Day 17: One step closer to actual sails!

1000+ views!

(Couldn't find a ship so how about this duck?)

Thanks for all the attention you've been paying toward the blog.  I miss the Kiski community and it is keeping my spirits up.

I helped carry out the main t'gallant and fore t'gallant yards at the end of the day today.  They are already dressed (they got all the stuff on them they need to be put in place - blocks, the sail, foot ropes, etc.).  In the past 3 weeks when we put something on the plaza the next day we put it on the ship.  So if the trend continues, tomorrow we will have actual sails on the ship!  Stand by...

I spent most of my day aloft on the main fighting top.  I had to put siezings on the benticks shrouds and the main t'gallant back stays.  Then we had to down rig all the stuff we used for that job: come-a-longs, salvages, etc. (don't worry I didn't know what much of this was either 3 weeks ago but I thought I would throw it out there to make it seem like I'm learning something).  In order to do my job I had to go the highest on the ship I have been yet - the mast cap!  I was literally sitting on top of the main mast pretty BA.

The arrow points to where I climbed/was sitting today. Totally sweet, right?  Also this photo shows the progress we have made to this point.  You can see many more lines and big pieces of wood (if you don't remember what it looked like, ahhhh...check back to like day 2 or something).  Also, the small long white thing in the lower left hand corner is the t'gallant yard w/sail I was talking about earlier.

So how about a word of the day...the head.  Many of you may know that the bathroom on a ship is called the head.  But why you ask?  Well what would be the best place to put the toilet?  The front - or "head" - of the ship.  Why?  It's a sailing ship so the wind will blow the smell away from the rest of the crew.  Wallah!  The head.  And now you know...the rest of the story.

The great Niagara bio project continues with another apprentice like me:  Cyrus Economides. (sweet 300 name, eh?)

Cuyrus, how old are you?  15 (I still don't believe him about this)

Where are you from?  Marquette, Michigan - Yooper for life!

How long have you been sailing?  8 years (what - do the math dudes!)

Interesting fact?  Cyrus is home schooled and his family has a sailing business - hence he is here.

Can I quote you for my peeps?  "Patience comes with waiting."

*Cyrus is one of the hardest working people I know - he tells me he struggles to find the motivation to do his school work though.  Sound familiar, anyone?

I am really trying to get some photos of me aloft but it hasn't been working out.  Remember, patience is a virtue.

Ahoy!