September 30, 2013 After pushing pretty hard against stiff headwinds most of the day we picked up our pilot 2 miles off the breakwater to the entrance of Newcastle Harbour. I wanted to get in to spare the gang a night of being hove-to in 25 knot winds and 5 metre seas. At dusk our […]
By Cheri Davidson 29-04 S, 166-53 E – Steering SWxW What could be better for a bunch of sailors in a deep water square-rigger on a long sea passage than a beautiful Sunday at sea? As in ships of old, Picton Castle crew work hard all week, but on a lovely, sunny Sunday like today,
By Cheri Davidson 25-56 S, 174-03 E At Sea 19 September 2013 It’s just after 12 midnight on the Picton Castle and the Starboard Watch has gone to sleep. Port Watch now has the decks and are waking up with cups of tea and coffee. Night watch can get pretty chilly. When we are woken
21-05 south latitude / 176-15 west longitude Steering SW under all sail The Picton Castle and crew are, at this writing, a day at sea after sailing from Neiafu, Vava’u, Kindom of Tonga yesterday. We are making good time with fresh SE trade winds pulling us along at 7 knots at times. Seas are moderate
By Cheri Davidson 18-39 S, 178-59 W Sunday September 8, 2013 After a rockin’ and rollin’ motor from Palmerston Atoll, we have arrived in Tonga! The beautiful islands of the Kingdom of Tonga came into view for the crew of Picton Castle on Friday morning. After a rolly few days of motoring at sea, they
By Cheri Davidson Monday September 2, 2013 Crew and ship are back to sea again after a brief but welcomed stop at Palmerston Island. Picton Castle has brought cargo to the people of Palmerston twice this past summer, and we have many good friends there. This time we carried just a couple small freezers, a
By Cheri Davidson Thursday August 29, 2013 20-15’S, 160-47’W Sailing at 4 knots, bound from Rarotonga to Tonga by way of Palmerston Atoll For some of the folks aboard thePicton Castle, last night was their very first night watch, and adjusting to the movement of the ship in the dark can be challenging. Port watch
By Cheri Davidson Wednesday August 28, 2013 Picton Castle departed Rarotonga this morning, hurrah! Motor-sailing NWxW under overcast skies. Crew are broken off into two watches now, Port and Starboard, with Port watch taking the decks just after a yummy lunch of roti wraps from Donald. Leaving Rartonga we set lots of sails! First with
By Kate “Bob” Addison Bound for Tonga, Norfolk Island and join the Tall Ships at Sydney! As this new voyage kicks off, the new trainees and professional crew are settling in, making friends and starting their shipboard orientation. The focus is on getting to know the ship and all her routines and equipment, basic sail
By Kate “Bob” Addison August 8th, 2013 It’s 0800 on Thursday the 8th August 2013, and Picton Castle is steaming towards Rarotonga. The familiar rolling emerald mountains are dead ahead, and looming larger every minute. It’s the end of another voyage, a voyage of almost four thousand miles offshore sailing around the Cook Islands. It’s
