How lovely! We have just spent the weekend in the company of our JST friends and branch members from Cornwall. They arrived just as the gangway touched the pontoon!! At least it seemed so, and as the voyage crew of LN 718 disembarked, so the ship began to buzz with lots of catching up to be had amongst the new and old friends. An evening reception was held on board and plans made for the daysail the next morning. And so it was, bright and early Sunday morning we opened our doors to welcome our daysailers. We had a beautiful day, glorious weather and a cracking sail. Richard Sibley, a tall ship’s photographer, spent the day capturing shot after shot of the day sail out of Falmouth and these can be viewed on www.tallshipsgallery.com
Then it came time to turn the ship round to be ready for our new voyage crew. No sooner done than the Mate was heard over the tanoy inviting the watch leaders to the bridge to welcome them and show them to their bunks. Once everyone was on board, Captain Barbara Campbell invited them to make themselves comfortable in the lower mess and introduced the permanent crew members, namely: Steve the Mate, Jon the 2nd Mate, Marcin the Bosun; Marco the Chief Engineer with Rachel the 2nd engineer and John the engineering assistant; Gerry the Cook - ably assisted by Mandy; Rachel the Medical Purser and the Bosun’s mates Sarah and Dave.
Once the introductions were complete, Steve the Mate began the safety briefings followed by the first evacuation drill. Mick and Dave modelled for the wheelchair evacuation exercise where they were hauled up to the upper deck safely by their crewmates. Then, having found their muster stations, Jon the 2nd Mate ran round taking their photos. Once everyone had been photo’d and had checked their life jackets, we started the ‘hands aloft’. So they got into their rigging harnesses with a little nip and tuck to make sure they were snug and then up the ratlines and the futtocks and out onto the yards! What a day!
Lots of tales could be heard in the bar later about trembly legs and quaking hearts – but wow they did it! Others are planning to climb later in the voyage with the help of a gantline and their new friends and crewmates. Having taken stock of the weather charts and forecasts, Captain Barbara decided that it would be better to stay alongside overnight and head off in fairer weather (everything crossed) tomorrow. Funnily enough, with rumours of 60knots of wind coming from an easterly direction, no one disagreed! So having sorted the night orders, ‘shore leave’ was given and some headed into Falmouth, whilst others headed to bed, ready for their harbour watches later.
Rachel
LN MP