Christmas Eve

This is my first Christmas away from my whole family; there was usually always one other person around; also my first Christmas on a boat.

Rebecca and Caleb finally left and this time I think it’s for good. They tried to leave a week ago but their truck had problems, now it’s fixed and they were more than happy to be on their way. I spied some presents they left under our little tree.

I found this great list, 69 sings you live on a boat, it was written by a guy who lives on a yacht, so it’s about the same. I should edit it and gear it more towards living on tall ships, people would really love it.

Spent the day chilling out in the galley watching the old tv show of the Addams Family because tours were going on. I also made ginger snaps that had a lot of fresh ginger because for some reason there is a whole draw in the refrigerator full of it.

Katie and Peter went ashore and Chuck was here and there.

I made ginger cookies with fresh ginger because there is a tub of it with orange anise icing. Peter said he loves my cookies and I have to go with him to whatever ship he goes on next so that I can make them for him. Haha.

To the galley.

Door to forward crew.

Captain Conrad Waren Bevertail III of Mariner HMS Turkey Leg

Sponge Law!

Silverware and condiments.

Peanut Island flag by Chuck, "One Nations Under Nuts."

Giant can opener.

The Nut

Day off, really bored and feel like I should be doing something other than playing online. I’d almost go paint something just to watch the paint dry, but not that bored.

Watched a movie. Played a game of chess with Peter and failed, but beat him at backgammon.

Ashley left this morning, as did Kat.

Also got four Christmas letters from relatives.

Took a walk around Peanut Island and took some photos to kill time.

Joe, one of the people who woks at the museum stayed for dinner that Robin cooked, was great. Spare ribs, collard greens, potatoes and spinach salad. Had a great time just hanging out and talking, got some drinks out of the crew fund as well.

It’s only 8:30 and I’m dead tired, have been so for about and hour or so now, don’t do anything and get tired, hate it.

Old coast guard house on the left.

Camping grounds.

They added a Bounty sign, sweet.

Gourmet Galley... hmm.

Mangroves!

Shipping yard.

More Patch Serve and Paint

Once again up in the rigging with some more patch serving to do. Sitting on the yards to reach the footropes and other awkward places. Did a bit on the main and then headed to the mizzen, there was a lot on the topsail footropes, stirrups and eyes.

Kat, Katie, Brooke and I worked on that while Peter, Ashley and Sveta did more on the futtocks shrouds of the mizzen. Unfortunately some how when Ashley was painting the shrouds with steel primer, the paint bucket tipped over and spilled while it was on the mizzen top. Paint spilled down and hit the deck, splattered the helm, deck and the aft hatch into the great cabin. At first I didn’t realize that it had spilled that much because I couldn’t see, but when Sveta went running to get Peter I knew it was bad. Those of us not in the middle a serve went down there to help out.

In the end the thing that looks the worst is the deck, at least we plan on redoing that. We got everything off the helm, which was the main priority. When Robin and Rebecca came out to look at it they looked really upset.

At capstan we found out that Ashley was asked not to come back when she leaves to go home for Christmas. Pretty sad, but she seems okay with it, not to upset. She offered me her cabin; she was in there alone so maybe I’ll move in there, good to have your own space while you can.

Furling and Patch Serve

This morning we had to re-furl the fore coarse sail. All girls, six of us, took us a good hour and a half, Sveta said that their old crew of 15 could furl all the sails in that same amount of time, we have a long way to go. The sail does look a lot better this time than it did before and I am a lot more comfortable out there on the end of the yard.

Then we were sent back up to do some patch serve, Kat, Katie and I. It wasn’t as bad this time as the first time we went up there. I did five spots, sat on some foot ropes as well so I could reach, once seated I did not want to move or wiggle. And did a few on the shrouds.

Ashley and Peter worked on the futtocks shrouds rust busting. They used a grinder and at one point the lanyard snapped and whacked Ashley across the fingers, ouch.

Brooke mainly drove Rebecca and Caleb around because they had errands to run, but later she helped Sveta with the fore topgallant.

My hands are still a bit beat up, blister on my left thumb that I squeezed the blood out of, gross, slice on left palm and the nick in the side of my right thumb from a screw. Got plenty of other small scratches, but they don’t bother like those other ones.

No more!

I had to caulk all day again! There were two pieces left on the starboard side near the stern. Ashley had already pried them out, I just had to put them back in, but it was really hard trying to hang there in my harness and be all monkey arms. Eventually I gave up and could not reach the last two screws so I has Ashley help me.

Then I asked Peter what to do next and was instructed to caulk some more. Ug. Checked things out on the way forward and saw one last piece of half round still on the starboard side curving around the bow. Started tackling that, it was more awkward putting it back on because I had to be upside down a lot more and my hands at funny angles to put the board back.

And of course it does not fit properly. There is a large gap in it because of moving everything up just a bit. So what I’ll have to do later, or someone is undo the front of the board, trim some off and push it back flush.

At least tomorrow is rig day.

To Much Caulk

I worked on the half round again, this time I just unscrewed the board part way, squeezed caulk in, screwed it back, took off the excess caulk. All along the starboard side, fore to aft. I hate caulk!

Also while I was trying to pry off another one of the half rounds I managed to hit the side of my thumb with the hammer, joy. I have a nice big blood blister.

More bungs were made, lights were finished putting up, more paint applied. The usual work hard all day long. If Peter makes me caulk again tomorrow I think I'll have to scream, besides there is not much caulk left, wahaha!

Fiddle and Paint

This morning was very gross, grey, raining and not to mention the wind. We had to haul in the staging and ladder because they were banging against the hull. Up and overers were pretty rough, we didn’t have to climb if we didn’t want to but we all did, all that wind is good way to prepare us. I got half way to the cross trees and was wobbling all over the place and decided it wasn’t worth it, would have too hard of a time getting down.

Kat and I put chafe gear on some of the lines because they were slack with the southern wind pushing us against the dock.

We each had our own projects to work on today, all indoors. I got to work on the fiddle for the top of the refrigerator, at home I would normally pass this project onto my brother, but it was my task, so bring on the power tools! I got the old fiddle, traced it out, cut it, drilled some holes, smoothed it out… then had to some how attach it and shove it back in place. The piece that was to be shoved between the fridge and the cupboard above it was too thick, something had changed when we put the fridge back, so I had to plane it a little to make it fit. Used a rubber mallet to pound it back in place, screwed on the fiddle, shoved it in some more and screwed it in place. Finally I was done and it only took me most of the morning. If anyone breaks it they’ll have to incur my wrath because it took me awhile to get it done and I don’t normally make those kind of things. But I’m proud that I got it done.

During all this Brooke took apart, greased, and put back together some blocks. Ashley worked on painting the sole of forward crew. Katie was doing duty things and Kat was checking out gaskets and making new whippings for some of them.

After lunch I got to paint part of the galley, the area for guest mugs, behind and around the door leading down to forward crew and bosuns. At one point I used my foot to keep the door closed while I painted near the deck because the door wouldn’t stay closed.

Also since Joe installs lights for a living he put in another light in bosuns storage so we don't have to feel around in the dark and two in the engine room.

We also received a Christmas tree this morning from Ruth, an Australian pine; it looks like a sad Charlie Brown tree though. I also got a large box in the mail! It’s from the body shop so it looks like mom ordered me some things; I opened the box a little, but decided to save it for Christmas so I at least have something to open.

There was also a mishap, some water pip burst and water poured in all over Ashley’s fresh paint job. Ran to shut off the water, fixed it, but it happened again so hat to patch the patch. All is good now, just another thing of living on a ship, don’t want water pouring everywhere.

Today’s injuries only include a scrape on my thumb from a screw sticking out of the wall while I was sanding.

Fiddle.

Clean paint with a dirty door.

Kat making a whipping.

Whipping.

Needles.

Blocks.

Let there be light!