Land, ho

Sunrise on Orient Harbor.

Everyone seemed a little on edge today - irritable or irritated. I remember this sentiment from my last transit. Now that land is within sight, you are no longer certain you want to see it. Partly, I think, because it means that there's an end to the reverie.  

At 5:45 I had to be up for anchor watch. That's only slightly earlier than I usually rise. I'm fortunate; the rest of the crew has to wake up at ungodly hours, like 2:45 AM. They have to stand watch on the deck to make sure we aren't approached by another vessel that doesn't see us; to make sure our anchor light is still lit, and our anchor chain is still in place. Lastly, we take three bearings using this glow-in-the-dark compass that looks like a hockey puck to make sure we aren't moving. 

We also have to check the bilges - something I'd never done before. We have four bilges, hideen underneath the soles of the fo'c'sle, the main salon, the engine room and the aft cabin. Each one has a float switch triggered by high water levels. My new job - for one hour and one hour only - was to make sure the water is not about to trigger any of the switches. (This would be bad.)

I somehow misunderstood the instructions and was checking them every half hour. The task takes about 15 minutes, so I was barely finished with one bilge check when I'd start another one. The crew later found this quite amusing. 

A Sailor's Work is Never Done

Eve, polishing the brass.

Today the crew put in a very long day, practicing raising and lowering our many sails. Down in the galley, I too felt overwhelmed.

But I conjured up enough energy to make Cap' a paper captain's hat and hang streamers from the lamps over the table.


Monday's Menu
Breakfast
Dutch Baby with stewed apples, rice pudding 

Lunch
Leftovers, rejuvenated: Al fredo sauce on bow-tie pasta; orzo in chicken broth; bluefish in Thai coconut milk; and salads and bread.

Dinner
Gumbo, without onions, or spice, in honor of Cap's 31st birthday (she used to live in New Orleans) and rice

Dessert
This crazy concoction of pre-mixed box cakes (I never use these and so was shocked that they actually smell a little... plasticky) with an icing made of pudding mixed with ready-made icing. Cap' says yum; I say nazty.