By Kate “Bob” Addison June 30, 2014 I started writing this log on Monday afternoon, and it’s now Thursday morning. Apart from how badly I procrastinate, that says something about how busy life is aboard Picton Castle at the start of a voyage…. Our crew for this first leg have arrived now, and we’re excited […]
Tuesday June 24th, 2014 Another fine day aboard the Barque Picton Castle at anchor in Suva harbor, Fiji, South Pacific Ocean. Nice ring to it, “South Pacific Ocean”, a good address, no? The torrential down-pours forecast to drench us today all day long failed to materialize. Nice sunny blue sky kind of day instead. Lovely
By Kate “Bob” Addison Sunday July 22, 2014 It’s a beautiful Sunday morning aboard the Picton Castle lying here at anchor in Fiji, and the crew are scattered around the ship, chilling out after another busy week working on transforming the ship from ship-yard to voyage mode. Amy is reading in her hammock slung between
By Kate “Bob” Addison This is my first visit to Fiji, and being back in the warm, lush humidity of the South Pacific is wonderful. Picton Castle is lying at anchor just off the Royal Suva Yacht Club, on the southeast corner of the largest Fijian island, Viti Levu. It’s a bit more than 3
Tuesday June 10th, 2014 After 11 days ‘up on the hard’ the Picton Castle was ready to relaunch from the marine railway at Suva, Fiji. It would have been maybe only seven days but for the four days of torrential tropical rain that put a halt to some projects. But this had been a good
May 22nd, 2014 The day came in calm with light rain, we got the anchor up and, motored the mile to the shipyard through anchored vessels and some cruising yachts and nosed the Picton Castle into a bunch of Oriental Fishing boats, from their rust stains and sea-slime well above their waterline they’re clearly waiting
May 20th, 2014 Captain John Beebe-Center and his salty crew sailed the Picton Castle into Suva Harbour from Tonga a couple weeks ago, set her big starboard anchor, furled and then sent down all her sail. Then after some celebrations most crew from our amazing voyages throughout the South Pacific then packed their sea-bags to
May 12th, 2014 The Picton Castle swings at anchor placidly here in the northern end of Suva Harbour. The ship sailed in from Tonga ten days ago, and so ends an amazing voyage through much of the South Pacific Ocean and putting in at many storied islands. Tales to be told by this crew for
By Nolan Walker, Trainee May 1st, 2014 It starts with a flicker of a breeze & builds with each passing moment like some great sighing body and then the wind arrives, filling the belly of the sails with a much needed anecdote as perhaps previously lazy staysails & headsails began to breathe ecstatically, flogging around
By John Kinley, Apprentice April 29th, 2014 Tongans are renowned for their musical prowess and for their unmatched sense of hospitality. During the Picton Castle‘s stay in Tonga, the crew was treated to both in abundance. A fellow member of the crew, Vai Latu, is a Tongan from the very islands we were visiting, the
