Setting Sail.
“Dirty British Coaster, with a salt caked Steam
stack
Butting through the channel in the mad March days”
Cargoes by John Masefield
We
have slipped our warps and headed out into the Solent.
The
first few hours were spent with everyone on deck, raising sail and getting
sorted. Today the first watch was “white watch” also known as the A&E as we
have two members called Andy and one called Emma. Sadly Greg refuses to change
his name to Emma, which would keep things simple.
We
handed over to red watch, but didn’t get much time below as all hands had to
practice the ‘man overboard’ drill.
The
dummy went overboard and we launched into our roles. One person kept their eyes
fixed on the rapidly disappearing mannequin, one person went down to retrieve
the necessary equipment such as lifting strops. While everyone else was
maneuvering the boat I was tasked with (simulating) with a mayday call to the
Coast guard and updating the log book.
After
successfully retrieving our plastic pal, we had a brief interlude below, then
had to don our oillies again, to relieve red watch.
We
are still evolving the best way to organize our shift, and four people trying to
put on waterproofs at the same time in the cramped companion way is not
easy.
Somehow we mixed up a couple of pairs of over trousers,
resulting in me wearing a pair one size too small, and Greg wearing a pair one
size too big. He was alright, but I felt slightly cramped, especially when we
started doing tacks and other movements around the boat. It was only when I
realized that I could see my watch in his trouser pocket that I realized what
had happened.
The
motion of the yacht is a little unsettling, but no major problems yet. This may
all change when we leave the shelter of the Isle of Wight, and enter the
English Channel.
Andrew Macham
