Our third Sunday at sea! Work is laid to rest allowing for hand blisters and muscles to heal for a day. Engine on, full steam ahead we made headway towards Porterbelo, Panama. The ship’s cook, Donald, of Grenada, has Sundays off. To fill in for him, two trainees spend their day from 0530 – 1800 …
Picton Castle is making her way into the Gulf of Panama and we are feeling the hot muggy tropical heat for which this area is well known. It will be cooler once we get well into the South Pacific, meantime, at least we’re not shoveling snow….. Ship’s Work: This morning’s wind was light and variable, …
Day comes in warm and high overcast. Sailing around the lee of Serrano Reef with the chart showing many shipwrecks on it. Ships work: This mornings 8-12 on watch had two crew on look out, one at the top of the foremast and one on the foc’sle head. They were instructed to keep their eyes …
The day came in mostly cloudy but, while still hazy, it has cleared up. The Picton Castle is romping along in fresh tradewinds just ahead of the beam. Ships work: The Bosun and his assistants continue work on the port breezeway head. The teak door is being scraped and sanded and the hardware has been …
May 17, 208 16-31N / 080-11W The day comes in mostly cloudy, warm and humid. Winds pretty steady Force 5 at ESE. Sea moderate to 6 or 7 feet. The Picton Castle is 400 miles due north of Panama sailing close hauled by-the-wind, yards hard on the backstays and skirting Rosalind Banks to our West. …
Roughly SW of Jamaica Picton Castle has found fresh easterly tradewinds of about twenty knots and she is romping along. We find ourselves sailing beautifully through bigger swells than what the new gang has seen so far. As the crew members’ sea legs begin to engage they learn how to walk steadily and carefully throughout …
Picton Castle is cruising along with all sails set, we would be a glorious sight for an onlooker in a passing ship. All four headsails stretched up along their stays, all five sails on the fore and main full with the wind. Alas there are no onlookers in sight, all blue ocean for the eye …
The day comes in fair and clear with light easterly winds. Blue skies and sea all around and above. Small flying fish dashing out of our way. Saw some big guns jumping early this morning. Ship’s work: After yesterday’s Sunday day of rest and recovery the ship’s work is back underway. The bosun is busy …
May 13, 2018 The Picton Castle and her new crew (and two cats) are steaming along about 100 miles south of Cuba bound for the east. At some point, maybe tomorrow, when we have made enough easting we will make a sharp right turn and set sail and steering due south for the Republic of …
We were in a squall system much of last night and this morning. Now the wind is settling down to southeast and the sun is out with a blue sky growing over us as we motor to the east looking for trade winds. Ship’s work: Sundays At Sea, no ships work on Sundays beyond critical …
