It feels like half the time I seem to be saying that I am leaving again, and it is only going to be getting worse. This winter I started working on the Pelican instead of volunteering as I have been for the past 8 years!
Yay for money coming in instead of going out when sailing, but I have found that it is a little hard to get my head around the change in responsibilities. When I started I did only did two weeks right near the end of the season and one of those was just maintenance (read painting…). I then took over as a ship keeper for two months whilst the ship was laid up alongside in Weymouth. Which involved taking all the sails off and generally keeping her ticking over.
But when I came back this year, literally the day after coming home from IVDA Competition in Blackpool, things were a little different. I only got onboard a few days before we left for dry dock which was good fun but a little stressful as things didn’t always go to plan.
Returning from dry dock we had to get the ship ready for the season, putting all the sails back on, changing all the ships laundry (you should have seen the pillow fights that happened when 40 sets of bedding came onboard in one go!) and all the little things that had been put off till later. And when the season did get started we had a few mishaps (read, if it could go wrong it did go wrong!)
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| If things could go wrong they would go wrong: clockwise from top left: A rope wrapped around our prop, Too windy to sail, Self tangling rope, Too much muscle not enough sense… |
After two months of maintenance and sailing it was time for me to have a well earned (if short) rest. I have been home for the last 3 weeks catching up on my sleep, dancing and friends and family. Thankfully my other half comes sailing on the Pelican sometimes so this time I did get to see him during my stint but from now (this week) till September I wont get to see him much at all. 🙁
I am joining ship again on Sunday for two or three weeks (depending on what country I change over in) meaning that this time I have my birthday onboard. There is another special anniversary that will be celebrated this stint too; 10 years since my first ever tall ship trip!
My first trip was from Liverpool to Dublin, ending at the Dublin River Festival this year I will be sailing on from Falmouth and yet another festival. Keep an eye out for updates on how this is all going on here and our Facebook page.
