Outdoors it was cool and rainy, but the crew of the Picton Castle were swimming and enjoying the warmth this afternoon. We were at the local indoor pool, emOcean, but not for swim call. Joe from the Nova Scotia Community College came to Lunenburg to run a life raft training session for our crew.

The crew all headed up the hill to the pool with immersion suits and life jackets. Joe first showed the crew the contents of a life raft, the standard items that are packed inside it. On Picton Castle we have extra food, flares, water and other supplies that are easily accessible that would also be taken into a life raft if time permits. Joe then had everyone put on immersion suits and demonstrated how to inflate the life raft by pulling the cord and how to right it if it inflates upside down. The crew were able to practice getting into the inflated life raft in their immersion suits. They also practiced getting in and out of the life raft in life jackets.

The life raft that the crew used today for training is one the instructor brought with him, life rafts must be inspected annually and Picton Castle’s have recently passed their inspection and been re-installed on the ship. Picton Castle carries four 25-person life rafts, two on each side of the quarterdeck. They can be launched manually or by hydrostatic release.

floating in immersion suits and a life raft

getting into the liferaft

jumping into the pool

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Today was the first time that the new trainees were aloft on Picton Castle. Going aloft is one of the things trainees most look forward to when they join the ship, it is also something that many of them are nervous about. Trainees are not required to go aloft and there is no stigma attached to not going aloft. Everyone is encouraged to try and the first climb aloft is strictly supervised by our professional crew.

Our aloft training started with a review of the Picton Castle safety aloft policy. Harnesses are required anytime anyone goes aloft. Trainees were instructed on how to put on and use their harnesses, to empty their pockets and remove any personal gear not attached by a lanyard, how to climb maintaining three points of contact, to climb on the weather side, how to identify standing rigging and clip their harness to it, and to not take any unnecessary risks. After discussing how to climb aloft safely, everyone put on a brand new sit harness. Harnesses were checked by the professional crew, to be sure they fit correctly and were fastened properly. The professional crew then were stationed at specific points on the fore shrouds to assist trainees with their first climb.

The first time trainees go aloft they are guided along a route that we call “up and over.” They start at the rail and climb up the shrouds to the futtock shrouds just below the top. The shrouds are angled slightly inboard, the futtock shrouds are angled slightly outboard and they can be more difficult to climb up. The first crew member is stationed at the rail, the next crew member is stationed at the bottom of the futtock shrouds to instruct the trainees on the most effective places to put their hands and feet. Above the futtock shrouds is the top which, despite it’s name, is not at the top of the mast but instead is about 30 feet above the deck. A third crew member is stationed on the top to assist the trainees with getting up onto the top. The top is a small platform and on the first time aloft, it is as high as the trainees will climb. Trainees will go across the top and climb down the futtock shrouds and the shrouds on the opposite side, again with the help of crew members stationed on the top, at the futtock shrouds and at the rail.

Each trainee who wanted to go aloft took a turn going up and over. Trainees climbed one at a time, and everyone else, including the Captain and the Chief Mate who oversaw this exercise, watched as each person went aloft for the first time. Most of them came down to deck with giant grins on their faces from the adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment that usually accompanies a first climb aloft.

Everyone continued to wear their harnesses while procedures for heavy weather were explained. Lifelines were rigged amidships, nets were rigged amidships and in the breezeways and everyone had a chance to practice clipping their harness to the lifelines to move about the ship. The harnesses have all been numbered and one has been assigned to each person aboard for the duration of the voyage to keep with their personal gear and wear as necessary.

Ben, Paul, Nadja and Kjetil stationed to supervise trainees first climb aloft

Bruce goes over the futtock shrouds, first time aloft

Use of harnesses, lifelines and nets for heavy weather

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Just as the crew of the Picton Castle were finishing domestics and deck wash this morning, the first food delivery arrived. Purchasing enough food to feed the entire ship’s complement for most of a year is no small task. Donald, our awesome cook who sailed with us on the Caribbean voyage and the summer voyage last year, has returned to work his magic in the galley again. Under Donald’s supervision, the crew created a giant chain to unload all the boxes, bags, tins and buckets from the food service truck at the end of the wharf and pass it down the dock to be stacked on the dock amidships. The food was stowed in the hold this afternoon and we’ve got room for more, so there will be a second delivery to top up our stores and bring what was left out of the first round.

After a thorough orientation tour yesterday morning, this morning’s training session focused on safety equipment. Everyone learned about the different kinds of life jackets and PFDs we have on board, what they’re used for and how to put them on correctly. After talking about them and seeing all the different types demonstrated, each person tried each one on to really get a feel for how they work. Trainees were checked by the professional crew to make sure all the straps and buckles were done up correctly and everyone tried their whistles and checked their lights on their life jacket. Chief Mate Mike then moved on to immersion suits, explaining why, when and how to use them and demonstrated how to get into them. Everyone then went to their bunk to grab their immersion suit and bring it up to the main deck to try it on. Before long, the deck was filled with people in puffy yellow suits with only their eyes and noses sticking out. Immersion suits were then taken off, put away in their carrying bags and re-stowed away in each bunk.

Bruce and Erin don immersion suits

Chief Mate Mike demonstrates immersion suit donning

everyone dons lifejackets

Luke and Eric don lifejackets

Matt, Geoff, WT and Nick don immersion suits

unloading the first food delivery

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Picton Castle’s Voyage of the Atlantic has begun. The excitement on the dock and aboard the ship is palpable as trainees have now joined the ship, leaving behind their old lives to embark on a new adventure.

This morning was the official start of the voyage, with all hands mustering amidships at 0800. A muster is a mandatory meeting of the crew, all hands refers to the entire ship’s crew. Every morning in port will begin with an all hands muster at 0800. The first task was to break into groups to learn to do domestics (household cleaning of living spaces) and deck wash. These chores are done at the start of every day, regardless of whether the ship is at sea or in port.

At 0900, all hands mustered on the quarterdeck to be welcomed aboard by Captain Moreland and to sign the ship’s Articles of Engagement. This is a legal document that outlines the contract that the ship has with each person aboard. People often refer to “signing on” when they join a ship, we carry on the tradition of actually signing the ship’s Articles when crew members begin their voyage. The entire ship’s complement was called one at a time to sign on and receive a Voyage of the Atlantic crew hat and a ship’s pin from Captain Moreland.

After a brief overview of what this first week will entail, each member of the professional crew took a small group of trainees on a full orientation tour of the ship. In addition to seeing all spaces and parts of the ship, trainees were shown fire fighting equipment and life saving equipment and were introduced to the ship’s standard procedures.

The Voyage of the Atlantic is off to a great start!

Gary, medical officer, signs on

Trainee Nick signs on

Trainee Susie signs on

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Picton Castle is back in the water again after a week in drydock. The ship was taken out of the water last Wednesday and went back into the water yesterday. Our beautiful barque was well cared for by the staff at Lunenburg Industrial Foundry and Engineering while she spent a week on dry land.

Going into drydock is a part of regular, routine maintenance that ships go through. Taking a ship out of the water allows you to clean the hull thoroughly, inspect it and paint it. There are a number of valves below the waterline that are cleaned and inspected as well, it’s through these valves that water is taken in for the water-maker, the main engine cooling system, fire hoses and other salt water plumbing. Picton Castle’s hull was cleaned with a high pressure power washer and given two coats of bottom paint. The draft markings, which indicate how deep in the water the ship is sitting, were freshly repainted as well.

While the staff at the Foundry were working on the hull, our crew were working aboard the ship. The galley is getting a thorough cleaning, the salon head is being overhauled completely, and the fresh water tanks got a final coat of paint. We also took the opportunity to let down both anchors and almost all the anchor chain on dry land so we could rust bust and treat the anchors and the chain. Because it’s so rare to see the whole hull, the Captain took the crew on a walk around it yesterday morning to point out all the parts and what they do, while making a final inspection before leaving drydock.

In order to get the ship back into the water, the process of hauling it out was reversed. The giant chain that holds the cradle was slowly let out, the cradle slid down the track and into the water until the bottom of the cradle was deep enough for the ship to float up off it. The blocks that held the ship up when it was out of the water were removed and two small boats towed the ship back to her wharf. Our crew were on the ship, the Foundry staff were on the upper level of the cradle and at the controls of the giant chain, and the divers were below the water to make sure the track was clear.

Picton Castle is snugly tied to her own wharf again, where preparations for the Voyage of the Atlantic continue.

back in the water

going back into the water

new bottom paint

tarring the anchor chain

the after photo

the before photo

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Picton Castle left her wharf for the first time since July 2007 today, being towed a few hundred metres away to the drydock at Lunenburg Industrial Foundry and Engineering. Instead of using her main engine, the ship was manoeuvred with the help of three tugboats. They pulled the ship away from the wharf, along the harbour and into the cradle at the Foundry.

Getting all the pieces in place in order to take the ship out of the water must be done precisely and takes a while. There is a long track that goes from land down into the water and a cradle, a platform that supports the ship, slides along the track. Before the ship arrived, the cradle was sent down the track into the water. The ship was towed into the cradle and secured with dock lines once it was in the proper position. Workers from the Foundry measured to make sure that the ship was exactly in the middle of the cradle. The ship was supported below by blocks as the cradle was hauled up, so it was important to be sure that the blocks were in the right places. Before the hauling began, divers swam below the ship to make sure that everything was lined up correctly. Once everyone was satisfied that the blocks were in the right positions and the track was clear, a giant chain began to haul the cradle up the track. The bow of the ship rose first, those on shore could see the ship’s waterline rise above the surface. The hauling stopped for a few minutes so the divers could do another check of the blocks, and more blocks could be put in place. They reported that the stern of the ship was still sitting two inches above the blocks, while the bow was now resting on the blocks. Again, once everyone was clear, the giant chain started to haul the cradle up. The process was stopped once more and inspected by the divers, who reported that the ship’s stern was only half an inch above the blocks. Everything was looking as it should and the ship seemed stable, so the hauling began again and continued until the cradle reached the top of the track.

The last time Picton Castle was out of the water was in May 2005, here in Lunenburg, just prior to the fourth world voyage. Seeing the whole hull is quite unusual and makes me realize how huge the ship really is and how much space there is below the waterline. Putting the ship into drydock allows us to clean the bottom and inspect the hull thoroughly, put on a new coat of anti-fouling bottom paint (paint that discourages sea creatures from attaching themselves to the hull) and overhaul all the through-hull fittings.

Drydock 1

Drydock 2

Drydock 3

Drydock 4

Drydock 5

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As Picton Castle’s sailing date draws closer, work continues aboard the ship to prepare for the Voyage of the Atlantic. Many of our professional crew members have already arrived, the rest will be here in the next couple of weeks. As we have more hands, we are able to accomplish more tasks. Many projects that have been ongoing throughout the winter are nearing completion and we’re happy to be able to check things off the giant “to do” list.

Finn has made great progress in the engine room, doing some projects himself and working with local tradespeople on others. New light fixtures have been installed in the engine room and in the breezeway, all with new wiring. Pumps and valves have been sent away for service, returned and re-installed. Sections of piping in the bilge have been taken out and are being replaced with new pipe.

With the combination of steel and salt water, some welding projects are inevitable. Some items, such as the pin rails on the foc’sle head and the ladder from the well deck to the foc’sle head, have been removed from the ship and sent to a local welder’s shop to have sections replaced. We also have a welder working on the ship, with projects like replacing some of the sections of the foc’sle head rail and the quarterdeck edge.

The crew recently checked a huge job off the list by getting the water tanks ready for the voyage. Picton Castle has two big tanks for fresh water, located in the hold. The insides of the tanks needed to be wire brushed and thoroughly cleaned out, then painted with special paint made for water tanks which the crew report is thick like marshmallow fluff.

One of our recent arrivals is David, who will be the sailmaker on the upcoming voyage. He got right to work, laying out sails at the local fire hall to make new sails out of old ones. Patching sails will be another big job, whether it’s replacing rope coverings, patching holes in sails or replacing a worn out sun patch.

Deck and rigging work continues as well, with final coats of oil put on the blocks the crew spent many hours overhauling this winter, priming and painting on deck when the weather permits, getting rigging bits and pieces ready to be sent aloft again.

David patching a sail on the third floor

Nadja sews on a new rope covering

new light fixture in the engine room

Sarah priming

water tank paint drying

Welder Timmy and Finn measure for new quarterdeck edge piece

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A week ago, the final instalment of the trainee fee was due for those trainees joining Picton Castle for the full year or Leg 1 of the Voyage of the Atlantic. Making that final payment represents a real commitment, and also a huge leap of faith.

As a former trainee, I remember the combination of excitement and nervousness I felt that grew as the time to join the ship drew closer. Right now, there are a group of trainees with those same emotions. They’re wondering what activities and challenges they will face in a day, what their shipmates will be like, how to fit all their gear in a duffle bag or two and how on earth they will learn and remember all 175 lines of running rigging.

Trainees have a lot of details to take care of in preparing for a voyage. One of the most important things on the list is to make sure that their passports are valid for at least six months beyond the end of the voyage and that they have enough blank pages for all the stamps they are sure to collect. While immunizations are less of a concern on Leg 1, trainees need to see their doctors or travel health clinics to make sure they are vaccinated for the areas the ship plans to visit. Trainees also have to make their own travel arrangements to meet the ship and set up health insurance coverage. All of this is in addition to preparing to leave their jobs, homes and families for an extended period, which is no small task.

As the beginning of May approaches, excitement builds. Trainees have told me about shopping trips for foul weather gear, gym memberships to get in better physical shape and internet research on ports the ship plans to visit. Many report having a hard time concentrating at work as their thoughts turn frequently to the adventure ahead. It’s time to begin the countdown—54 days until our first all hands muster!

Picton Castle has a temporary addition that makes her look quite different when walking down the dock. Because the ship’s stern is closest to the shore, it’s impossible to miss the cover over the quarterdeck. Made of plastic sheeting fastened over a wooden frame, this cover will help keep the quarterdeck dry and protected so that we can continue to work through the winter.

Many vessels that are kept outside during the winter are covered to help protect them from the elements. Picton Castle is usually not covered for the winter, but with the carpentry work on the deck that started in the fall, we have chosen to cover the quarterdeck and continue. The cover doesn’t stop it from being cold, so there are still days when it is difficult to work, but it does keep the deck dry enough to be able to carry on with replacing some of the wood and caulking. You can see this work in progress, under the cover, in the photo below.

Quarterdeck Cover

Wheel and binnacle under cover

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Lunenburg, Picton Castle’s home port, is fairly quiet in the winter. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. One of the nice things about having the ship tied up for a while is that the crew can work regular, predictable hours, taking most evenings and weekends off. That much time off is a luxury to the crew of a sailing ship, so we’re sure to make the most of it.

Most evenings you can find at least some of the Picton Castle crew at the newly renovated Grand Banker, the local restaurant/pub that becomes our second home in the winter. The place got a facelift in November with new floors, a slightly revised booth arrangement and a fresh coat of paint. The changes make it easier to move around and the new decor looks great. The Grand Banker has started a trivia night on Saturdays, and the Picton Castle team placed first for two weeks in a row in February.

Ben, Kjetil and I took curling lessons at the Lunenburg Curling Club in November and have continued to curl through the winter. We have recruited the rest of the crew to play with us, or at least come and watch, when the club hosts “Friday Fun Night” which is open to anyone, whether you’re a club member or not. Some of us are really improving from week to week, and we’re all having a good time playing this very social sport.

For the crew of a barque that sails mostly in the tropics, we’re really embracing winter. In addition to curling, we have been to the local arena to ice skate a few times. Skating was particularly fun before Christmas when we had a whole group of former crew visiting and there was a huge crowd at the rink. Lynsey and Rebecca have been snowboarding at a hill a short drive away from Lunenburg and hope to go again before the winter is over. I’m sure that all of the crew have thrown a few snowballs, made snowmen or snow angels.

Ben sweeping

Kjetil calls the shots

Maggie delivers a stone

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