Happy solstice! It’s been a a productive and happy day here on board. Many hands on deck chipping away at our to do list. On the agenda today is to send up the newly repaired spanker gaff as well as get the gear and booms ready to set studding sails or stuns’ls. The bosun, Anders of Denmark, divided the on duty watch, riggers and crew members who laid in to help into two groups, one group to dig out and send up the stuns’l gear and rigging, the other group to prepare the gaff itself and the mizzen mast for sending up the gaff. Once the gaff was 100% ready to be sent aloft, meaning stays were greased, blocks seized on, and gear secured into place, the lead seamen rounded up many hands in order to carry the boom from the well deck up to the quarterdeck. Once it was laid out on the quarterdeck, the chief mate, in consultation with the Captain, rigged the gaff to be sent up the mizzen mast. It’s always fascinating to be part of moments like these, even more so while sailing along, with nothing but blue blue ocean as far as the eye can see, white puffy clouds spread out the baby blue sky and the sun projecting its warm rays. Sending up the gaff was a great success! The on duty watch are now working to bend on the spanker, next will be the gaff topsail. While the gaff was being sent back up into place, the sailmakers stopped their sailmaking work on the quarterdeck and lend a hand. This afternoon they continue their work on the new spanker. Delicious aromas are wafting from the scullery to the quarterdeck as Colin grinds coffee beans, causing the helmsman to pine for a fresh cup of joe.
From: Bali, Indonesia
Towards: Rodrigues
Date: Friday December 21, 2018
Noon Position: 12°50.0’S x 94°42.7’E
Course + Speed: WxN 1/2N +
Wind direction + Force: SSE + 3
Swell Height + Direction: 2m + SExS
Weather: Sunny
Day’s Run: 95.1 nm
Passage Log: 1501.4 nm
Distance to Port: 1849 nm
Voyage: 15277.2 nm
Sails Set: All sails except spanker, gaff topsail and mizzen staysail