Bound for Brazil!
Wednesday, April 12th, 2006
Location: 15° 32.2′S / 006° 25.5′WOur southeast trade winds have been light and shifting since we left Cape Town. Today we had a fresh enough breeze to sail off the hook without starting up the main engine.
We were a day late leaving our anchorage at Jamestown, St. Helena Island, because the pump on our primary fresh water maker failed. This pump had passed muster in the machine shop in Cape Town but now it was gone. Danie, the engineer was able to acquire three possible replacement pumps with the help of local fisherman and of the crew of the RMS St. Helena, the island’s mail ship. As it stands, fresh water use has been restricted until Danie and his assistants are able to replace the pump. This means that consumption of our 8,000 gallons of fresh water has been limited to drinking and cooking our food. With these restrictions the water can last thee months. At our usual rate of consumption our tanks would be empty in 8–10 days. We’ve got buckets tied to several stanchions on the ship in order to fetch salt water at our convenience (to wash ourselves and to brush our teeth).
I cannot really tell the difference between a fresh water and salt water shower if I towel off well enough. Brushing my teeth with salt water might take some getting used to, but I tell myself it just tastes like baking soda toothpaste. The Captain says that this probably won’t kill us. He told of sailing around the world in the wooden Brigantine Romance in the 1970s where these restrictions were in effect for the entire two-year voyage and no one thought anything of it. He said that he had two fresh-water baths on that voyage. The first was at Pitcairn Island, which felt good because he went swimming in Bounty Bay right afterwards. The second bath was in Borneo and he said it hurt his skin. He also says that salt water baths will help the boys smell better. We should rejoice.
Our lack of luck with the wind (first a big gale and now finicky trade winds) and with the restricted fresh water, the worthy shellbacks of the crew are convinced that King Neptune has gotten a whiff of the odious stench of insipid pollywogs onboard. We do not cross the Sacred Line again until shortly after Brazil, and we fear he may punish us until he can judge whether the pollywogs are fit to cross the line or not. Maybe if we bribe him with their hair … a few human sacrifices might be in order …
The Picton Castle is now on the second passage of her fourth and final leg of her fourth World Voyage. We are bound for Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, a beautiful island off the coast that is a well-protected national park. It is 1700 nautical miles from St. Helena. We are not sure yet whether the Brazilian authorities will let us visit there, as it is quite difficult it seems to obtain permission to go there. The ship has visited in the past, so we have our fingers crossed.
We are currently steering NW with a Force 2 breeze (small waves, crests do not break) off our port quarter. The swells are a low three feet, coming from SSE. The wind has shifted from N of E to S of E throughout the last eight hours and we are currently braced on a slight port tack. The air is mild and the sky is 7/8 cumulus coverage. Despite the gentle winds and sea state, there are still two hands seasick. When I scrambled out of my bunk for watch tonight, I stepped directly into the empty bucket that my cabin mate had placed on her sea-chest near the head of her bunk (just in case). They are new hands and I feel sympathy for them; it took me till nearly Rarotonga before I finally got my sea legs and stopped feeling seasick.
The approach to St. Helena Island was a particularly lovely one. The bright orange and yellow sun was setting behind the lee tip of the island (which at some angles looked like a larger version of Pitcairn, with similar rock formations off its coast), and as we sliced through the water towards our anchorage at Jamestown, we were accompanied by roughly 10 dolphins who were playing and jumping and racing through the waters all around our ship. Ollie climbed out in the freshly tarred head rig to get some video. When we finally reached our anchorage, the light was beginning to fade as the three shots of chain were let out into 90 feet of water. The crew stared up in wonder at Jacob’s Ladder, more than 700 steps that climb a steep cliff in Jamestown. Chatter about whether we were hearty enough to climb it came to an end with the order to “Up and stow!” all sails. With a cheer, the aloft-goers scrambled up the rigging and laid out onto the yards and stowed all sails in the moonlight in what I believe may have been record time!
Our visit at St. Helena was a very pleasant one and we enjoyed the company of the local children pretty much everywhere we went. The locals were kind to us and were quite interested in what we do. They were trusting of our crew, as they simply left their children with us for hours, making us the babysitters on a moment’s notice! Their generosity was evident in the way they were so willing to help us out with the pump, working with Danie for more than two days to try and remedy the situation. It’s always impressive the way seafarers co-operate with one another; like an unspoken bond. The islanders shared their rich history and beautiful landscape with us, taking our crew on tours of the island and to visit Napoleon’s home and his former tomb (both of which they opened on the weekend just so that our crew could visit). Our first stop of the fourth leg was a pleasant and memorable one, but it sure does feel good to be back at sea!
