and are now cleaning the surface rust and sharpening them too. Riggers are renewing lines here and there, none have broken but some of these old ropes owe us nothing. And the riggers have a job ahead overhauling all the ship’s rigging tools as well. Long steel wire-splicing marlinspikes, rigging vices and clamps, serving boards, fids and mallets and mush else all subject to a good cleaning and coats of oil.
Sextants were out in force on the quarterdeck as the sun reached its zenith near noon. 62 degrees off the northern horizon is where the sun stopped going up and began to head down again. The ship’s boy began his Calvert School classes today. He wants to learn but mostly wants to learn about dinosaurs. And to learn if his Uncle Donald has any extra treats for him. Like a lollipop perhaps…
A blue whale swam by the ship today. 2,334 miles to go to Pitcairn Island. I had never seen a blue whale at sea before.