The next morning everyone was up unusually early (before their third wakeup), seabags packed and ready to go. We trooped down the street, hopped the fence at the Fisheries Museum, scampered down the ladder on the dock, and threw our gear aboard Pride of Baltimore II. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I was …
Picton Castle made a grand entrance into Lunenburg Harbour on Saturday July 28. A good crowd had assembled on the dock for 1400, and around 1430 the ship sailed around Battery Point and came into view in Lunenburg Bay, sailing under t’gallants, upper tops’ls, lower tops’ls and courses. The Captain kept her under sail well …
It’s Tall Ship time. The Picton Castle came sliding in from Martinique to the sea-buoy and Pilot Station off Charleston right on time to fall in line with the other ships. We were all to make a grand entrance into Charleston Harbour; a parade of Tall Ships majestically making their way into this famous haven. …
Location: 31° 38.8’N / 079° 40.2’W Water Temp: 24.9°C; Air Temp: 28°C It has turned out to be a beautiful sunny and hot day aboard the Picton Castle. The 12-4 watch is busy rust-busting and corrosealing the port anchor chain (much to the dismay of the crew trying to sleep directly below in the forecastle) …
Bound from: Sandy Cay, BVIs, towards Charleston, SC Between the hours of 1800-1900 (6-7 PM) last evening the Picton Castle motored past her way point, San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. This is interesting for two reasons: First, the “way point” is a position on a chart that the navigator chooses to steer towards while …
Bound from: Sandy Cay, BVIs; Towards: Charleston, SC Location: 21° 52.906’N / 71° 19.996’W This afternoon the Picton Castle is cruising along at a comfortable 7.2 knots of speed. The breeze is a gentle force 3 and the swells are coming from ESE at a height no greater than 2-3 ft. We are braced on …
Location: 16° 38.196′ N / 62° 52.135′ W (about parallel to Montserrat, UK) Ordered Course: N x W Yesterday was nothing short of a flurry of activity aboard the barque Picton Castle! Over a 24-hour period, our crew was joined by (lucky) 13 new trainees who are aboard for this three-week passage bound for adventure …
Donald Church, cook on the Picton Castle, is from Grenada. He worked as chef on eight cruise ships over a 20-year period. We met him through the Captain’s mutual friends when we were looking to hire a cook in the beginning of January while the ship was in Grenada. Having a cook from the Caribbean …
A good duty day in port is one when work ends early enough for a swim call. The fore yard is braced slightly on a starboard tack so that the swing rope can be rigged, inflatable water toys are blown up, proper ladders or scramble nets are rigged over the side, and life rings are …
Bequia is truly one of the most beautiful islands around, and the Picton Castle has had the pleasure of putting in there twice this winter. We sail into Admiralty Bay and head for our “usual parking spot,” which we have found empty and waiting for us on both visits. Several ferries run between Bequia and …
