Deckhand diary, July 10th

We get the first signs that we are approaching land. A couple of insects have been spotted and today I saw a little bird circling the ship a couple of times before it disappeared. The day starts as usual, with the midship watch waking us in the port watch in time for breakfast. After that it was time for the daily cleaning of sundeck and gundeck. The heat is extreme (around 34ºC) and because of that, we then were ordered to put up sun tents covering large parts of the deck. Some shadow is so nice! Rumours have it that the atmospheric humidity is more than 90 percent, which explains why we are all like walking about in a sauna. A salt water shower has now been installed and the ice-machine is my best friend.

We also had time for some bracing of the sails, before being relieved by starboard watch. After that, the port watch had a tea ceremony with Jessie, one of the eleven Chinese on board. We were taught how to drink tea and how to serve it. Most interesting and educating! During the evening watch Björn Ahlander, the ship´s boatswain, gave a lecture on how the rigging is constructed and the reasons why, and also which materials have been used in it. It is always exciting to listen to somebody who knows so much about the ship. After the evening watch it was time to go to bed on my sleeping pad on sundeck. I quickly realized that life cannot be much better than when you are slowly rocked to sleep under a starlit sky.

Caroline Mjärdner

Officer diary July 10th      (Excerpts)
 
Sometimes it feels as if the lanterns have been replaced by a gigantic infrared heater hanging from the main mast top. Today we had following wind all day and the only coolness we had had, provided by the breeze, disappeared completely. I believe that an egg cracked on sundeck would have coagulated in five minutes at a maximum.

The hull is storing a lot of heat energy, which means it is very hot below also. In the evening when I lay down in my bunk, the mattress feels hot and very soon I can feel drops of sweat starting to trickle down on forehead and throat. At the beginning it was impossible to sleep but we human beings are rather good at adapting and nowadays my sleep is excellent.

Daytime much of my work is in the engine-room and the tank rooms, where most of the technical installations are. I do not know the heat down there, because there is no thermometer, but after five minutes I look as if I have come directly from out of a shower. Otherwise the real shower is the highlight of the day. That is when I have the opportunity of rinsing myself of all that salt sweat and cooling my skin. Then having the wind doing the drying is just adding to the experience. Standing at the railing, sailing at 7-8 knots across a moonlit, silvery sea with a warm wind around my body is just luxury.

It is wonderful to be part of this fantastic project which, thanks to enthusiasts and sponsors, is a succé pyramidale wherever we go.

Nisse Meyers,
1st Ship´s Engineer