Thursday June 3, 2010 Today is our first full day back at sea after leaving Bonaire yesterday, and our first full day under sail since before Anguilla. True to the forecasts, the wind continues to blow consistently from the east between Force 5 and 6, and we’re sailing along between 5.5 and 8.5 knots. We’re …
Wednesday June 2, 2010 As forecast, we had fresh easterly winds this morning, classic trade-winds, perfect for sailing the Picton Castle off the dock. As the Captain and I made our rounds of Customs and Immigration to get our outward clearance, the rest of the crew prepared to get underway. Sails up to t’gallants were …
Tuesday June 1, 2010 Picton Castle sailed in to Bonaire on Sunday, a last-minute surprise decision to pull into port and wait for better winds on our passage from Anguilla to Panama. Trade winds are usually consistent from the east in the Caribbean Sea, but we had been having very light winds and EVEN headwinds, …
Sunday May 30, 2010 We’ve been motoring since we left Anguilla, making our way south through the Caribbean Sea before turning west toward Panama. The Captain says that this is ridiculous. Normally this would be a passage done almost entirely under sail – the trade winds in the Caribbean Sea are usually so consistent at …
Captain’s Log – Anguilla Bound Sunday May 23. 2010 Yesterday morning the Captain posted this notice on the door to the main salon scuttle (where all important notices for Picton Castle crew are posted): “Announcing – In order to put some sand between our toes and have a little fun ashore And after an excellent …
Captain’s Log – Blustery Saturday May 22, 2010 The Captain held a muster on the quarterdeck before supper yesterday to talk about our North Atlantic passage, south to the West Indies and Caribbean Sea from Nova Scotia. Using a white board, he illustrated our track so far, all has gone according to the passage plan …
Midday – May 20, 2010 – – 25-39n / 058-37w – – winds ESE – about 15 knots Looks like we are in the famous easterly trade-winds. These winds that blow from the west coast of Africa from Senegal across the Atlantic finding their way to the wind swept and sun kissed isles of the …
Until this point, the ship’s log has been kept by the watch officers while the ship is underway. Starting today, trainees are filling in a rough log after their turn on helm. They’re learning that we record our position every hour, on the hour, and that we also make hourly notes on true wind direction …
Gale Finis 0700 34-58N / 061-04W – winds NWLY at force 4-5, seas 4-6’, Chibley hungry Captain Daniel D. Moreland Morning came in with clouds breaking up and the day making up fair and handsome. Last night the gale force winds veered into a more NWly slant and laid down nicely along with the largish …
In a Gale Captain Daniel D. Moreland So, we are in a gale. First gale for this Picton Castle crew. We are by and large running with it which serves our course just fine anyway – but it is a gale. Not a very big gale, just over the edge of 35 knots to qualify …
