The last thing we did before removing all the lines and hauling in the anchor was to bring up the small boat, or Tit Bounty, as we like to call it. Really it is suppose to say “T/T Bounty” but Caleb bought an I instead of a slash.
I got the pleasure of flaking the anchor chain; it was okay at first until chain came in that had been in the water, it got grosser and grosser. I ended up with two cuts, one on my left ring finger on the pad, and one on my right index cuticle. I had to watch the one on my left all day because it was ready to open and gush blood out again, having my hands already banged up did not help me today.
After I came out of the hole where the anchor chain is stored we had already left Peanut Island and were motoring over to the fuel dock. The other day we had the heaving line lesson and practice that then we could do it at this dock. I was going to throw the number one line on the bow but my fingers were bleeding. Got to the fuel dock, heaved lines over, set up a brow, got fuel going, got passengers on and had breakfast.
While we were waiting for the fuel tank to fill up we got to unfurl all the sails on the fore mast. First we all went up to the topsail because we all feel good out there, Zach went with us to how us how to do it. Climb out on the yard, untie the gaskets from around the sail and yard, let the sail fall and gasket the line again tight up against the yard so it won’t foul anything. From up in the rigging we could see Peanut Island and our dock looked sad all by itself.
When we first started heading out we set the spanker as well, you have to heave on a line as well as cast the brailles, six lines that help pull it in.
Came down after all that, chilled out a bit. Katie was on bow watch and some people were at the helm. We were tidying up a bit before lunch. Lunch was good because we were all so tired and just needed a minute to sit down. I relived Katie from bow watch so that she could go eat; Caleb came up to me and made sure that I knew how to do it. I’m suppose to report back to him about any vessel that I see, even if it’s really small, far in the distance or right next to us. Especially if I see one coming our direction, if a few minutes later I don’t see that we have changed coarse or that the one coming at us is not a threat I should tell him again in case he forgot.
All hands were called to heave the lines and pull up the sails. We started with the topsail because that is bigger than the coarse sail and that’s just the order it goes in. Setting a sail is complicated and I still don’t get how all of it works. You cast off your gear, clews, bunts and leeches; you haul in the sheets; sweat the line and make it fast. Lastly you haul on the halyard, that is what brings up the yard so the sail is in the correct position. There are a few other things as well, you have to check the braces and monitor other lines and have a few other things cast off before you begin because they are all connected.
Each mast has four basic sails, at the top is the royal, then topgallant, topsail and coarse at the bottom. The tope three sails get hauled up and the coarse just drops down. Finding the lines on the pin rail is a whole other thing as well, because the ship is only so big and lines need to run a certain way they are not all together under the mast where the line leads. Mostly the lines are there under that one mast, but things like the braces and lines for the coarse are lead aft. “Out and up, aft and up,” is the saying for finding the lines. The more out it is the more up in the rigging it is and the more aft it is the more up in the rigging it is. Out and up is for the fife rails and after and up is for the pin rails.
After all that hauling, easing and sweating of lines we finally got to stand back and look at our handy work. Most of the lines had just been made fast but the bitter end was just laying on the deck in a heap of other coils all messy under your feet. Had we really been sailing for a longer period of time we would have coiled them up and made them neat, but seeing as how we were just about to take the sail in, there was no point. What I loved the most was the fact that with all the sails set there was a lot more shade on the deck.
Taking in the sail is about the same, just opposite. The gear was cast and hauled in, the sheets were cast after that, more adjusting of the halyard and hauled in a few more things. We did everything in a good order; it’s just so hard to remember after all we did. Eventually we did start to coil the lines and make them neat again, all I can say is that navy flex really does suck, horrible on your hands.
While motoring back into Palm Beach it was funny to see everyone alongside us, boats were coming up beside us to look at us and taking pictures, I must be in a lot of other peoples photos. Also everyone on the beach was checking us out. We saw some roofers on a roof and Rebecca and Grant both flexed at them and they flexed back. Haha, we are just as strong or stronger than them.
When we got back to the dock at Peanut Island it took a few tried to get close enough so that Grant could jump off and we could toss him our dock lines. More easing and hauling of the lines, made fast and we were set. We started to put some things back in place, one brow, the cannons were moved and then it was time to play at the capstan. This time we went anti clockwise and hauled in some anchor line, one that we had done a week or so ago. It felt funny going the opposite direction, at first it was really easy to take in the line that we were almost running, not the right thing to do, the line kept coming in all nice, then there was a large knot in it and Zach had to hold on to the bitter end to make sure that it didn’t get fouled. All was good in the end.
Had a quick water break and then it was time to head back into the rigging, time to furl the sails, hauling them up, folding themselves into themselves and gasket them. Did the coarse first and man do I wish that I had more muscles. You’re standing on a cable and only have the yard, sail and jack stay to hold on to and sometimes you just have to hold on to the bulk of it all. So first you grab the edge of the sail that has a thick line sewn around the edge, you get that and you lean your stomach on it so your hands are free to line it up and pass down sail so it can be folded over in the middle. Next you swim for the sail, grab a handful and pull it up to you and shove it under your stomach again. Then there is a bit of pushing around maybe another swim, more tucking and getting in the dog-ear. Also at the right times the gear is cast so that you can haul it in more. After its all bundled you give it a bit of a shake and beating to smooth things out, make it flatter. Here is where it’s really hard, the sail is really heavy and that’s about all you have to hold on to, you can’t let go because them you might have to do it all over again. At this point you hold the sail with your elbow and use your other hand to haul up some more sail so that it rolls on top of that and everything is tucked under it. Finally you give a two six and heave the sail on top of the yard, or several tries and then later redo it because the people on your yard are too weak and can’t keep it up. The sails are huge, it’s a good think Zach and Grant were visiting this week otherwise I have no idea how it would have gotten done.
Now that the sail is finally on top of the yard you have to gasket it, being short is really no fun at this point because you have to get the line wrapped around the yard and sail. On the coarse it is really hard because the yard is thicker. Rebecca, being one of the short people gave us a few ideas of how to help us, make a bight and feed that under or give it a swing, move it with your feet. That’s another thing to be aware of while making your gasket, not to have it fouled in the footrope or a sheet line.
We have about three or four people on each side of the yard while we were doing this, because we could all be there to help and to try and avoid T-rex syndrome. This syndrome is caused when you are the only person on the footrope and there for sink lower then if there were two and your arms become really short over the yard and you can’t reach a whole lot.
Finally we were all done furling the sails. Got to eat dinner and finally take off my harness, I wore it all day and while eating I had to check a few times to make sure it was really off. Before we were stood down we coiled up a few more things and put things back in place. My hands are really tired after all that, they are not use to it get, hopefully they won’t be too sore tomorrow.
I was taking to Jivesh tonight on iChat, when Ashley said “hatch open” and I repeated it, as it goes, Jivesh was confused and repeated it. I laughed so hard because that’s the way it goes, you repeat it. I told Ashley and she thought it was really funny, so the next time she said it, I repeated it and then Jivesh did as well really loud so she could hear him. I also gave Jivesh a little tour of the boat, well whatever already had the lights on and where the wireless went.
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