British Coast Guard helicopter

Today was fun for me, didn’t to much galley work or deck hand. I helped Marcia with lunch, we made falafel, I’ve had hers before and knew they were great, but it’s such a strange thing to me I had no idea how to make it. Dried chickpeas soaked over night in water, ground them up, squeezed the water out of an onion, added parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne and baking powder. Mixed it all together, formed balls and fried, I guess deep frying underway can be possible.

After lunch I helped John with chart corrections, in Plymouth they said we had to have them. Baron and John had been working on the charts and now they are on to sailing direction books, highlighting, making notes, correcting in them. There are also little cards to write on to say what pages you have corrected. Not only are their ones that come out every year since the publication, but weekly ones as well.

While making corrections in the great cabin we heard a helicopter, Chris went to check it out and they said they wanted to practice dropping a man on the boat. John and I went up on deck to watch. We moved our yards around so they had easy access to the quarter deck, and eventually the man was slowly lowered down. Before he left we gave him some shirts and fish even, because we have so much of it. They also took the boat’s email so they can send us pictures, too bad we weren’t sailing.

Fish heads, guts and all

Today was exhausting. I didn’t have to get up and make breakfast though; Marcia did it, eggs, bacon and potatoes. I admit that she is better, she knows how to serve a crowd, I’m just worried about not having enough for the whole year. I took Jesse to the store to help me carry things; we got more free bread, even croissants this time.

Our fish arrived, it was amazing, about 45 kilos for 45 euros. I showed the guy around the boat, Baron asked if the other crate of fish on the dock was for us and we got it as well! In the long run we got two and a half cases of fish, he also later came back with pickled, smoked and dried herring, smoked salmon, anchovies in garlic and a few other fishy things. All of that for only 45 euros, but there was a lot of work we had to do to the fish.

Baron and I went on to the fore deck with the crates of fish, a cutting board, bowls for guts and heads and best of all, a hatchet. The heads got whacked off in three stokes and I pulled out the guts and flopped it into another bin. Some of the guts were crunchy so we concluded that crab was their last meal, there was also some starfish among the fish. It took us at least an hour just to behead and de gut. Then we got a few more hands, Jesse, Laura, Richard to start washing and then cutting off the fins and tails. They were stacked on trays, wrapped in cling film and into the freezer they went. Everything was done by 1600, we had gotten them around 1000, six hours of work for all that fish, there are at least 300 fish.

We also got off the dock around lunch time and are headed for Cowes, UK.

Free bread

Just another day in the galley, my last full day for a while I guess being in charge. Marcia will be more in charge for the next month; I’ll get a mini vacation. Maria took me to the store today, well one of them was closed so we asked at a bakery next door, we ended up getting a huge black trash bag full of bread, just a little dry. Then to the grocery store for some odds and ends and the fish market, we wanted a hole case of sole that we had had for dinner last night, they said they’d deliver it in the morning.

Marcia

Today was a really odd cooking day having Marica around, watching what I was doing, she’s here to give me advice, help me out and make a better cook out of me.

When Jesse and I were walking back from the showers we noticed Tres Hombres, the boat that Jojo left us for. Later we found out that they had just gotten in from a 43-day transit from the Caribbean. They have no engines and tiny generators so they don’t have any refrigeration; they made a lot of their own salted meat, pickled vegetables and canned fruit. Unfortunately they ran out and for the last two weeks its been rice, beans and lentils.

Brussels

Jesse and I got up early to go to Brussels with Tenley and Chris, the train took about an hour through mostly countryside. The first thing we saw in Brussels was this amazing church on a hill, Cathedrale des Sts Michel and Gudule, the two patron saints of the city. It had amazing stained- windows, an intricately carved pulpit, reliquearies of various saints, hands, skull, hips, and a crypt with the remains of an 11^th-century Romanesque chapel.

Then we walked over to the museum area of town, the Library had a small museum in it that was free. Some really old interesting text, but we couldn’t read what anything was. They did have a very teeny tiny bible, smaller than your fingernail and a page from the Egyptian book of the dead. Next was the museum of royal art, paintings from the 15^th to 19^th century, they had a lot from the Brugele family because they are from here and Rubens. I recognized some of them from my art history textbook, the styles and the names of the artists. Best of all was turning around and my whole body getting goose bumps because I saw Death of Murat by Jaques Louis David.

Chris was dying to go to a bar that was in one of his favorite tv shows, so we searched around for the Delirium Café. It was a really cool bar, lots of tin beer signs on the walls with circle drink serving trays on the ceiling. Some tables were old barrels while some booths had parts of the copper brewing vats as little roofs. I actually had three beers, all very girly and sweet, my favorite was mango, but the cactus and apple were good as well. Their beer menu was really more of a catalog because it had a selection of over 700 drinks.

Our last stop was to the Grand Place, the center of town, a big old square with the Hotel de Ville and the guildhalls. The Hotel de Ville was built in 1402 but wasn’t finished until 1444 so the building is not symmetrical with the right side being shorter. The Guildhalls that surround the rest of the square are adorned with gilded statues and symbols related to their trade. The wheelbarrow represents the grease-makers, the swan for the butchers and the golden tree for the brewer’s headquarters.

When we got back to the boat Marcia was there.

Bruges

We had an amazing day off. Richard, Jesse and I spent the day walking around, the morning in Oostende and the afternoon in Bruges. In Oostende we walked around killing time until a nautical store opened, there were lot of stalls set up all around the boats, folding ceramic knives, leather scraps, stripy shirts, candy and other nautical nick knacks. We ended up going to a bakery and getting some giant meringues there and then to a square where lots of booths were set up, mostly clothing but there were two big rotisserie meat trucks. We got lunch from there and got some fruit at a grocery store and it made an amazing lunch. I had a big hunk of ham, Jesse a sausage and a meat dumpling and Richard had some chicken and roasted potato nuggets. On the way back to the boat we passed three seafood stalls that looked amazing, things to eat and dried fish hanging out. There was also a gelato place that I’m sure we will return to.

Off to Bruges we went, we took the train, only took 15 minutes. Walked around and finally found the main city with lots of pointy spires. We just walked around aimlessly looking at things, old churches and buildings, little shops, canals, lots of general cuteness. The only church that was actually open was called Our Lady and had a statue made my Michelangelo, it was of Mary and baby Jesus, it looked very similar to his pieta in St. Paul’s. We looked at a lot of chocolate shops and finally chose one to buy a few from, we got a hedgehog filled with hazelnut, lemongrass, Havana that tasted a bit smoky and red wine vinegar that was a favorite. Jesse and Richard also found a beer shop that had a wall of all the 780 beers made in Belgium.

Rigging the main coarse

The main coarse is finally back in her right full home. I made samosas for lunch, it took awhile but was fun and really well worth it. After lunch I walked around, to the grocery store, asked some bakeries about where to get flour and saw and old church and bell tower.

Rigging the main coarse

The main coarse is finally back in her right full home. I made samosas for lunch, it took awhile but was fun and really well worth it. After lunch I walked around, to the grocery store, asked some bakeries about where to get flour and saw and old church and bell tower.

Belgium

We’ve been flying like a rocket ship, this morning we were only 40 miles away from Belgium. We picked up our pilot at 1500 and by 1900 we were docked. Getting in was horrible, very tight squeeze and the wind was pushing us down, after squeezing through another skinny lock they wanted us to turn around. Robin gave it a really good try put with the wind pushing us on to the dock and to many other boats around we couldn’t do it.

The English Channel

It’s a good day at sea, well the English Channel really, sunny, breezy and a bit cold with emerald coloured water. I made broiled grapefruit today, not everyone ate theirs, which meant there was more for me, I had people save the rinds so I can candy them.

Zach and Andrew

Zach and Andrew showed up today, we thought that Zach might end up sailing with us, but last night they went to the Circus to see Cookie and Maisie, he’s running away to join them for 2 weeks. But he did bring a new coffee pot like promised.

This was our last day in Plymouth, we got off the dock around 1900 and we’re heading for Belgium as fast as we can. Another busy tour day with the usual things of people going the wrong way, under lines and asking silly questions. I helped out during lunch so that people could actually eat.

I also finally heard from Marcia, she’s come in Belgium to relieve me of my cooking duties. At first I had really mixed feelings about it, I’d got back to being a deck hand and that would be it, but I talked to Robin about it and I’ll just be a day man. I’ll help out in the galley, learn from Marcia and still make bread and on days I’m not doing that I’ll be the official leak seeker because I’m good with NP1.

Shopping

Today was a good tour day for the boat, about two thousand people went through. I also finally go to go shopping, everything was really crowded because it was Lord Mayor’s Day. The Mayor goes out into the town with a parade and shakes people’s hands, shows the public who he is. There was lost of family fun things set up, kid friendly this and that, best of all there was a big thing of tarps set up like a big club house.

CG inspection

Back to work we go. This morning when the coast guard guy came to do our inspection we thought we could open up shortly after, it wasn’t until after 1300 that we opened for tours, and it was a really slow day. The coast guard was around forever, inspecting every crack, apparently there are a few things we need to fix up within the next month.

Adventure in the whaler

Today was a great day off, Richard, Jesse and I took the whaler and paddled across to the other side. There was a small tower thing that we wanted to check out, it was really quick to get there, Richard and I paddled while Jesse used a make shift rudder. We explored that part and then went off for Drake’s Island. It was an amazing find, some old abandoned army barracks or something that looked like the secret garden.

Approaching the lock.

On the other shore.

Turret.

Richard handling the bow line.

Seagull chick.

Seagull eggs.

Richard and Jesse to the rescue.

Tide going out.

Old barracks.

The hoe.

Pirates 4

Took an easy day off, have big plans for tomorrow. A big group of us went to see Pirates 4 in theaters, it was good, not enough boating for us though.

Plymouth Gin Distillery.

Bottles.

Gin and tonic bottles.

Tapas

Everyone was tired today. The crew cleaned the tween deck today, scrubbing, painting, shinning things up and general spring cleaning. It was amazing the transformation the great cabin went through, everything appeared to be white but in fact it was actually grey.

I spent the day baking and making food for the next two days. I’m on port watch with John, Baron, Doug, Rich, Sam, Grant, Tenley, Chris, Mitch and Jesse and we have the next two days off. The other watch always gets stiffed if they don’t have the cook and scrounge around for food, so I made two hotel pans of stuff, one for each day for lunch. They’ll have cereal for breakfast, or if we had enough eggs I would let them make their own and for dinner leftovers from lunch and a few things that are in the fridge now. A lot of people have been going out to eat as well and most of the off watch will be away during eating hours.

Doug took Jesse and I out to dinner, we had tapas, I haven’t been this full in a really long time. This is also the first time in ages that I haven’t set my alarm, I’ll actually get to sleep in.

Working on the yards.

Patching the capstan.

Baron's Birthday

Baron’s birthday was yesterday but I made his food today, rhubarb pie. His food was more complicated so I was in the galley all day. Lots more coats of oil both on the cap rail and the deck, the whole rig is being tarred and neatened up, and work on the bilge is still being done, looking for leaks and futzing with the baffles.

French bread.

Jesse oiling the cap rail.

Tino tarring shrouds.

Laura sanding stairs.

Chris' Birthday

Today was Chris’ birthday so I made the meals by what he requested and for his cake, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, it turned out great. In other news, the co’jack is back in her place, not exactly finished with though, they painted over the raw wood, the whole after side of it is wonky. Lots more sanding, oiling and painting. The mates and Robin are still working on the main coarse, it’s all glued together, just giving it some shape.

Relaxing before capstan.

Army Navy Surplus

I was really glad to have a day off, got to sleep in a little, but people were meeting at 0830 to go to a army navy surplus. It was easy to find on the bus and was a good store, Brooke and I both ended up getting jackets, Doug and Jesse got bright coloured light foul weather gear; Doug’s was an old police man’s jacket. A lot of the crew ended up going there today.

Brooke and I decided to walk back along the coastline because while we were waiting for the boys to finish shopping Richard appeared out of no where on a path. Robin and Jesse wanted to go to a car boot sale and Brooke and I ended up there anyway on our walk.

Chris, Tenley, Mitch, Brooke, Jesse and I ended up going to Gog & Mgog’s for lunch where the boat got a discount, I had fish and chips with mushy peas and Jesse had steak and kidney pie.

We then walked around the city a little, church, Poundland and some thrift stores.

Surplus store.

Plymouth sound.

Car boot sale.

Tenley loves land.

The Hoe.

Painting

The crew spend the morning making a lot of saw dust and wood chips, sanding the red covering board and the cap rail while Robin and shaved away at the main coarse. The afternoon was spend cleaning up for the reception tonight.

Drew sanding.

Where the Mayflower steps use to be.

Brooke sanding.

Richard.

Chris.

Mayflower steps.

Cannon.

Cliff side.

Plymouth sound.

Tenley and Grant painting.

Tino sanding.

Late day

Everyone stayed up really late and partied hard so this morning was really slow.

I went to the grocery store after lunch, oh my gosh, it was so beautiful; John and I drooled at the deli counter. I found most of what I needed, but not yeast, they had it in small packets, but that just won’t cut it for me. We asked at the bread counter and they had blocks of compressed yeast, I’ve never worked with it before but I’m willing to give it a try. About 2 cups work for 2 pounds, not a bad price at all.

Finding flour on the other hand might be tricky.

For dinner I made a great big salad that got devoured very quickly.

Over the next few days the crew has to complete certain things so that we can all get a few more days off. All they were suppose to do today was paint the hull, but Robin wanted the co’jack up so that took up a lot more time and they had to work till 8 pm. I felt bad for them, knowing how it is, so I made butterscotch brownies.

Matt cutting line.

Grant crawling out onto the yard.