Day 13: Training round 2. Ding! DIng!

Before I talk about the training we did today I totally forgot to tell you about the coolest part of yesterday:  my first "walk" on the capstan.  We can lump in a word of the day with this story:  Capstan.  (unless I already told you what this is and then just think of it as review.  We put the main top gallant mast up yesterday.  It is not heavy but goes like 100' in the air.  So to put it up we used a man-powered winch (essentially) called a capstan.  Here are some dudes using a capstan...

(sorry I don't have an actual photo but it is nearly impossible to get photos during the work day cause we are so busy.  many of my photos are of stationary things or they are staged - also this drawing does show the person tending the line but you get the idea I think)

It was pretty cool and went smoothly.  We should be using it again soon and I will try and get someone to take a photo of us actually hauling on something.

Now how about today?  This should sum up today, at least outside...

Luckily we stayed inside today for a training day

Training day included making short splices...

...long splices...

I would show you a photo but it wont really look any different...

...and grommets...

A ring of rope used how you would think a brass grommet is used today but you use this ring and stitch all the way around it to keep it in place.

We also had furling training.  I asked the other apprentice to snap a few photos of me while I was aloft on our training model since we took turns as groups.  We learned a "showy" furling called "harbor stow" for when you want to look snappy in port and a "sea stow" for when you look ahead and your like, "holy crap look at the squall cloud barreling down on us," and you want to reduce windage for the safety of you and the ship.  Check this out...

Me climbing up to the cross trees (small wooden platform just above me) - this is the inside model, I am like 8' off the ground

Here is our "watch" (team) harbor furling the top gallant sail.  I am second from the right helping to "cross the bunt" to dress the sail so it looks even when done.

Here I am finishing a lashing and "laying to deck" (getting back down from aloft).  Notice my side is not near as nice as the professionals - Doh!

Honestly I love training days.  I really feel like I make progress during those days.  Out on the ship things are quite chaotic and there are many commends and lots of verbiage that can make things even more hectic.  It is not a place to "practice" it is a time and place to do - problem is I'm not that good at it.  Yet.

Back to work again tomorrow.  Weather is supposed to be decent so I will stop crying about it.  

Watch out for mermaids.

Ahoy!