By Captain D. Moreland with D. Lorenzen Aboard PICTON CASTLE at Shelburne… The last Log entry carried on about our doings in Lunenburg with the World Voyage crew here. All very busy here working on boats, capstans, baggywrinkle and the like. This log is about what is happening on and in the ship at Shelburne […]
Wednesday, August 29th, 2018 – South Pacific Ocean At 1000 we are at 19-36 South and 161-19 West. Making 7-8 knots under t’gallants in force 6 southeast tradewinds and lumpy ten-foot seas covered with whitecaps. We are about 140 miles from Rarotonga and about halfway to Palmerston Atoll, both in the Cook Islands. Picton Castle
Pitcairn Island is a pretty small spot on a very big ocean. First discovered by Europeans in 1767 and named for the midshipman who sighted it. They came close, looked about, recorded its location inaccurately due to not having sorted longitude quite yet. By the time Bounty sailed this had been solved. The island had
Blue sky, seas laid down, a tropic bird passing over head, easy winds, ocean for as far as the eye can see on this clear South Pacific day. The wind has calmed down today, the ship is sailing at a speed of about 4-5 knots. Work on deck is in full swing, calmer seas allows
Only 2,000 miles to go to Pitcairn Island. Misty rain squalls that leave us rolling in short calms and put a damper on paint projects as well as slow down the sailmaking. But all is good enough. We are headed the right direction with warm fair winds. Lots of rigging, sailmaking and small carpentry jobs
The sound of scuffing sandpaper on mahogany and teak and the smell of varnish is abundant on deck on this beautiful sunny morning. The lee side of the galley house and the double doors of the salon received another coat of varnish – you can never have too many coats. The quarterdeck is covered with
A blue whale swam by the ship this morning. The Picton Castle is sailing deeper and deeper into the South Pacific Ocean. After a few days of overcast and light squalls not far from the Equator we now are sailing along with a fresh beam breeze to port heeling the ship a little to starboard.
At 0730 this morning a blue whale visited close by, entertaining the sunrise 4-8 watch. We’re sailing along beautifully due southwest, light rain showers came and went causing a rainbow to form. We sailed underneath the colours, our white bow piercing through the South Pacific ocean salt waters – we were the treasure at the
Sailing full and by the wind, occasional squalls, some with a bit of wind in them. Many miles to sail… Our first Sunday at Sea for this passage, the ‘Sunday Funday’ flag is flying high on the foremast and the relief galley team is vigorously chopping and prepping today’s meals – which thus far have
Sailing along ‘full and by’ the wind. Still cool and overcast but sailing well. Seas building to the breeze – all very comfortable. Sailmaking workshop today. Our day started off great with Donald’s tasty, sticky, gooey cinnamon raisin buns for breakfast, or as Dawson, age 5 and 1/2, refers to them as “raisin burgers” –
