By Anne-Laure Barberis, watch officer apprentice from France February 21st, 2014 This morning, as I woke up, the Picton Castle (as it sailed to Nuku Hiva) was already buzzing with activity. There were people doing the routine tasks: dish washing, cleaning, sanding and varnishing, wire brushing and painting, without forgetting our auto-pilot which is the …
By Chelsea McBroom February 20th, 2014 It was Lily’s birthday on the 19th aboard the Picton Castle, all sails but the flying jib were set as we sailed to Nuku Hiva, so cupcakes were made the night before, just after dinner, as the galley and scullery were being cleaned. I used the boxes of devil’s …
By Captain John Beebe-Center February 18th, 2014 Being at sea aboard the Picton Castle on this leg of our journey has turned into a nice exercise of training, work and fairly comfortable living all while occupying this smallish steel world apparently all alone and in the middle of nowhere. The training is courtesy of some …
By Chelsea McBroom February 18th, 2014 I had been dreaming I was seeing my friends back at home again when I was woken at 3:30am this morning onboard the Picton Castle on its way to Nuku Hiva. I’m living in the foc’sle now (no longer in the once called “Chel-salon” because at one point I …
By Dr. Peter Sharp, ship’s medical officer February 15th, 2014 On turquoise water clouds pile high: green hills, white terns thought homeward fly. The Picton Castle left Pitcairn on the first of February 2014 with a big swell rolling in on Bounty Bay and motor sailed north until the next day loaded with tons of …
By Chelsea McBroom February 17th, 2014 The Picton Castle had spent days in Mangareva looking for certain foods – potatoes, sausages, eggs – but just couldn’t find them. There was little potato in the shops and we didn’t want to buy them out, the closest we could find to sausages were cocktail weenies, but on …
By Chelsea McBroom February 15th, 2014 The starboard watch overnight Monomoy trip turned out to be a very wet one. We had been lucky with weather since the Picton Castle had arrived in Mangareva, having only a few light squalls now and then, but that night it poured. It wasn’t until the following day that …
By Chelsea McBroom February 12th, 2014 Ever since the Captain of the Picton Castle mentioned overnight monomoy trips, I had been very much looking forward to it. Port watch went first, lowering the boat and reattaching its pieces – the mast, boom, mainsail and jib. They packed it full of sleeping bags, fruit, frozen fish …
By Chelsea McBroom February 9th, 2014 The Picton Castle anchored just outside of Mangareva, waiting until the following morning before we went through the pass and around the coral, which was easier to see with morning light. The Captain announced a swim call and after everyone prepared themselves they peered over the edge of the …
By Chelsea McBroom February 9th, 2014 The day we left Pitcairn nobody from the Picton Castle wanted to leave. It’s easy to imagine that occurring at just about any port we visit, but it was different in this case because we felt as though we were leaving a home of sorts; in such a short …
