16/01/13 - Lord Nelson

16 January: Today is, to my mind, the most important day on board. But then I would say that as today is the day I turn eighteen! Despite an early wake-up for mess duty the day has been practically perfect - in every way. Not only was there a truly scrumptious birthday cake for morning smoko, but said culinary masterpiece was also a near-perfect model of the Lord Nelson, complete with fenders, ship's wheel, shrouds, sails and all! (Though Seb, our head cakeshipwright said that Captain Chris started pointing out missing items as soon as he saw it, though he did look impressed.) No matter how beautiful it was, nothing could have stopped our hungry crew from digging in and it was soon gone without trace, a testament to its fabulous taste.



I did get a few brilliant presents from the crew but the best gift was the much-sort-after wind, which was such that we could set sail this morning and leave it all day. Despite high-tensions around an FBI-style hostage situation involving cadets, voyage crew and a thirst extinguisher (read: water bottle) everyone seems to be having an absolutely delightful time, especially now that said thirst extinguisher has been recovered without injury. (Cate, Forward Starboard)



Another sunny day and we're making 7knots.  Our watch leader is mending the lift, and the captain is currently scalping another watchman leaving 2 of us on watch (John C and Will M).  Seven sails set and the weather is fine.  Our current course is 130 degrees wind dependent, and hopes are high for getting to Cape Town on the evening of the 2nd.  Since commencing our watches we have seen one ship and a school of tuna which were swimming alongside the ship.  Will M and Tony then rushed to the stern platform to arrange fishing tackle, though due to our current speed we seem to lose everything we cast out.  Painting and scraping is underway and the deckhouse is looking a lovely brilliant white.  (John C and Will M, Forward Starboard).