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
By Chelsea McBroom April 30th, 2014 My bunk leapt and rolled beneath me and I tried to adjust my sleeping position to keep myself wedged and still. The wind howled through my porthole. I felt the slam of a wave against the side of the Picton Castle and water splashed up, through the porthole and
By Chelsea McBroom April 27th, 2014 On my first day ashore with Picton Castle‘s port watch, I left the café, having finished my delicious fruit smoothie and walked down the street to the fresh market. This island, Vava’u, is where our shipmate Vai is from and her grandmother and aunt were selling their handmade baskets
By Chelsea McBroom April 21st, 2014 Supposedly the Picton Castle has crossed the date line but the Captain decided we wouldn’t change our dates or times until we are anchored at Tonga. Perhaps by doing this he thought his birthday would be skipped but he couldn’t fool us. Lily cooked on her day off and
By Chelsea McBroom April 20th, 2014 The Picton Castle couldn’t sit around waiting for the wind to pick up, so we motored for a couple of days, with fore and aft sails, until we found enough wind to carry us to Tonga. The day came and hands were called to go aloft and loose. The
By Chelsea McBroom April 19, 2014 Starboard watch was taken back to the Picton Castle and switched once more with port watch so they could be ashore on Palmerston another night. Because the ship had hove to, two people had to be watching the deck at all times, so we were put into pairs and
