Captain Watson

55nm NE of the Western tip of Cape Cod
153 nm WSW of Yarmouth

Good Evening all,
It was a full day here on Bluenose II. We departed Charlestown Navy Yard at our assigned time of 0800 with the help of a small zodiac offered by the organizers. We rubbed the boom on the wharf a bit as we swung around which rather annoyed me but there you go, such is life. No harm done with the exception of my ego which is lightly bruised.

We turned around off the end of the wharf and set the four lowers. The crew were a bit rusty both from lack of practice and socializing last evening. At least I didn't have to do as in the old days where they would throw the crew aboard and go anchor for the night so there could be enough sober people to man the vessel. Most of my crew are underage here in the states so that is not an issue. With four lowers set we motor sailed out of Boston Harbour and into Broad Sound where we continued to crowd on sail and head off to the North.

By lunchtime we had made enough to the north and it was time to gybe over and head offshore to the east and home. That is a sentence easily written but long completed. You must remember that we are sailing with 1/2 the crew the original Bluenose would have had and that most of my crew are green. So back to gybing. First we ran back the running back stays which are wires that support the very tip of the masts. We then pulled down the fisherman staysail (1450 sq feet) clewed up (bunched up) the gaff topsails and I took the wheel as we altered course to the east. As the crew brought the jib, jumbo and flying jib across I fixed a course and then the work began for the mates and crew. The fore tops'le crew of Ryan and Amanda scampered aloft to tack over the fore and main topman Jayme shot aloft to tack the main. The crew on deck hauled the fisherman off to the port side and re rigged and reset it and the tops'le teams snarled and unsnarled their mess and reset their topsails.
An hour after I put the helm over, we were finished. Much to long... much, much to long, but they will get better!

In varying sail combinations we roared along between 9 1/2 and 11 knots. Now under the four lowers we are making an easy nine knots and ahead of most of the fleet (of tall ships heading for Halifax). As the wind goes light tonight and the first part of tomorrow morning the smaller lighter boats will pass us but we should make up for it as the wind fills in again later tomorrow and into Wednesday.

I have one funny incident to relate. As the watch changed Audrey and Keith came on deck and one at a time asked me who were the schooners to leeward of us and were they passing us or sailing in company. I reminded them they were on Bluenose II and the mate had spent her watch overhauling those boats!! They are astern of us now but making the same speed. We will see them again I'm sure.

That's all for tonight.

Best regards,
Phil Watson
Bluenose II