To say that Port Watch was excited to go ashore at Palmerston is an understatement. In the 24 hours prior, after our arrival, the official paperwork and documentation had been submitted and, finally, approved while we waited at anchor watching the island over the reef. At the appointed hour, the island’s boats pulled up alongside, …
Palmerston, The Other Watch-Written By Dirk Lorenzen Read More »
Only moments after sending in the last Captain’s Log about getting to Palmerston Atoll and being at anchor in the lee of the reef, the starboard anchor lost its hold and slid off the shelf into deeper water. This happened at the 0800 muster and I could hear it make the jump. Soon this navy …
After a good, sometimes boisterous, passage from Tahiti we sailed up into the lee of Palmerston Atoll in the Cook Islands for an unplanned visit. We are halfway from Tahiti to Vava’u, Tonga. When we were in Tahiti we had gotten an email from the island administration asking what was the ship’s ETA at Palmerston …
We have been having quite the ride the last couple days aboard the Picton Castle in the South Pacific. The day came in partly cloudy with large seas and strong winds on the port quarter. We are under a modest sail plan and sailing along just fine. Stars overhead faded out as the sky brightened …
Here as dawn approaches, the Picton Castle is sailing along in fresh southeast winds on the quarter. Blowing force 6, 7 in the gusts. Sail is reduced to upper topsails , inner jib & fore topmast staysail, foresail, and main topmast staysail. The ship is balanced well so steering is not hard. Seas running around …
After a grand sailaway from Tahiti, north around Moorea, even could see the mountains of Raitea off to starboard the next day many miles away, Picton Castle is under all plain sail sailing westward bound for Tonga. Whew, a long sentence! No seasickness, kittens getting used to their new world, all hands sailing the ship …
Yesterday we sailed away from Papeete, Tahiti in the Barque Picton Castle. Our days had been full in Papeete. Crew had run around all over the place, checking out waterfalls, surfing, shopping. Good friends from Pitcairn, Dennis Christian and Sue O’Keefe, showed up so we went to Matavai Bay, the other half of the Bounty …
The Picton Castle sailed from Mangareva in light rain and what looked like fog, with good sailing breezes building out of the southeast. We had laid to anchor in the lovely lagoon a long time waiting for a sailing breeze. Soon all plain sail was set and we were bound for Tahiti. Sounds so magical …
We have sailed from Mangareva and are bound for Tahiti. All rather magical sounding. But it is all truly real for us onboard. 100% real. But magic does show itself from time to time. After a rain at Rikitea, Mangareva things became a little different along the dark wet road going through the village. A …
The day came in as the last few had done, overcast and light rain. Time to sail. We have had plenty of time at this wonderful South Seas island charmer of Mangareva. Some crew had to get home, more joined. A small island hopper plane does the job stopping at many atolls along the way, …
