Day 11: Duty Day...dishes. The end.

This was my second duty day but my first day was a Saturday and now I know Saturdays are a different animal.  My day consisted of helping the Steward (person in charge of the kitchen) and doing dishes.  Then I cleaned the company van.  Then I did more dishes.  Then I helped the steward some more.  Then, you guessed it, more dishes.  Finally around 1:45pm I got assigned a some ship stuff. 

 (Before I go on I would like to point out that I am in know way complaining.  The work needs done and it is my turn on the duty roster.  I just had no idea WE COULD GENERATE SO MANY DIRTY DISHES).

*Meanwhile back at the super secret cave headquarters from where this awesome blog has its genesis each day...

As I was musing about earlier I had to go about making gaskets for the rest of the day.  As a quick refresher a gasket is a short-ish line that has had an I-splice put in one side and had whippings done on the other to keep the cut line from unlaying (each element of the rope from coming apart from one another).  

Refresher to follow...

I splice (the hoopy end that is) and a line that is unlaying (the, ah, end that's coming apart)

Whipping... (Not a very good one and it's mine so I can say that)

Also thought you might like to see this tool for helping with sail making and whipping.  As you can imagine it is difficult to push the big needle through the tough materials used in sailing.  So...drum roll please...the "sailor's palm".

Your thumb goes through the whole on the left and the round thing that looks like a speaker is actually made of lead and that's what you push the needle with.

Here is some bag-o-donuts using one...

Perhaps a word of the day!

Smartly/Handsomely     These terms are part of commands that direct the actor to work either fast/quickly (smartly) or slowly (handsomely).  "Port rig takle, haul away handsomely."  (so the dudes on the line on the left side of the ship, facing the front of the ship, that is connected to the block-and-tackle should begin pull on the rope slowly and methodically.  There ya have it.

On a totally different note, while I was wondering around in the basement I found a crate full of shot for the guns.  I have no idea if they ever shoot shot out of the guns but if I were forced to bet I would say not.  I will try and find out and let you know.  Here is a photo of the crate...

I will be really busy the next 2 days and have limited internet access so I probably will not blog again until Monday.  If you start jonesin for this totally sweet blog go back and read previous days.  Look for the secret messages I put in there!

Tomorrow is "up and over" training.  I get to climb all the way to the toppest part of the ship from one side and back down the other side.  I am really looking forward to this but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about it.  After all the toppest part of the ship is 118' 4" above the water line (psst, don't tell my wife).

Ahoy!