We seem to be finally out of the wet and squally weather and back into trade winds and there was even enough sun to get a noon sight today for the first time in a week. Hurrah! The ship is bowling along nicely with almost everything set. Captain held a long splice workshop this afternoon. […]
We’re used to a tropical, outdoors-lifestyle on PICTON CASTLE but the continuing rain showers are sending most projects down below: the bosun and riggers have turned the cargo hold into an impromptu workshop and there are bits of rope and wire stretched here and there being spliced or served or tarred. The sailmakers have set
The winds continue light, so mid-morning the Captain told the engineers fired up the Burmeister & Wain Alpha seven-cylinder main engine and now we’re steaming through the doldrums, getting far enough north of the line to pick up the trade winds again. Age of Sail mariners would have been plenty jealous of our reliable Danish
Sunday at sea. We were visited by plenty of sea birds today and what looked like hundreds of dolphins approaching broad side-to in a long line off to port. They got close enough to have a good look at us and then turned away to the southeast, still in formation. And a ‘Shellbacks Only’ marlinspike
The crew of Picton Castle were shocked and saddened by the news of the vast destruction reportedly caused by Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam to the tiny and beautiful island nation of Vanuatu. It wasn’t so long ago that we were last there, trading clothes, knives and pots and pans for fresh fruit, handmade baskets and
DATE: March 14th, 2015 REMARKS: We hove-to after lunch so Neptune’s Court could come aboard and complete the usual Line-Crossing ceremonies today. All went very well, and the new shellbacks are enjoying the coolness of their new haircuts. SHIPS WORK: No additional ship’s work today. BOUND FROM: James Bay, St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean TOWARDS:
DATE: March 13th, 2015 REMARKS: Another squally day and lumpy cross seas coming with some of the larger squalls. SHIPS WORK: Hard to get ship’s work done on deck in squally, wet weather. The bosun has set up a workshop in the cargo hold to work on various wire splices and seizings, under the shade
Crossed the equator at twenty past midnight and longitude 029° 31.4’W. PICTON CASTLE is back in the Northern Hemisphere for the fist time since Panama in November 2012. Neptune’s Court is delayed due to squally weather, but expected any day now. SHIPS WORK: Rainy day projects: cleaning breezeway and aloha deck overhead, organize hold, splice
We wore ship from port to starboard tack yesterday, and now we’re making more westing and skirting the equator – the line was just 22 nautical miles to our north at noon and the pollywogs are getting nervous. SHIPS WORK: Work on the cap stay continues, spot painted buff aft and varnish on the main
Dolphins came to play in the bow wave today, maybe 15 of them including a tiny baby, they stayed for a good half hour rolling over each other and leaping and diving before gambolling off to port. SHIPS WORK: Service on the lower end of new cap stay, two coats of varnish on new fore
