The Picton Castle just sailed from Anguilla headed north for Bermuda (hurricanes permitting – none in the forecasts yet), after wandering through the Eastern Caribbean or Lesser Antilles – Carriacou, Grenada, Bequia, Martinique, Dominica, Saint Martin and Anguilla for a month or more. Much sailing on and off the hook, many beautiful bays and coves, lots of …
All hands were happy with our visit to Dominica. A very interesting and friendly country. But sail we must. From Dominica the plan was to sail Picton Castle for Marigot Bay, Saint Martin, about 200 miles away. It would be a good thing to get some actual sailing in after these short hops and delightful West Indian …
The Picton Castle had a romping sail from St Pierre, Martinique to Dominica. Boat hoisted, with all hands aboard, we sailed off the anchor on an early morning before breakfast out from under the volcano. Fore yards braced on the port tack to cast the bow to port and northwards. Main yards on starboard tack braced to …
The Picton Castle, with her spanker set keeping her head to wind, is anchored pretty close to the black sand beach that is the shore at St Pierre, Martinique. This is necessary as the shore drops off steeply here. I make my way to sit on a mahogany chest next to the wheel box up on the …
Captain’s Log – Early Morning, Anchored at Saint Pierre, Martinique Read More »
After 25,000 miles, mostly deep sea, on this voyage it is something of a novel thing for the crew of the Picton Castle to be sailing among these wonderful eastern Caribbean islands. Sailing on and off the hook, experiencing close quarters sailing, lees, wind shifts, sail trim, squalls, inter-island traffic, yachts, delightful friendly ports -it’s …
After 4,000 miles in 31 days under sail from St. Helena in the Picton Castle all hands enjoyed their time ashore on the tranquil island of Carriacou. A small island only 6 miles long with maybe 8,000 residents and little tourism, yet plenty to do and see. Hilly but low and pretty dry, it’s pretty sweet at …
Captain’s Log – Grenada and North Bound Once Again Read More »
Land Ho! Last week, after 31 days across the South Atlantic from St Helena and over 4,000 nautical miles of bowling tradewinds and rolling tropical seas, the Barque Picton Castle sailed around Gun Point into the harbour at Hillsborough, Carriacou, part of the nation of Grenada in the southern eastern Caribbean. Before that by a few hours, …
250 miles to go to the Windward Isles and it feels like a grand Caribbean tradewind morning. Indeed it does! A month at sea from St Helena and racing for harbour. Dawn finds our barque romping along at 6.5 knots off the mouth of the Orinoco River, Venezuela, bound for the southern Windward Islands of …
May 16, 2024; 136 miles off Georgetown, Guyana, South America At 0400 a starry night overhead, for a change. With no moon the sky reveals all the stars it can. The Milky Way is directly overhead, its broad band swathing the sky from horizon to horizon. The northern end lays a point forward of the …
May 15, 2024, 0647. The Picton Castle is about 105 miles north of Paramaribo, Suriname. At 07-41N / 055-02W and 480 miles from Grenada. It has been raining and squalling all night. Big squalls pushing us along at up to almost 10 knots at times. Royals, flying jib and spanker are in. Such sail handling has become …
