Cleaning and More Rain

Last night Peter, Katie and Maisie met up with Dana, Bob the owner’s girlfriend and did a bit of karaoke action and hilarity ensued.

This morning instead of the usual up and over we got up and stayed up for awhile. We helped take down the main topsail. That was really fun and shaky. We hand to stand out on the yard for awhile tying line around the sail instead of around the sail, yard and the jack stay. While lowering it we had to haul it back up because the flag got stuck in a pulley so we had to use the capstan to hoist it back up a little. I love using the capstan for its actual purpose instead of just standing around and having out capstan meeting there.

After that we got put into work party, oh boy was that fun today. Ashley and Tsveta sanded the floors of aft crew and Katie and I were put to work cleaning behind the freezers. Not the freezers them selves, but removing them from their spots held in by wood planks and then picking up all the crap behind them. And that is exactly what it was; or rather we didn’t want to know what it was. Among the dirt and filth we also found water bottles, sesame seeds, sand, extra boards, dehydrated oranges, onions that were causing a massive stench, can of cranberry sauce, tupperware lids and some more gross filth that had to be cleaned up.

Katie removed the wood bars holding the freezers in place and I went behind them getting all the crap out from under them. Swept, mopped, scrubbed, de-grossed and were thoroughly disgusted with the filth. Right when we thought we were finished Rebecca was all, now you can clean this. So pulled some more junk down and found really old orange drink powder, MORE tupperware lids and general filth. Took out the tuppwerware drawer and was really surprised at how long it was, Ashley at first thought it was some kind of optical illusion. Matched up tupperware to its lids and did a lot of washing.

It was a really nasty gross cleaning day.

Right after capstan meeting I ran to take a shower, but that was a little in vain because right after that I had to go and help move three sails on to the pontoon boat. Then take the pontoon boat to the marina along with everyone else and help heave them into Robin’s truck and of course it was sprinkling most of the time and I don’t have any fowlies yet so I got a bit wet and salt water splashed on me.

After all of that there was a boat parade around Peanut Island for Christmas, a little early I think, I don’t even feel Christmasie yet at all. But since it was a bit of a party mood I put on my spiffy historical jacket and rocked that. Everyone liked it, kinda laughed at me, but I think after explaining it they thought me slightly less crazy than when they first saw it. Some of the volunteers and girl/boy scout people came on board to watch Caleb fire off the cannon to signal the beginning of the parade. I was so not ready to hear that big of a blast, dangs, but it was good.

Went over to the veranda and got some food, or rather cake because that’s all that was left plus the giant tub of hummus that we offered to the pot luck. Hung out there for a bit, came back to the ship and hung in the galley as always. Dana came by and she has some crazy stories about her and Bob and all the red water toys he buys. Next he wants some kinda yacht thing and she wants to name it ‘Wet Dream.’

There is also this other woman visiting, Christine, who use to be a cook here.

Maisie leaves tomorrow, Sam leaves around the 15th so I heard and Rebecca and Caleb leave in about 2 weeks. Things will be really once they are all gone, there will be fewer of us and Peter will be in charge, taking orders from him will be funny.

Caleb and Chuck

Maritime Museum

Boat parade starting