Underway to Senegal Dec 22,08
This morning dawned hazy and calm.
I discovered that I have caught a cold despite all my precautions so now I’m stuck at sea for 10 days with astuffed up head. I also threw my back out working in an odd position on Saaturdy and it hurt a bunch to straighten up this morning. Blah.
We heaved up the port anchor this morning and found it fouled by thestarboard anchor chain. The ship has been swinging as the wind grew light. A bight of chain was drapped over the stock of the anchor and had to be lifted in such a way that it would fall away on its own. Took manning all five capstan bars to get it don but once free we were able to hoist itaboard and get it “catted” ie lashed to the cathead which is a stout bar that sticks diagonally off the focsle deck for that purpose.
Once the crew that had gone ashore this morning returned, with Veronica our new AB and Mate, we hoisted up the starboard anchor and motored away from Gomera. We have started our 10 day sail down the coast of Africa to Senegal.
They have reorganized the wtches, I’m now on the 12-4 watch which means I’ll get to do more ship work during the day, oh goody more sanding and painting. Bruce tells me the biggest problem with 12-4 is that breakfast and lunch break up the off watch making it difficult to get enough sleep. I’ll have to watch that.
Thanks for reading.
KJ