Sunday at sea. The Captain held an afternoon workshop on squall management as we’ve seen a few over the last couple of days, and their strength and frequency might increase as we get north. After the workshop we had a relaxed social hour midships with popcorn, chat and dominoes. BOUND FROM: Oranjestad, Aruba, Caribbean Sea …
Its a sunny Saturday at sea, and all is well aboard Picton Castle as we settle back into our underway routine of watch-standing, meals, sleep, and time-off. SHIPS WORK: Half day Saturday. The day started bright and sunny, but the wind gradually picked up throughout the afternoon and just after dusk the main topmast staysail …
We just sailed by a small fleet of Haitian fishing boats, here in the Jamaica channel, just seven miles from the coast of Haiti. Being sailors by choice, we think its super cool that they are using sail power and oars in their hand-built wooden boats, but we suspect that they would actually prefer an …
The wind continues at a steady force 6, but the waves have evened out and they are less confused now we’re further from land, so it’s altogether a much more pleasant ride. The ship is making between 6 and 7 knots under fairly short sail, we’re romping along! A container ship just passed by about …
Picton Castle is underway again after a very successful festival at Aruba, and a wonderful few weeks cruising the Caribbean. Now we are bound for Lunenburg and the close of this sixth global circumnavigation. We pushed into fairly strong winds and biggish seas for 24 hours to get clear of Aruba, which is down-wind of …
DATE: March 28th, 2015 Five weeks out from St. Helena and Picton Castle spotted land this morning at 1120: Carriacou bearing three points off the port bow, 25nm away. We’re sailing close by Petite Martinque now, coming round the north of the island past Windward and Gun Point, round to Hillsborough Bay on the West …
The green waters surrounding the ship for the last day or two from the Amazon freshwater is back to blue. We had a ‘funky reggae party’ late afternoon on the main hatch to get everyone in the Caribbean mood. Popcorn, juice, colourful outfits and groovy musics, though a mid-party squall sent everyone running to take …
Now we’re so close to port it almost seems a shame for this passage to be drawing to a close. Another lovely day of fresh breezes and sunshine and a simply gorgeous night of starry, trade wind sailing. This is what all those Cape Horn sailors must have been dreaming about: a sweet barque sailing …
The Captain gave a talk on the Caribbean in the workshop slot this afternoon. Drawing whiteboard maps of the whole West Indies and then various islands for orientation, he spoke about the history of the West Indies and the pervasive and ongoing influence of the cane industry, and its profound effect on Europe and America …
Just another trade-wind Tuesday. The current has come fair here, a couple of hundred miles off the coast of Brazil, adding nearly two knots to our speed over ground. Smoking along now, should be there in no time – Monday or maybe even sooner. Final splicing workshop this afternoon, the end of topic test: everyone …
