Diary 7 April 2006
Hi Folks.

I've just gotten up at 06.30, 30 minutes short of the watches wake up call. I rummage through my bag and find my teapot, complete with a new anti-roll ring of rope around the base, and grab a pinch of green tea.I am constantly reminded of the two ships we sail in. On the surface the Götheborg looks like 17th century trading ship. Even as I  sit here in the gun deck, having come up from a first class galley where I fill my pot with hot water, I can marvel at the oak knees that support the sides of the boat.If I was to wander up to the weather deck and back under the sundeck I would find all the modern you-beaut navigation gear.We are sailing just below th 40th parrallel south, "the roaring forties". We have a current that is pushing us ten degrees north west and a wind that slides us 10 degrees south and forward at around 7 knots.

Yesterday was a delightful day of sailing although my feet did get a little confused by the ship canting to starboard after a week of listing to Port.Last night our watch had just taken over the deck and was settling in for a lecture in the red light district.  Midships is the place for storage of the topgallant yards, the gangplank and the M.O.B. boat. These are secured above my head hieght and a red bucket dangles into a clear space in front of the forward hatch. A lantern is placed in the red bucket so that we have an area we can see to work in at night that isn't bright enough to completely distroy our night vision.

Tonights lecture is fairly basic on how to report any sightings as lookout. The lookout sits at the front of the boat and so far it's been an uneventful position. We did see a fishing boat a few days ago who's crew probably thought the had entered a time warp as we sailed on by. When the lookout does see some thing they need to walk to the stern and report it to the officer of the watch. What they have seen and it's relation to the boat- A very surprised fishing boat 45 degrees off the Starboard bow.It's impossible to see dead ahead when the Blinde is set. The bow sprit hosts four sails, two squares and two jibs. The closest to the boat is the Blinde(blindah.) Which literally translates as "to Blind". Sometimes I sit up there and marvel at this piece of sail cloth right in the way of the forward view. It does, however, give some forward propulsion and makes the boat easier to steer.

Tonight I think we find out the real reason we are sitting behind the blind. after all the modern navigation equipment is going to see anything that moves on the ocean.Michael(watch Leader) is just getting into his stride when a loud flapping is heard. Mia extracts herself from the deck slug huddle and immediately gigtågs the segel the skot is sönder, (clues up the sale the sheet has broken).Michaels tells us to blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah ,blah,blah,gigtäg,blah,blah ,blah,skot,blah,blah,bla h,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah ,blah,blinde,blah,blah,blah ,blah,hurry.

You gotta laugh. I know what needs to be done but I haven't yet figured out the spagetti of lines that run forward from the bow. I can figure it out fine in the daytime given time, I don't even need to cheat and look at the little brass tags but at night I'm having to rely on the others in my watch to tell me which line to pull, or ease. Seems there is always a line to pull somewhere that someone needs help with.Axel, who is our officer of the watch has appeared from the back of the boat in a flash. A quick discussion and it's decided to resheet the sail. Now that's gotta be exciting. The bowsprit hangs out the front of the ship a considerable distance and there is no safety net. Even after we hand the sail there is a lot of flapping going on.Richard (the firefighter)Alex(assistant watch leader) and Anna( the tug-of-war woman) hook on and head out. I feel glad we had a look at what it takes to launch the MOB boat this morning even though these guys look rock solid out there. Meanwhile Calle is seizing the other end of the sheet. Michael attaches the rope to his harness and heads out to do the deed.Quite the hour of excitement.And that's the other ship. The one where hand made hemp rope breaks and someone gets a piece of string and ties two lines together in the age old method and it's repaired and ready to go.

Astounding:>Jenny 17