Pacific Odyssey - Leg 6

We had a great day of steady sailing although the swell left over from the storm is still with us and the seas are big; we continue to roll deeply from side-to-side with loose paraphernalia and people flying across the ship regularly.  We´ve actually become pretty relaxed when dishes, books, mugs, etc. slide across a surface and fall to the floor.  During breakfast dishes the cutlery drawer came out of its housing and landed with a crash onto the sole, just nicking Sophie´s foot, who was washing ´uglies (the big pots and
pans)´ at the sink.   Jordan and Tristan have had several issues to deal
with lately; they´ve been kept busy maintaining the many systems on the ship.  Tristan has been an incredible help and is able and willing to do any job assigned to him; he´s happy to be back on the ship again.  We have been under sail all day, making a consistent 7 knots.  The trysail and 2 courses are up.  The decks remain wet, with water either coming through the scuppers or over the rail; we need to watch where we set ourselves down, we are regularly surprised by a random big wave that makes it down a hatch or douses the helmsperson.  Today while Elske was steering (in her new, warm down jacket), Jordan was adjusting the wedges around the main mast when a huge wave washed over the deck and caught Jordan with his ´skirt´ up.  The ´skirt´ is also called the mast boot; it is the waterproof fabric that wraps around the foot of the mast above deck and attaches to the deck to prevent water from coming down the mast hole.  Water gushed down into the galley, wetting the floor which had just been mopped by Antony and Leighsa.  The ´skirt´ was up so that Jordan could get at the wedges which hold the mast in place and help center it.  Liam, Raven, and Adam helped Jordan on work watch, adjusting the wedges.  Later in the day Liam and Blake helped Jordan
reorganize bosun supplies in the lazerette.   Leighsa and Molly took some
time to hand wash a few pieces of clothing in a deck bucket and dry them on the safety lines.  Jose taught Maddie, Leanne, Emma, and Sara R. how to knot a Star knot, a knot described in ´The Marlinspike Sailor.´  Will helped with supper prep tonight, mixing up a vegetarian spaghetti sauce to go with noodles.  I made yogourt to serve with granola for Susan´s birthday breakfast tomorrow morning.  We spotted porpoises again today, always beautiful to watch. Tonight after supper dishes, I went into the hold to gather up my boys for bed and I found nearly every trainee and several crew playing cards and Catan around the hold table; it was a wonderful sight.
People were squeezed tight beside each other with cards in their hand, laughing, talking, playing . . . having a good time.  Around the perimeter were other trainees chatting and looking on.  Emma and Arwen were baking mint double chocolate chip cookies and Noah was putting together steamed vanilla milk for everyone.  Simon was in amongst everyone with some cards in his hand.  He came willingly with everyone saying they would play again and cookies would be set aside for him for the morning; it really felt like one huge family supporting and enjoying each other.  This is it for today, until tomorrow, good-night, Bonice.