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 …
April 14th, 2015 We just sailed from Bequia of St Vincent and the Grenadines, yesterday afternoon in our Barque Picton Castle. Bound for Antigua we are just now. Sailing under the lee of St Lucia and Martinique – plan to get to windward of Dominica to get some useful winds on the Atlantic side of …
By Kate “Bob” Addison As crew on Picton Castle you get pretty familiar with long ocean passages, two or three thousand nautical miles, maybe a month or so out of sight of land and often whole oceans between port visits – all pretty standard, pretty cool but no big deal. But it’s pretty novel to …
By Kate “Bob” Addison After a few days to relax, decompress and do nothing in Carriacou after so long at sea, we made the short passage to Grenada, which is just a perfect daysail away with sunny skies and fair winds. It’s a fair amount of work taking a square rigger out for a day …
By Kate “Bob” Addison Sailing into Carriacou after over a month at sea On Saturday the 28th March 2015 Picton Castle and her crew made landfall at the beautiful island of Carriacou, part of Grenada in the Windward Isles of the Caribbean. The first sight of land was at dawn: a pale grey triangular smudge …
By Amy Barlow, Lead Seaman To explain a month ocean passage to a non-sailor is pretty tough. Daily life is keeping the ship running, looking after her so she looks after you. Relying on your fellow shipmates to take care of things on deck while you sleep. knowing it will be your turn soon. Being …
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 …
