Cobh is part of the Cork City Port and was one of the major immigrant departure points for North America. Millions of Irish sailed from Cobh for parts west. The first family to walk through Ellis Island in New York stepped foot onto a launch to board a ship in Cobh close to where the …
Beautiful Baltimore was quite a hit with all hands, apart from Chibley the cat who did not go ashore. But she did not seem to care much. After four days I was hoping to sail on Saturday but strong gale warnings were being broadcast. If we were at sea they would have made for strong …
It seems that Picton Castle has been to Baltimore, Ireland before, maybe many times. When our ship was fishing she sailed out of Swansea, Wales, not too far to the east of here. The fishing grounds were to the west in such areas as Rockall Banks and off towards Iceland. This means that she must …
With about 300 people living here, Baltimore is not a huge place. But it is stunningly beautiful, fun and friendly. First of all there are pictures of the Schooner Pride of Baltimore everywhere. Not just in the pubs but on peoples houses and worked in iron on their garden fences. But I get ahead of …
The late afternoon of Tuesday June 17, 2008 found our Picton Castle with strong and building winds and seas astern and making good way in squalls and rain into the small bay of Baltimore, Ireland. Weather reports of building gales and rising seas in the waters along the south coast of Ireland had us headed …
Monday morning: We are underway again after being hove-to in fresh northerlies yesterday. The sun came out Sunday evening for “marlinspike” and Shackle got dressed up in traditional marlinspike attire: a floral shirt and sarong. We’re pretty sure he’s the only guy at sea on a barque at 50 North wearing a sarong, lavalava or …
0800: Picton Castle is at 49-40N / 016-08W and the ship is hove-to in strong easterly winds, about 30 knots, well short of a gale but plenty of wind none the less. If we were bound towards any western quadrant we would be sailing nice and smartly. As it happens the wind is coming directly …
43-50N / 025-48W Wind SEly at force 5-6, steering NEly at 5+knots under upper topsails, courses, fore & main topmast-staysl’s Our skies are grey, overcast and low clouds scooting across. But the barometer is pretty high and steady, we are sailing along just fine. The Picton Castle is about 800 miles from Ireland, the Azorean …
What follows below are the first Captain’s Logs that were written back when just getting the ship and working at seeing this dream come true. The story begins in Norway in May of 1993. We hope you enjoy the tale. The Story of the Picton Castle The Captain’s Running Letter Captain Daniel D. Moreland Chapter …
30 miles NW of Flores Island, Azores, Portugal Early this morning the helmsman of the Picton Castle was given the order to fall off four points (come to port 45 degrees in this instance) and steer for Ireland. Over 1500 miles from Lunenburg (and more if you add the meandering miles), it had come time …
