A gorgeous pink sun arose on our port quarter this morning, the age old saying “pink sky in the morning, sailors take warning” was not in effect today. Another beautiful sunny day on deck, with white puffy cotton like clouds dispersed throughout the baby blue sky. At 0630 lead seaman Dustin of Nova Scotia noticed …
Calm, steady winds this morning, with a current that is conveniently headed in the same direction as we are, west, pushing the ship another knot faster. And just like that we are getting back into our regular schedule of ship’s work, as we are all in need of burning off yesterday’s delicious desserts and a …
Merry Christmas all! It’s 2000 here aboard the Picton Castle as we sail west into a gorgeous Christmas evening sunset. We had an amazing sunny day, the hatch was full of gifts and our hand made stockings were full to the brims with goodies. By 1000 am everyone was awake and gathered amidships around the …
‘Twas the night before Christmas and on board Picton Castle Not a trainee was stirring, all was quiet in the forecastle The stockings were hung by the scuttle with care, In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there; The off-watch were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of short splices danced in …
Last night the moon shone vibrantly, illuminating the deck as if a street lamp was hung above our ship. During the 8-12 watch, the topmast stuns’l halyard parted. With the light of the moon, the on duty watch was able to see clearly as they worked to take in all three stuns’ls, packing them away …
We awoke to a sunny Saturday this morning! Excellent weather to set our stuns’ls, and that we did. All stuns’l booms were sent up, blocks and halyards in place aloft, then all three stuns’ls were set by 1100! Stuns’ls or studding sails are sails that protrude outboard of the yards, and as we are currently …
Happy solstice! It’s been a a productive and happy day here on board. Many hands on deck chipping away at our to do list. On the agenda today is to send up the newly repaired spanker gaff as well as get the gear and booms ready to set studding sails or stuns’ls. The bosun, Anders …
Beautiful sunny day as our ship motors through glass top still waters. As we inch our way closer and closer to Rarotonga, crew members who are sadly departing us are slowly packing their personal belongings and thinking ahead to their lives outside of our 180′ barque. It’s a very strange feeling that we will be …
August 10, 2018 – Westward Bound 2 Just after dawn, Picton Castle 22-10S / 143-05W. Yards braced up, royals in and stowed, making good speed. Winds northerly at 18 knots, seas not so big at 6-8 feet, sky partly cloudy, low scudding clouds… Bright seas and skies. Some spray coming over the weather rail amidships …
Picton Castle sails along on a westerly course, rolling side to side through the South Pacific waters with a beautifully painted hull. A fresh coat of white paint was added in Mangareva. Wind filling our canvas, a breeze blows across the deck and to living quarters below as the sun shines down warming our tanned …
