We’re really doing it! It’s finally here, the Atlantic Crossing!
Monday July 20th, At Sea
We finished cleaning up the ship and stowing for the voyage, cannons lashed down and everything put in its place. We have test for sea stowing. The tester grabs hold of the item and proceeds to do everything they can to move the item while shouting furiously “I am the sea!”. My cannon lashing passed.
We broke into out new watches and I am on A watch, the “Action” watch. In the event of some sort of incident I am one of the group to do something about the emergency. Caleb is the mate of our watch and Amber is the only other regular Bounty sailor in it, the rest of our watch consists of passengers. I felt very flattered that my abilities were rated high enough to deserve that ratio.
I got some dinner, Cookie’s peanut sauce chicken again. I believe I mentioned Cookie was going to leave us, but thankfully he did not and is sailing with us to Ireland. More Mexican food! I ate on deck and watched the starting of the tall ship race. It was so awesome seeing all those tallships lined up on the hazy horizon. Utterly Beautiful. So, off to sleep and next up is my 8-12 night watch.
Woke up for the watch and found a warm evening. Our friends on the schooners Roseway and Pride of Baltimore 2 were coming up on us a sunset and how absolutely beautiful it was! Open sea and we three sail within hailing distance of each other. As the sun began to set the 4 masted Russian ship Kruchenstern came by our rear starboard quarter.
The watch wore on and the breeze shifted a couple times and so we had to brace the yards around to catch the wind. Amelia noticed a sheet dragging in the water so I hauled it in and went off to do other things. Later, as we were cleaning up and coiling lines (coiling down) I was called over to check out the sheet which had picked up a bunch of phosphorescent plankton.
The line did not look real. Every time you moved it or shook the line it would sparkle a brilliant green, aided by the moonless night that had come on. I hate to use the word, but the whole thing was really quite magical. The stars came out in force that night as well. All the constellations and the milky way galaxy were visible. I didn’t keep my course very well while I was at the helm. I spent too much time watching the stars.
By the end of the watch I was feeling very chilled and when I got to my bunk and in my sleeping bag I felt hot. I realized then that I had chills followed by a fever and my face was hurting quite a bit. Another sinus infection… I spent most of the night rolling around with a fever.
Tuesday July 21st
Woke up for watch feeling sore all over, feverish, and like I had been punched in the face. My morning watch went by so slowly, it seemed to take forever. Several of the crew were concerned and kind to me. Christine and Frank offered to take my watch. On the up side while I was on bow watch I saw several pods of dolphins. The seas and winds are so calm its incredible, the water looks so still you could almost walk on it. We also had a Canadian Coast Guard Cutter drive out to us and ask permission via radio to take pictures, we were all amused.
Towards the end of the watch the overcast skies started to open up and rain on us a little, I zombied through the watch with my mind solely focused on the end of my day and sleep. Thankfully, I was allowed to sleep through work party during the afternoon.
I slept through dinner as well and was awoken for my evening watch. The wind had backed to just off of our nose and we had to strike all our sail. With one engine on we are still making about 4 knots. The starboard bilge pump (there is a port pump and 2 emergency pumps too) had been overhauled and when I showed passenger and watch mate Ed how to pump the bilges like we do at the end of every watch, it went so quickly and easily it brightened my day. I pushed through this watch as well and fell right asleep when it was over.
Wednesday July 22nd
Woke up for watch and my fever had gone down quite a bit, but I was aching all over. We got on watch and the wind at our nose had strengthened so we had to furl sail and brace the yards over to create less windage. In my condition it would not have been smart to go aloft and so I took the helm. As the watch wore on and the helm became difficult I felt worse and worse. The best part of the watch, however, was that with the rain and cold my hands felt oh so wonderful on my neck and forehead.
After an hour and a half Ed relieved me and I cast lines for the furlers and helped coil down. After that was all over I asked permission to go below and sleep. I woke up a couple hours later, hungry for lunch which I took as a good sign. The captain told me to go rest and skip capstan, I would be the “man overboard” for the man overboard drill. So I went below and slept even longer.
About dinner time I heard the call of “all hands to make sail”. I was feeling a bit better, no fever, less aching, and so I went on the tween deck to put on my rig. The captain walked by and told me to go below and rest, I was worth more to him healthy. So I had dinner and went back below to sleep until my next watch. Surely I have been feeling miserable, but it could be a lot worse, and I have antibiotics ready if I get worse. Most of all, I am grateful that if I had to get sick, it is happening now when things are calm and I am not urgently needed. Also, better now than in Ireland.
I was awake when 7:20, my wake up time rolled around, and no one came to wake me up. So I put on my foul weather gear and began putting on my harness and rig belt, assuming C watch had forgotten to wake us again. Cassie on C watch came by and told me the captain told her not to wake me, that I was to sleep during watch. I began to protest that I could still stand watch, but she would have none of it. I was shoed back to my bunk and I slept clean through the night.
Thursday July 23rd,
I was awoken for my watch and felt so much better than the previous day. I am now capable of abstract thought again! My wake up told me that the sun had come out and the weather was nice. Alas, when I came on deck the sun had been swallowed up and a fog bank was blowing down upon us. So, for the first half of watch we had to listen to that damnable fog horn whose tone and volume could kindly be described as abrasive.
Halfway into the watch the fog blew past us, the breeze picked up and we braced around on a sharp port tack. The ship heeled over nicely and we began to plow along at 5-6 knots. On my bow watch I spotted some dolphins and they changed course, making a b-line to come play on our bow. I heard them called Atlantic White-sided Dolphins, beautiful and playful creatures. Twice on my bow watch they came to play, in groups of 10-15 and never less than 15 minutes. I could hear them click and squeak as they jumped and sped around. They were absolutely captivating.
At the end of our watch as I was walking down below I spotted blue sky, the first I had seen since we left Halifax. We are now heading East and with Newfoundland somewhere off to our port side. Lunch was good and we had brownies and chocolate cupcakes in honor of Sarah’s Birthday.
I came on deck for the afternoon capstan meeting and saw we were furling sails. I was feeling good and so I threw on my harness 
and rig. It wasn’t until I was out on the fore topsail yard that I glanced behind me and saw the main topgallant yard “split in half like a breadstick” as the Nell next to me said. The sail draped down the mast and the yardarms shot back like wings.
The wind didn’t feel strong enough to do that kind of damage to me, even with its current position on our nose (why we were striking sail). With a feeling of urgency that probably was not warranted, we got all the sails furled. The topgallant sail was brought to deck and the yard secured to the mast to be lowered in the morning. No one is yet sure why the yard broke. After all was furled and coiled down I went below to sleep another afternoon away.
I was out like a light yet again and awoken for dinner at about 5:30. I felt even better than before and damn chipper about it. After dinner I watched the captain play Dan the Bosun and Mitch the carpenter simultaneously in chess and utterly slaughter them both; and of course with much playful trash talking. I was very amused, as were several other members of the crew who were watching the show.
Evening watch was quite nice, the sky cleared some and we got to see part of the sunset. Our whole watch was in a very cheerful mood and we had a great time despite the cold conditions. I brought out my fleece face mask and my full cold weather regalia. We saw a few more dolphins and enjoyed a lot of satellites coming into view as the stars began to appear.
I spent my idle positions re-sewing the buttons on my new greatcoat, they were stitched on with only a few threads. So I have a new project for the next several days. I am really enjoying my new watch, all positive people willing to have a good time while they work.
Friday July 24th
Woke for watch and breakfast, but headed straight for the shower. I was aware that today is not my designated day to shower, but after several nights and days of fever and chills I was beginning to smell a bit ripe. Now, being cognizant enough to care how I smelled, I took a shower and felt clean on top of fairly healthy.
Ate some breakfast and went onto watch. We are simply motoring into the wind at about 2 knots and heading a bit south of east. Newfoundland is still to our North. I did a navigation plot, stood bow watch, did some chores on my idle position, and ended with a boat check and pumped the bilges. At the end of our watch we saw a tanker come nearby and in the last few minutes I saw a whale surface and give us his tail within a hundred yards of the starboard bow. A quick and painless watch with everyone in a playful mood, I had a great time.
As I was getting ready to get on deck for the capstan meeting the general alarm went off and I shot out of my cabin. As I got to the doghouse I heard the call for “Abandon Ship” and so I realized it was another drill. I helped toss out the survival suits and got my own on.
After the drill, for work party I was sent up the mizzen mast to patch serve (we use wires for our stay and footropes and such, so to keep them from corroding in the sea air they are first greased, then covered, or wormed, with a cloth-like strip round and round. Next another coat of grease and over this a fairly thick twine called marlin is wound around it tightly. Finally the whole thing is tarred. So, to patch serve is to patch and repair the broken or stripped areas of marlin). 
The job was not very entertaining, but we kept attracting dolphins and they were wonderful to watch from aloft. They would zip around and change directions, burst out of the water and play with each other. There were several very young dolphins (does calf apply here?) with their mother and I especially enjoyed their awkward attempts at play beside their parent.
When work party was over I went straight to sleep until dinner and napped a bit after dinner. My evening watch was pretty damn cold with the breeze in our teeth. I was bundled up and when I was below I worked more on the buttons on my coat. Watch went by pretty uneventfully.
Saturday July 25th
Morning watch. Came on deck to much of the same conditions as yesterday. The wind had veered a bit more south and so at 10am we went aloft and unfurled the topsails on the main and fore masts, sheeted home, hoisted the halyards, and braced sharp on a starboard tack. If the GPS is right, despite the North in our East we should still clear Newfoundland. Captain thinks the breeze will 
come around to the West tomorrow. We were called to set the inner jib or “jib of jibs” as some call it. I jumped up on the bow sprit and ungasketed the jib. While I was out there alone I remarked to myself that this was probably the first time I had set a bunch of sail on the ship and not been at least a little unsure or forgotten some detail of the process. That felt pretty good.
The main royal yard was getting taken down during my watch so I helped here and there with that. Since the main topgallant yard is down and a spiderband needs to be replaced I guess we’re just going to drop the main royal and get the job done while we are at sea. It served as pretty good entertainment during the watch. With that and the sails being set time flew by. The engines are off and we are cruising nicely at 4-5 knots.
Slept until dinner and then tried to go back to sleep after, but ended up listening to music until my watch. The wind had veered more and strengthened quite a bit, with gusts reaching 25+ and sideways stinging rain. The engines were killed while I was at the helm and we were screaming along like an 18th century freight train at 7.5 knots. Thankfully it was not too cold, just very windy. We set the spanker sail to balance the ship out and she steered like a dove, gently following the guide of the rudder. I had a blast on helm.
On bow watch it was so dark I could barely make out the horizon and every couple of minutes the waves would hit the bow just right and a tower of white water would explode and shower the bow. I found it more exhilarating than irritating. We moved from our home made chart onto the corner of our chart of Newfoundland and saw we were sailing onto Grand Banks, which I thought was pretty cool. I had my full foulies on, facemask and hood drawn tight around my head and I was having a grand old time.
That being said I was wet and tired when I was relieved and happy to go off to sleep. Tomorrow is an actual Sunday as well as a sailing “Sunday” which means no work party and a dogging (changing) of the watches. Yes!
Sunday July 26th
Woken at 7am for watch again. Foggy with the breeze fairly light, but we are still going in the right direction. The watch went by quickly and without much interesting. We started to see some of the sunrise, the fog started to thin and I saw some sky. I jumped 
aloft to see if I could get above the fog, but it thickened before I got there. Caleb let me go up but then told me once I was up to unfurl the royal and topgallant. Trickery! I took this photo just below the royal with the fog behind me and my optimistic sunglasses on. After watch I ate lunch and then I had until 6pm to myself. We moved the clocks an hour forward which we will do every Sunday until we are on Ireland time.
I spent my leisurely afternoon finishing a movie I had begun watching, reading and listening to music. I however, spent the lion’s share of my free time sleeping. You can never get enough sleep sailing on a tallship. Frank and Christine were giving dance lessons to young Mitch; Gabe and Nelly had a dress-up-off, she in a cowgirl getup and he as a samurai. So Sunday hat the atmosphere of a holiday. This was cemented by Frank and Christine making ham and scalloped potatoes, a meal I had requested when I got on board. The meal was delicious and reminded me of home.
We stood a two hour watch from 6-8pm and slept until our new 4-8 am and pm watch.
Monday July 27th
When I was awoken the fog horn was still sounding and I put on my clothes expecting everything to be wet. I was not disappointed. Pretty much as soon as we got on watch we struck our sails. We had been motorsailing during the night and the wind had slacked so much that the act of motoring was backing our sails. Towards the end of the watch we came out of the fog and saw the horizon. During the act of striking sail. A poorly secured sheet block for the topgallant sail that is currently on deck broke free. I had to climb aloft, find it, untangle it from the rig, get it back where it ought to be, and secure it. It took me the better part of an hour in the rig, but I got it done.
Once watch was over I went straight to sleep and had a great nap. Cookie made a wonderful lunch which I woke on my own for, which was a nice change. Work party was rough, I got sent to Bosun’s storage to organize a bit, which was fun, but Happy Chris and I had to stow a 3/4 inch cable from its natural five foot coil to a 1.5 thick reel. Of course it naturally did not want to do this. It took over an hour and we were scratched up and pouring sweat by the time it was done. I was muttering my full vocabulary and Chris looked like he might pop. In the end we got it done and over with.
Evening watch went by quickly as we spent most of the watch getting dinner eaten, sweeping and mopping, and doing dinner dishes. We were very busy. We were also on deck helping take down the main topgallant mast to get some repairs done, all of this spurred on because of the broken yard. Sveta dropped a big mallet from the main crosstrees which hit the thankfully empty deck below with a rending crack. Everyone gave her a hard time for the rest of the night and expects beer from her, as is our law.
After watch I went to my bunk and just relaxed for a few minutes before going to sleep. I was tired and in somewhat of a grouchy mood, not being adjusted to my new watch times, tired as hell, and still not feeling completely myself from the sinus infection.
Tuesday July 28th
Two months sailing aboard Bounty! Two months never seems like a long time when I tell people, but believe me working, living, eating, sleeping, on the ship you are never really off the clock. Two months is virtually a lifetime, but a good one. I woke up in a good mood and volunteered to take bow watch, which nobody on my watch wanted given that this morning was one of our coldest yet.
My face felt so cold and I think the birds were affected as well since I was hit by one standing on the bow. I had so many layers on I didn’t really feel it, but I heard it hit my jacket and looked down to see it flutter about the deck and fly away. I just laughed at the situation. I think it was one of the large black swallow like birds we have been seeing flying around.
During the night a watch had put up topsails and the fore course. I saw the main topsail was not set right, so we fixed it and set the fore topgallant and royal as well as the main course. We are heading a bit north of East, but mostly in the right direction, and motorsailing at 5.5 knots. We better get some good sailing weather soon or we won’t make it to Ireland on time. We washed the deck and I helped Arlene pump the bilges after the watch was over since she forgot how to do it and that she was supposed to.
I went straight to sleep and had a great dream that I owned a big historic, Victorian bar. It was strange but I woke up in a good mood again. Cookie was spot on with lunch: gnocci, salad, tomato soup, and a nicely spiced and grilled sandwich with ham.
We met for capstan and since it was coldly raining in a generally miserable way on deck we met on the ‘tween deck for a sailing theory lesson from the captain. He talked about center of effort for a ship, tacking, center of lateral resistance, and such. For work party Ed and I washed a bunch of stuff under and the whaler itself, not done well enough previously. Apparently we are expecting some decent swell and weather in the future.
Once that was done we went on watch which went by very quickly in a flurry of chores. Mike’s birthday was today and so some of the crew made him brownies with icing in the shape of an iceberg (Mike really wants to see an iceberg). The rain continued and abated and continued and once I saw a slight pattern in the clouds instead of the gray hue we have been living in. At the end of watch I went to sleep fairly quickly.
Wednesday July 29th
I was awoken for watch and apparently on the wrong side of the bed. I was extremely tired and as grouchy as I can be. We braced the ship square to sail with the wind behind us. Struck the fore staysail, inner jib, and spanker. After all that activity I wondered at my being so grouchy and tired. I figured on the lack of sun for the last week and more being one of the main culprits, so I took a B12 vitamin. Sure enough an hour or so later I was back to my chipper self.
I also decided that I should try to sleep less. Surely I could use the sleep, I’m definitely tired enough, but sleeping all the time when I am not working makes life a little rough. I need to spend more time awake and doing something for myself.
This is an interesting way of living. I think it has changed my perspective on work hours. I wish I worked 8 hours a day and oh lord what I wouldn’t give for 2 days off a week! All these things I say could be seen negatively, but what is not conveyed in this writing is the smile and chuckle I say all this with. Despite being tired, sore, and a little cabin fever there is nowhere else I would rather be than on this ship.
Amber and I climbed aloft and I unfurled the fore royal in the second hour of watch. When I got to the royal, the ratlines (ratboards at this point) end several feet before the footropes. So we have a couple of lines spliced up there to use as hand holds and to clip in to. I grabbed on to those and like sponges they sent all the water they had soaked up down my sleeves. The braces turned out to be fairly loose. So once the sail was only partly unfurled and catching breeze I had myself one hell of a bucking bronco in that yard. Back in my good mood I just laughed and gave a few good “yeeehaws” and made my way down once the sail was done.
We messed with sails a bit more and did a deck wash. The wash was pretty funny; because we are heading down wind the ship likes to roll from side to side in a falling leaf motion, so the water never had time to go down the drains in the scuppers. The water would just wash to one side and before it quite got there would wash back to the other. I was temped to start a splash fight with my fellow deck swabbers, but then I remembered we are theoretically watching out for icebergs and decided against it.
After my watch I took a shower and man, did that feel good. Hot water felt so good; and now I decidedly smell a lot less. Had lunch and started work party. Amelia and I stowed some wood and spent over an hour replacing a fire extinguisher bracket with stripped screws. The more we tried to remove the stripped screws the more rust and paint came off the bracket revealing it to be not worth saving. Eventually, against all the mates’ inclinations that it should be saved and repaired, I convinced them that in fact there was no saving it without basically welding up a new one. So, we just tore it out and overboard that rusty hunk went.
The fog really closed in during our evening watch. We had about 200 ft visibility and the fog horn was blasting the entire time. On bow watch we had dolphins on and off the bow the entire time. 
There was even one with a scar on his back that circled the boat during my entire time on the bow, I don’t think anyone can tire of dolphins playing with the boat. Even if you’re not watching them, seeing them jump out of the corner of your eye is both pleasing and somehow comforting.
Thursday July 30th
I was promised clear skies when I was awoken for watch. I got very excited, I even made sure to get my camera on me. Alas, when I came on deck it was cloudy and a couple fuzzy stars could be seen through the cloud cover. We adjusted sails, set the jib and spanker. As the sky started to lighten up we could see patches of clouds and a few storms in the distance. The wind was not acting as it should according to the forecasts and so the storm cells to windward of our ship, bothered us.
We tried to brace the fore topgallant yard square to the ship so we could strike and furl it, but the brace was caught somewhere up in the mainmast. I went aloft and tracked down the point where it was trapped and after some issues got it freed and laid below. We clewed up the fore topgallant, so Amber and I went aloft to furl it. None of the passengers on our watch would go aloft in the wind, rain, and swell we were in so it was just the two of us.
We climbed up, the ship swaying back and forth, hopping up and down the swell. We got on the windward side of the yard and slowly worked our way across and got it furled fairly nicely. The sail luffing loudly, trying to blow free and the ship pitching the whole time. As we were finishing up we noticed that the fore topgallant yard was being lowered and sail clewed up. As I got down to the tops I shouted below and asked if we were furling the topsail. We were.
Still the rest of our watch would not come aloft, so out on the yard Amber and I went. 2 sailors to do what is normally done with six men. The only reason to furl the topsail is in preparation for some real inclement weather, so we jumped to it knowing it would take us a while. The rain had started again while we were laying out on the yard, though mercifully we had weaved our way between the really heavy patches of rain.
We threw ourselves into it and did a respectable job on the windward side of the yard. Once we were on the leeward side of the yard, we had a hell of a time, The wind was catching patches of sail and blowing it out of our hands and the whole sail had twisted so that it could not be stretched out properly. Nor could this situation be remedied by the two of us. I should also mention that when the forces were right the entire yard on which we were standing on was hopping at least a foot up and down in its yoke. At one point of physical and mental frustration and anguish I heaved the sail and roared with fury. In any other situation I would have felt silly acting like that, but with intensity of the weather, the ache of my muscles, and the meager force we were for a tough job, I felt damn primal.
It was about at this point that the sun broke through the clouds and I felt the first full blown sun rays since Halifax. Damn did that feel good. All the frustration and anger I felt at the overwhelming task to which I was set sloughed off and threw myself into my work with renewed vigor. The leeward side of that yard was by no means pretty, but it was furled, and securely.
As we laid below I took a moment to take a few photos from the tops. Sun! Once I got on deck and the adrenaline became to ebb I 
felt an ache in my shoulder. The ache continued to grow and when I got a chance I went below and checked it out. I had a nice red mark across the back and side of my right shoulder and a small cut had opened up. Considering the layer of clothing I had on while aloft, I must have hit, whatever it was I hit, with a decent amount of force to break skin. I talked to Caleb and he said we struck and furled the topsail because he suspected that the strange weather may have been a squall. Thankfully he was wrong, but I was happy to have done the work once I new the reason for it.
The rest of my watch volunteered to do the deck wash since Amber and I furled. There was a lovely rainbow to view during deckwash. 
I went below and iced down my shoulder so it wouldn’t be a problem in the future. We had waffles for breakfast, which I was oh so thankful for. I had a bunch of breakfast and went back for seconds. I had worked up quite an appetite. I iced down my shoulder again after breakfast and went down to my bunk to write this up. I promptly then went to sleep.
Consumed lunch. For work party Amelia and I parcel and served 
some of the lines for the downed topgallant. On watch we all enjoyed the sun. Chores again made the evening go by quickly. Amelia took the helm and promptly luffed up and backed the ship. We were steadfastly in irons and had to use the engine to ware 
ship to get back on course. I had never seen anyone completely back the sails until today and apparently Chris did it this morning, that’s twice in one day! Thankfully with the engines it is an easy thing to rectify, but we all give them a hard time about it. The wind has died down a bit, but the swell has grown above 10 feet and we are rockin’ and rollin’ pretty nicely.
Captain notified us that we have a “massive electronic failure”, again. This is his code for turning off the gps and making us navigate the old ways. We all agree that it is good to know the “old school” navigation techniques, but that doesn’t stop it from being a pain in the neck on a day to day basis.
Also, we are now officially low on water. We are not allowed to take showers and everyone is working on conserving water. We still have the water maker running, but it will take a while before we are full enough to take off the water restrictions. I am now very happy I showered the other day.
After my watch I hung out on deck with some of B watch.
We watched the sun set, which, although not really anything special, was the first sunset we’ve seen in a long time. So, we all enjoyed it. I hear we’re supposed to have good weather again tomorrow, I sure hope so. I enjoyed wearing sunglasses today.
Friday July 31st
Awoken for watch. Not so cold today. Came on deck to all the sails struck and the engines on with a glassy sea, but still some decent swell. I took helm for the first rotation of watch. Slowly, the sky began to lighten up and everything faded into color. We have puffy cumulus clouds (a sign of good weather), but some interesting things I could not understand going on way up in the stratosphere. The sunrise had a very vibrant red and, despite the helm being squirrely, I enjoyed my first rotation.
We threw a dutchman to divine our speed, I believe I described it earlier when did it on the back from Bermuda. Anyway, we throw something in the water and time how long it takes to go from one point to another, thereby learning our speed. Easier than heaving the log. Under motor we were doing 2.25 knots. I just keep reminding myself we will get to Ireland when we get there.
We did a deckwash and I asked Caleb remind people during the capstan meeting that they need to clean up after their projects on deck. Piles of woodchips and a rolling ship means we just spread a lot of the woodchips around. We will have a chance to wash the deck again tomorrow, and the day after that.
Some dolphins came on the bow and as we were watching them I felt the breeze begin to come up behind us and a bit to starboard. I said aloud I thought we will be setting some sail soon. Not a minute later Caleb came up and this we did. We set the main topsail & course, fore course & topsail & topgallant. It was a whole mess of work and my shoulder is still bothering me, but I was very glad to be under sail again. The breeze grew and we were motor sailing when we gave up the deck.
I really like the everyone on my watch. Everyone is pretty good natured and we have a good time. We have a daily controversial topic introduced by our resident Oaklahoman republican. We have covered firearms, people’s political inclinations, and today was gay marriage. Our discussions take the form of a debate, but with a good natured half seriousness. They’re a fun distraction. I got off watch, wolfed down breakfast, and went to sleep.
Woke for lunch, some delicious lasagna leftovers. Work party was totally devoted to swaying up the main topmast. Amber and I ran the forstays and hooked them up. I was on the capstan for the 
rest of work party, hauling up the mast, easing, and hauling some more. Round and round the capstan, click click click went the pawls as it went up. Our watch took the deck late as the project was of course running late. I took the helm for two hours and then helped out with the project more.
We set some sail and struck the fore topgallant which I cleared some tangles on and helped furl. Then we furled the main course and when I came down on deck I heard the ominous phrase from Dan the Bosun: “Hey Grant, can you do me a favor?” So up I went to the crosstrees of the foremast with a crowbar to loosen and tension the main royal forestay.
I loosened it a bit, a real pain in the neck in a heavy pitching sea and the breeze that had been building all afternoon was now well over 20 knots. On the upside we were screaming along at over 9 knots. So I was clipped in at the crosstrees in a heavy see, both hands simultaneously at work as well as holding me in place. The wind was howling so loudly up there I had to have Dan repeat what he was trying to tell me at least 5 times before I understood it.
He told me to stand by. So I sat and stood in the crosstrees, the breeze howling and blowing through my layers. I was so cold! I had to tuck my pants into my socks to keep them from inflating from the roaring wind. The sky had darkened and clouds covered most it as the sun began to set. Still I sat and worked in the crosstrees as the moon brightened.
Weeks ago Sarah had given me a little M&M packet, I believe she was passing them out for her birthday. I kept it in the chest pocket of my fleece for a dark night when I needed something to brighten me up. This was just the occasion. So up in the rig near 100ft off the ocean, swaying I don’t know how many feet back and forth as the ship rolled in the growing swell, I was eating M&M’s and laughing with joy at the beautiful seas around me as well as the ridiculousness of eating candy aloft.
Eventually the mast was fully swung up, I finished off tensioning the stay and laid below. I was complimented for my work and went below to put on some warm dry clothes. Shortly thereafter we were relieved over an hour later than normal, which was fine, we were all happy to pitch in on the work. I went to sleep, but didn’t sleep too well thanks to the growing swell tossing me around in my bunk.
Saturday August 1st
I woke up shortly before my wakeups and so I just got ready and awake. Despite poor sleep I felt very good and quite chipper. We came on deck to find out during the night the starboard main topsail sheet had parted and had to be furled. That must have been a hell of a mess, the sail flogging like thunder and as much incredible power. They got the sail furled and the inner jib is said to have ripped in half, though Caleb and I pulled the parted halyard from over the side, so we will have to see what really happened.
The breeze was in the upper 20’s and slackening during our watch to the low 20’s. The swell was short period and often doubled up 
to rise 8 feet above the deck to our stern. I think the deck is 15 feet from the waterline and the swell was 8ft above that when we were in a deep trough, so the swell was in the low 20’s. I believe it too, several times the swell would crash upon itself and into our side sending a nice wave over the midships. I would just turn my back to it and let my foul weather gear protect me, but Caleb was wearing sneakers and would run in a very unmanly fashion and try to hide to keep dry.
After bow watch I spent my idle slot on the helm with Arlene to help her steer and make sure we didn’t back sails, which would have opened up hell upon the ship in this weather. With only the fore course and topsail with a few staysails we are still making between 7-9 knots. Walking around the lower decks was of course fun and I spent a good 
deal of time restowing and making sure things were lashed down tight. When our watch was over Frank and Christine had eggs, bacon, potatoes, and fresh biscuits made for breakfast. Man were we all grateful for a hearty breakfast after the last 24 hours. Off I went to sleep.
Came on deck after lunch to find the wind and sail reduced drastically. For work party I helped out with swaying up the mast and then was sent on he new mast’s forestays again. I was up in the crosstrees again through the end of work party and into my watch. When the job was done my arms ached and I went immediately to work on my watch doing boatchecks and then working on dinner dishes. Ed, in his extreme kindness, switched positions with me so I got bow watch and finished on helm, not having to do any more dishes.
The wind is now pretty weak and we are motorsailing. The weather is foggy and misty again, but I hear there is hope for sun tomorrow. After watch I went to the galley and made a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches since I was still hungry even after dinner. The captain came in and told us that he believes the unknown sailing vessel 45 miles to our southwest is Europa. So, there is a chance we may converge paths before Belfast. I really hope we do, it would be wonderful to see our fellow sailors.
Tomorrow is an actual Sunday as well as a Sea Sunday. The crew is bushed after the last couple days and everyone is ready for some rest. I plan on just chilling out and doing some repair on my foul weather gear. Off to bed.
Sunday August 2nd
Fog. The breeze is still low and we are still motorsailing. Caleb thinks we will get 20-25 knots by late this afternoon and for several days, which would be awesome. The dolphins today were especially energetic charging through the water and leaping well clear of the surface. Ever since our first full day of transit I have seen dolphins at least once a day. I think that is just absolutely incredible, dolphins and birds just seem to abound out here. Watch went by quickly, we messed with some rig oddities and braced the ship around.
When B watch came on deck Caleb and Rebecca played Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” and brought out chocolate to celebrate our half way point across the Atlantic. I think we are past half 
way, but that is beside the point. Caleb and some of us who knew the lyrics sang along, poorly. Everyone, however, joined in on the “wooah wooah we’re half way there” chorus. After the song ended we all went back to our normal routine. The whole thing was hilarious I think mostly because it was only mildly amusing.
After watch and breakfast I went to my bunk and slept until lunch time. After lunch I did a little reading, listened to some music, and did a little repair sewing on my foul weather gear. This turned out to be a good call since it was pouring rain when I came on deck at 3:45. Sunday dog watch is only 2 hours so it went by quick in chores and dinner, which was fantastic roast and mashed potatoes. Mmmm beef. Also a lovely cake for dessert.
After I got off watch I did a bit of reading and tried my best to 
sleep. The increasing winds and swell meant sliding around the bunk and my cabin creaking like someone eternally crunching a beer can. So I slept for a couple hours and still an hour and a half before my watch I couldn’t go back to sleep. I checked our speed 7.4 knots and I didn’t hear the engines on. Caleb’s forecast is coming through, good breeze! Rolling 
around in my bunk on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic on a decent wind and sea, I watched the fantastic surf film “Endless Summer” (thanks Blake).
My new watch is the 12-4 which means 12-4am and pm as well as an 8am wake up for a morning work party. The sleep schedule is a little rough for this watch, trying to go to sleep at 6pm and all, but it has a shorter work party and very few chores. The idle positions on our watch will actually be idle!
So today is 14 days at sea. The same amount of time it takes to get from California to Hawaii. Something has set a lot of the crew thinking of life after our contracts are up. Several people have been asking me what I am doing when my contract is up in November. I haven’t really been thinking that far ahead, nor am I worried about it. Something will crop up. I hear Bounty might be sailing a tallships festival in the Great Lakes next season, if so I don’t think I will stick around for another season. The lakes are not so high on my list of places I want to sail.
I think, unless I find an opportunity that I have to take immediately after Bounty, I will take the winter season to get possibly both my Able Seamen certification as well as my Six Pack Captains license. With those two licenses I would be pretty well set for whatever I wanted to do. I’m not yet sure where I will end up after Bounty, but I hope it is warm and somewhere I have never been. All of this talk aside I have much to think about and look forward before the end of November. Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, and who knows what else! Let the good times roll on!
Monday August 3rd
Woke up for my new 12-4 watch and came on deck to a heavy breeze and sails in a storm configuration. The fore topsail had been furled during the previous watch, but the furl was beginning to be blown loose. So, aloft Amber and I went to get it straightened out. I was the first one aloft and on the yard. The part of the sail that had been loosed was flogging all over the place and I got a good whack across the face from flailing reef points before I got the sail under control. We straightened the sail out and redid a few gaskets to make sure the sail would stay furled this time.
When I came back on deck I went to clean my glasses and found, to my dismay, that my right glasses lens was missing. The reef point had knocked it out. Thankfully I was wearing my back up pair of glasses and so I still have my regular ones, but most of all I am thankful that the damage was done to my glasses and not my eye. The rest of the watch went pretty well with the breeze roaring and us scooting along at 8-9 knots.
After watch I went to a troubled sleep with the ship rolling heavily and cabin creaking loudly. Around 7am in my sleep I felt the ship give a big roll and I grabbed on to my bunk so as to not be thrown through my lee cloth. I heard a rush of water and was showered by a spray of bilge water that had shot up the sides of the ship. I did my best to stem the flow and keep important items from getting wet. Thankfully the bunk I chose had previously been well waterproofed and only a small amount of the wave made it through. The bunk above mine got hit worse, which astounded many of the older hands.
I figured that the big roll had done damage elsewhere, so I got dressed. The lower bunk in the cabin across the hall was completely soaked and items all over the ship had broken loose. I helped get items in the ‘tween deck restowed stronger. I came on deck to see how the on watch had handled the roll, which turned out to be very well. When I was on deck however a passenger pointed out the fore course to me and I told him to inform the mate.
The fore course sometime during the tumultuous night had broken free of an earing lashing as well as nearly all of its robands (which connect the sail to the yard) and giving itself a nice tear down the center. I went below for breakfast, guessing what lay in store for me during work party. In the galley I learned that a pipe fitting had broken during the night an we had lost nearly all the water in one of our tanks. So much for my hopes of taking a shower any time soon.
After breakfast, among other tasks. I spent my work party aloft on the fore course yard tying new robands. The captain said he had never heard of a sail breaking a roband, let alone nearly all of them. The breeze is still very strong and the yard was rolling heavily back and forth as we rolled in the swell almost right behind us. At times I must have been moving 15 feet back and forth while tying on the robands.
I ate lunch gratefully and our watch took the deck. I took an idle position and went aloft to finish the robands. We got them all done and went to the capstan meeting. The captain lectured us all on proper sea stowing and said that the roll we had during the morning was nothing and we should be prepared for much worse. I got singled out and lectured for trapping a sheet in my gasket when furling the sail. I felt it unjust to single me out, though I admit the mistake, several others did the same while I was the only one mentioned.
We went to work doing watch duties and spent a good chunk of time cleaning the galley since dishes were delayed from breakfast due to the water fiasco. We are now really conserving water and using sea water to flush the heads and do dishes. I don’t think anyone is sleeping very well and everyone is getting worn down including myself. I hope to sleep very well and get rested tonight.
We set the fore and main courses and the breeze continued on strongly 20-25 knots slightly off on our port quarter. With courses, topsails, and staysails up we broke well into 11 knots. It is as of yet undecided whether we will sail straight to the North side of Ireland, or if we will go around the Southern tip and up through the Irish Sea. The weather will determine it for us.
After watch and dinner I slept for a few hours, but with the ship rolling so heavily it was light sleep. I woke a couple of hours before my watch and listened to some music.
Tuesday August 4th
Came on deck to more of the same conditions, heavy breeze and heavy swell, with our speed still averaging 8-9 knots peaking at 11. No one really wanted helm since she is steering heavy and yawing wildly, so I took it for the fist stretch. There were two C watch members at the helm and I was told I would need a second. I got our course, East Notheast, same as it has been for several days. I took the helm and went to work.
I found weather helm to be no worse than the last couple days and muscled her myself. I will admit it was ego boost to take the helm by myself from two people and steer her well. I used some lessons I had learned steering small boats in swell and got the old girl to surf down some swell. I would muscle her into it and feel the sudden rush of speed and strength as she powered down the wave. My arms ached a lot by the time I was done, but I had a blast.
Shortly after I left the helm Caleb decided to clew up the main course. This we did to find that a buntline came loose. I led it aloft and Amber and I got it repaired. About then we noticed the fore topsail brace was loose, so we tightened it up. Not a minute later it was loose again and we realized something was wrong, it turns out we had lost the block for our brace and had no purchase on the port side, so we could not brace the yard anywhere securely except sharp on a port tack. We tried to drop the sail and clew up, but a buntline broke loose and the clew got tangled on the yard. Dan had been awoken and he went aloft to clear the tangle. I was sent to the helm to make sure we stayed on course so the sail didn’t luff Dan off the yard.
We eventually got it as struck as we could and waited for a half hour. We woke B watch early to help us furl the sail. I felt bad waking them early telling them more things were broken, we had to go aloft to furl in this messy weather, and to top it off the rain had just begun to come down heavily. Once they were all on deck and ready we talked about our game plan and went aloft.
The ship was rolling heavily as I climbed the windward shrouds. Once I got up to the top I went to the leeward side of the yard and found it fast against the shrouds and starboard backstays. This meant some of our gear was trapped including the backrope we clip in to. It was a harrowing climb out on the yard getting through gear and around stays. I made it out to the end of the yard and began to furl. The ship rolled heavily several times and I could see the white foam spreading out below.
As we furled we found a gasket had come uncoiled and had spread around getting tangled in everything. I had to climb out to the end of the yard on the flemish horse and untangle/tie the fouled gasket. I had little grip and with the rolling and wet everything I nearly lost my footing several times, but as the saying goes, it would be foolish to let go. That would be hands down the most scared I have ever been in the rig. Now, mind you I was always clipped in when I wasn’t moving. Still, my heart was beating fast. We got everything straightened out and the sail secured.
We finally got below and my watch got relieved. I went straight to my damp bunk and slept like a log until 8am . I woke up on my own and went up to the navigation shack to find out what was going on. We had much the same conditions and Adam said he heard the captain might declare a Sunday. I headed to the galley for breakfast where I found Cookie had made cinnamon buns, which were simply amazing. Adam came in and confirmed today was indeed a Sunday which meant no work party. We were all very grateful, exhausted from the rough weather and all the breakage we’ve been having lately (which is quite common, ships like this are always having things break and get repaired, there is simply so much to them this is what happens).
I rested for a few hours and moved all my stuff out of storage to keep it dry. I also strategically nailed a trash bag to try to keep the bilge water from running down into my bunk from the bunk above mine where it was impossibly splashing. This did alright and I got out of my bunk to find the soul awash and my sandals floating around.
I went up to the galley for my watch’s lunch, but was caught by Caleb saying we were striking and furlin sails. The main topsail was beginning to split and the weather was strengthening, so it was being struck. I came on deck in time to ease the sheets, haul the clews and buntlines. Aloft we all went on the topsail yard, sail flogging like thunder, and got it furled quickly with more people than was necessary. While we were on the yard we had a couple good rolls, one of which buried our lee rail, which meant over a 30 degree roll.
Once that yard was secure we laid down to the main course yard and got the sail furled. All the while the wind was howling and no one was sure whether it was raining or it was spray being lifted from the crest of waves. While on the shrouds we got some gusts well into 30 knots and I felt myself pressed into the rig, air forced into my lungs. I had read about conditions like this, but this is the first time I have experienced them. I’m ready for Ireland.
We now sailed 8-9 knots under just our forecourse alone. Our watch took the deck and we now definitely need two people at the helm. Chris and I took the first trick and man was that a ride. She would yaw over a point (a lot) when big swell hit. A couple times the swell would be big enough and from the right angle that it would lift up the ship and send her down a wave at near a 45 degree angle, the stern quarter of the ship creating its own wave that during the roll would come up the deck. I was very ready for watch to be over.
We saw a little bird flying against the wind and staying parallel to us sailing with it. The poor thing was having a rough time and eventually it landed on the ship and huddled down in the lee of a big shackle. It ruffled its feathers and looked utterly terrible. Definitely not a sea bird in a rough sea.
After watch and dinner I slept poorly for a few hours and repaired my knife sheath which was coming apart. At about 10pm, just over an hour before I needed to wake up, I was again awoken by bilge water during another big roll. I had enough and I cleared my stuff out of the storage bunk and moved my sleeping bag over. I’m not sure why my roommate Jesse (who has previously moved to the great cabin because of the waterfall in his bunk) did not take it and I am also not sure if I am allowed to, but at this point I don’t really care.
During my time up I talked to the watch on duty and found out it has been decided to sail for the South of Ireland and around through the Irish Sea. I hear we could see Ireland in two days. This is A-OK with me since once we get to the Eastern side of Ireland we will be protected from this swell.
I am still having a good time, but I am getting more tired each day with poor sleep and small cuts and bruises adding up. I am faring better than others, however, and still appreciating the incredible experience this is. This may be one of the most trying things I have ever done. Time for my next watch.
Wednesday August 5th
The breeze is still howling and we are sailing under just the forecourse. I am on helm again and two people are definitely needed. The swell is a little smaller than it has been, but its still tossing us around and we are still doing 7-8 knots under the one sail. A jackline had been rigged by the previous watch, which was not really necessary, but still comforting.
The watch went by fairly quickly. I was on the helm with Chris for two hours total and we were a damn good team on it by now. We altered course a bit more south to make the southern tip of Ireland and also because things have died down enough that we can keep that course. Thank all the gods this blow we’ve had has been pushing us in exactly the right direction!
I slept like a log after watch in my new dry bunk and woke up on my at 8:20. I went to breakfast and to find out why no one had woken me up. Found crepes and yet another Sunday! I am very grateful the captain is paying attention to how tired we all are. I enjoyed breakfast and after very little inner debate I slept until lunch. Man did that extra sleep feel good!
I had a good lunch and came on deck to still heavy but much abated conditions. The sun was out, the heads were back in working order, the conditions were called “nice out” and I felt back on top of the world. We all laughed at how we now considered 15-20 knots and 10ft seas a calm day. I took the first trick at the helm again and she is now steering as sweetly as a 
dove. We went through watch rotations and Caleb gave me a little sextant lesson, now that we had sun and time.
The starboard maincourse tack had gone overboard yesterday and gotten wrapped in the prop, so I helped to try to get it cut close to the prop so the prop could just rip it off and just before the knife on a pole touched the line it snapped off the prop. I hung out with Amelia on my bow watch and we all just had a lovely 
day. During my last half hour I got grabbed by Bill the engineer and helped him change the oil on the portside engine.
When he was done with me my watch was already over, so I went to my bunk and messed with the journal until dinner time. At dinner Chris asked me if I had showered. Showered?! We can shower? I hurried through dinner and hopped in the shower. It was a short navy shower, but man did it feel good to be clean, especially after having had so much bilge water on me and so many days of hard labor since my last shower.
I took a second to take a look at myself and noticed I have definitely lost some weight. I also noticed I am definitely more muscular than I have ever been in my life. I am all lean muscle, but I feel fit and strong. I was also happy to note no new bruises or cuts I didn’t already know about. I went to my dry bunk and relaxed and slept until my next watch.
Thursday August 6th
Awoken for watch and took bow watch. The breeze was only 10-15 knots, but it was very cold. The nearly full moon would periodically break through the clouds and light up the world with its spotlight. Ed the passenger made chocolate chip cookies and I got one right out of the oven as I came down from bow watch. That was one incredible cookie! Watch went by pretty quickly and the sky was beginning to lighten up as we were stood down.
I went straight to sleep and was awoken 20 minutes late for breakfast. I was excited to see it was a sunny day with a strong enough breeze to give our 6ft swell some white caps. We set all the sails on the fore mast as well as our mizzen topsail and did a few odd jobs for work party. Lunch was quick and off we went to our next watch.
I was enjoying the weather and took the helm which I ended up being on for 3 hours. At 12:45 the general capstan meeting took 
place and today the captain wanted to “play with the ship”. With myself on the helm and each watch on a mast we wore ship a couple times and then tried a tack which failed unsurprisingly given the strong little swell and slackening breeze. Still we wore ship again and tried to tack, almost making it but having to box ship back into position and ware. One last time we powered up and shot up into the eye of the wind, with sails shivering, the fore beginning to back we nearly had it, but I watched the compass as one wave struck the bow and checked out tack. We fell off and the captain, now satisfied, told me to return to course.
Now each time we wore or tacked or did any maneuver I had to put the helm hard over from one side to the other. All those movies where the helm is effortlessly thrown over with a nudge, are false. Each turn of the spoke takes muscle and on some occasions weight. So by the end of all this, plus numerous smaller turns trying to hold a new course between maneuvers, my arms ached and I was beat. I went on bow watch for the last 10 minutes until the next rotation and we had to brace the ship around to a proper sail trim. Then we remembered the dishes we didn’t get to do because of the maneuvers, so below we went to clean up the galley.
By the end of watch I was beat, but had to stay awake for dinner. Cassie, in her infinite kindness, offered to give me a hair cut a few days ago and I took her up on it. Sitting on a box in the heads she 
took out the clippers and scissors and gave me a very nice haircut. I wouldn’t have expected any better job from a regular cosmetologist, she really did a great job. The whole thing was quite a spectacle too, many of the crew came to watch and I saw several camera flashes out of the corner of my eye. When it was done I cleaned up, thanked Cassie for the haircut, promised her a beer, and felt so much better with hair cleaned up. When the swell dies down my beard is next on the list for trimming.
We are now about 70 miles West of southern Ireland on way to rounding the tip into the Irish Sea. Captain estimates we will be there Wednesday and anchor out to arrive in Belfast Thursday morning. We will be early! We weren’t sure halfway across if we would make it in time, but now we will be early. Well, that’s what sailing downwind in gale and near gale conditions will do. Everyone is getting excited for Belfast, myself among them.
Friday August 7th
Woke up for watch to a clear night and a full moon. Watch was fairly normal to begin with. I was standing on the bow talking to Amelia when I noticed a strange yellowish/orangish star on the horizon. I asked her whether she thought it was a planet or star and we were both scrutinizing it when the moon cleared from behind a cloud to illuminate sails and a hull. A sailboat was half a mile ahead of us on a collision course with its anchor light on and no navigation lights.
At the same time Caleb was rushing to the foredeck to see what the strange thing on radar was. We altered course to avoid them and saw that they also had on their port navigation light but no starboard or stern light. Caleb hailed them on the radio and eventually they replied and he informed them of their brilliant light scheme. If it had been a darker night we could have run them down! On came their steaming light and their starboard light, which is strange because I don’t know why the bow navigation lights would be on separate switches…
Later on the watch as the sky was beginning to lighten up I looked at our chart to see where we were. On a whim I grabbed the binoculars and looked off towards where I imagined Ireland to be. Lo and behold! There it was! I shouted “Land HO” and spread the word. We were all so excited, elated, jazzed, stoked, and most of 
all proud. We crossed the North Atlantic Ocean on a wooden tall ship.
The sunrise silhouetted hills beneath clouds, there it was, Ireland, a couple points off the port bow at 3:15AM. I was very excited to be the one to spot land, a very cool stroke of luck. Caleb took down the poor weather beaten, torn, knotted American flag we used for the crossing. At the capstan at the end of watch Caleb gave a speech about how the first person to sight land, especially after a long voyage, is always rewarded. So to me 
he present a brand spanking new can of smoked herring…thanks… We all had a good laugh.
Sighting land got Chris and Erin motivated to climb the rig farther than they had before. Amelia and I went aloft with them and we 
all made our way to the fore royal yard to watch the sun rise over Ireland’s coast. Chris and Erin did a great job climbing up for the first time with a little swell rolling the ship. We all soaked up the moment, loosed the royal sail and laid below. As we climbed down the mast we noticed the some rain to our stern and a rainbow appeared. Could you have imagined a more glorious end to our transatlantic? We were all just thrilled with the day and I only reluctantly went below to sleep while I could.
I slept well and got up for breakfast and work party. Getting to working party I took the binoculars to check out the coast and on a hill I made out a big structure and thought “I wonder if that is a castle”, then promptly admonished myself for thinking the first building I see in Ireland is a castle. Then, however, I checked the chart Amber and I went aloft on the main to tension the topgallant mast shrouds which took the entire work party. While we were up the breeze came fair and all the sails were set. We scarfed down lunch and went on deck for watch. I took Arlene aloft to the main top and higher than she had ever been.
At the capstan again the captain wanted maneuvers done. We did three successful tacks and boxhauled the ship as well. It was very hectic since my watch had the fore mast with all its sails set as well as the head rig to brace, trim, strike and raise sails several times. At one point we lost the port inner jib sheet and I went to the head rig to retrieve it. Luckily it was just barely hanging on and I got it led back to deck.
After all that we set the mizzen topgallant mast staysail, known to the crew as the “dumbass sail” because it does very little, is difficult to set, and extremely hard work to put away. This is the first time I ever saw it set. We now had up every scrap of canvas settable on the ship sailing into the Irish Sea. Today and tomorrow the captain hopes to get the main topgallant and royal put back up and in order, once that is done we will be looking sharp.
All the while the coast of Ireland is beckoning off to port and we are all getting exponentially more excited to get to Belfast. It hasn’t really set in yet that I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, that I am now in Europe with Ireland next to the ship. I think it will take a while to fully sink in.
Saturday August 8th
Woke for watch after having slept very hard since dinner. The whole watch I I was sluggish and couldn’t quite wake up. It seems there is a Celtic Sea as well as an Irish Sea and we are currently in the Celtic Sea and about to enter St George’s Channel. We are seeing lots of shipping traffic now, which made for a busy bow watch. The watch went by pretty quickly and I was grateful to go to sleep.
I was torn from my bunk at 8am for work party. Today’s task is to get the main topgallant yard back up and so Amber and I got the braces led aloft for it, among other smaller chores. We had lunch and went on watch to a brilliantly sunny day with passing clouds. I started on the helm and we did a man overboard drill. After that the captain said that tomorrow would indeed be a Sunday on a Sunday, which we are all happy to hear. We also found out that we would be anchoring tonight because we are so ahead of schedule, which means more sleep tonight!
The captain also let us do laundry on whatever day it is to help get aft crew cleaned up after it was awash during the weather we had. I was excited and jumped below to get my sheets washed as well as some essentials. I cleaned my deck boots as well since the weather is nicer. At the end of our watch the call went out to 
strike and furl all sail, which our watch was not happy about, so we furled and furled and furled until 6pm. I felt very windswept and tired out when we got to dinner, but dinner was very hearty.
We got the topgallant yard up, now it just needs its sail and gear led, which shouldn’t take too long. I cleaned out all the wet stuff from my bunk and moved into my old bunk, but will next time switch preemptively to the dry bunk if we hit weather like that again. I can’t wait for Ireland!
We anchored near some little towns I have never heard of and I enjoyed looking over them through binoculars. I saw a big old church and the little fields divided by stone walls, sheep grazing away like they have always done. I went to sleep, stood anchor watch for 45 minutes and woke up the next day at 8am. I slept almost 10 hours! It was oh so wonderful.
Sunday August 9th.
Woke up at 8am feeling so refreshed, I cannot express how great it felt to get a full nights sleep and then some. Breakfast was wonderful and today is a naval Sunday as well as a regular 
Sunday, so instead of work party I got together with everyone and traded photos and videos from the voyage. We had a great time trading photos and remembering the parts of the voyage that seem so long ago now.
We stood watch for only 3 hours because we jumped another hour ahead. A bit of rain, set a few sails, and had a great time in the holiday atmosphere of a Sunday. Cassie baked cookies and we had a grand time, it feels like we are on a pleasure cruise! After watch I hung out with Amelia, traded photos and stories, had dinner and waited to anchor the ship.
We anchored out near a little community with a castle on the hill and fishing boat plying the little bay. We had a grand time holding an auction for all the items that had gone astray and gathered on the ship. A bunch of the crew, instigated by Chris and myself, went for a brief, extremely brief, swim in the Irish Sea. Once I could feel my limbs I was glad I had done it if for no other reason than to say that I had swum in the Irish Sea.
That night we had a dance party on deck, mostly consisting of my A watch and a few others. We had a grand old time dancing under the night sky with the lights of Ireland twinkling on shore.
Monday August 10th
Woke for anchor watch, which was uneventful. In the morning we were awoken for work party and were given the task of bending on the main topgallant sail. So aloft we went onto the footropes that were still slippery from the new tar that had not yet dried. Mind you we were always clipped in, but it was interesting standing on basically a greased wire and working away. We stayed up aloft past our work party to get it done and had to scarf down lunch.
Watch this afternoon was hectic as I was doing my watch duties and then helping out the work party during the idle. We furled the maintopsail and forecourse when the wind veered and became foul. Pretty furls if I do say so. Then during my next idle I set about doing eye splices for new gaskets and got sent a Erin and Rich to teach them how to do eye splices. The sun came out during the afternoon and I was amazed at how green the water was, it didn’t quite seem real, as though it were too themed to be so.
I was dragging by that time in the day and I’m afraid I was not the best teacher, but their splices came out well despite it. Also, I only know the words and phrases for splicing that are less than what I would consider clean, so I had to rename things as I went.
I spent the last hour on the helm and took us into our anchorage just south of Belfast harbor. I was positively beaming inside as I rounded the ship up and we dropped anchor. A castle, churches, fields, cars and roads on shore. So close to us! The coast guard came over and as I began to worry what they wanted out came cameras and the whole crew was taking photos. I reveled in excitement with my crewmates and we got relieved from our watch.
Tomorrow morning we enter Belfast!
Tuesday August 11th
All hands were calledat 8am to begin getting the boat in show shape. we started work party at anchor and the first thing we did was furl all the sails perfectly to get everything nice and orderly. That took quite a while, a lot of adjusting and tweaking everything. Then we began to clean up the ship and get all of the crew’s gear out of public areas. We hauled up the anchor and went to anchor closer to the point where we were meeting the pilot.
Twice throughout the day we got radioed to say that the pilot was coming later and later. We anchored again closer to the pilot buoy, which is where we meet the pilot. We were about a half mile from a huge, absolutely huge, stone manor on shore with a big green lawn in front of it. Then in the middle of everything we got a call that a pilot had been found and he was coming right over. So we got underway in a rush, picked up our pilot and came into Belfast.
We came in through the big shipyard that Belfast is famous for, the one that built the Titanic. We came to our quay (European phrase for stone pier) and got ourselves docked without much fuss. We got the ship put into ship shape as they say and the crew was stood down.
We all met on the tween deck and the captain gave a lovely speech about how great the voyage was. He told us, and I believe he meant it, that we are one of the best crews he has ever had. We work hard, we all get along with each other even after an ocean crossing, and we have a good time. He pulled out a handle of rum and, in tradition, passed it around from crewmember to crewmember and each took a swig.
After that we all pulled out our computers and checked email and contacted friends and family. Once that was taken care of we all went off to the nearest pub: Pat’s. A very small pub with a half dozen people in it, but the Bounty crew showed up en masse and we had a grand ole’ time. Everyone was buying each other drinks and discussing the voyage. I had a great night.
