Yesterday’s South Seas Seamanship Soiree was a big success. First a neck and neck game of pin rail chases, where a member from each team stands at the ready as the chief mate calls out a line and the three scurry to beat their opponents to touch the belaying pin first. Once each member of the crew had taken a turn, the watches were divided up for three timed events: splices, boxing the compass, and the test of the steadiest hand at helm. It came down to a tie, 4-8 vs 8-12. The tiebreaker being who could fill a trash can full of seawater first with a bucket from the ocean rushing by. Once all the scores were properly tallied and all bribes were distributed to the judges, the results were in, 8-12 are the official 2018 Picton Castle Seamanship Derby Champions – rightfully so, being that it’s the chief mate’s watch.
From here the crew rolled into a celebratory marlinspike punch, not only celebrating the derby but the national days of three nations, Tonga and the USA which both celebrate on July 4th and Canada Day which is celebrated on July 1st. At a very timely moment in the afternoon, a marlinspike miracle occurred: there was a 70lb wahoo on the fishing line! Five-year-old Dawson called it a ‘hoohaa’. There was lots to celebrate yesterday, good fun had by all.
It’s now Monday morning again and there is steady activity around the decks.
The new daymen are settling into their positions as sailmakers, riggers, and carpenters. Sean of New Orleans, USA is working away on the well deck on a new laundry line spreader. Jack of Virginia, USA is learning the herringbone stitch, a very useful and strong stitch that sailmakers often rely on for repairs. Ship’s cook Donald of Grenada has been preparing the wahoo (the biggest he had ever seen) for dinner, as onlookers drool over the fresh fish. Navigation class is in full swing, taking students to the next level of understanding the three dimensional concepts.
From: Galapagos
Towards: Pitcairn
Date: July 2, 2018
Noon Position: 12°24.5′ S x 108°29.7′ W
Course + Speed: SW + 5.8′
Wind direction + Force: ESE + 4
Swell Height + Direction: 3m + ESE
Weather: Bright, sunny
Day’s Run: 140.0nm
Passage Log: 140.3nm
Voyage: 4743.2nm
Sail Set: All sails