Sudden change in the wind!
After motoring against a north wind for a long time, suddenly, the winds begin blowing from the South.
Everything gets crazy as people are called on deck. I’m sent aloft with several others and ordered to loosen the gaskets and unfurl the sails. To do this it’s necessary to go up the mast then balance yourself on a single strand of rope and move horizontally along one of the yards which carries the sails. It's a very insecure feeling!
Throwing the top half of my body over the yard and reaching for the gaskets feels like I'm going to be propel over the top and fall onto the deck to a sure death!
The ship is see-sawing again and before reaching down I pause a moment to watch the bow crash into the water a hundred feet below me ... and to ask, "How did I get myself into this?"
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Three whales swam by today. They seemed to be investigating us. Captain Blake said, "Maybe they think the Endeavour is their mum". One of the crew members also caught a shark in his fishing line and brought it aboard. I'm very exhausted today ... hauling sheets, easing clews, bunts and reefs. Also had to scrape tar from the floor of the deck ... and cleaned and scrubbed the sleeping quarters. It's dark now. Very starry night. The Milky Way is super bright over the quiet ocean water, and everyone is philosophizing about the origin of galaxies.
Then ANOTHER change in weather! Panic to re-set the sails! Rain! Slippery deck! Difficult to hear commands. The ship begins heeling to the port side. I'm ordered back aloft to gather up the sails. No opportunity to say, "I don't want to!" They'd be a-talkin' of keel-hauling me if I said that.
Back on deck I'm bumping into people and getting in everyone's way. It's hard work just to stand upright. I can't remember the difference between bunts and clews.
TWO-SIX, HEAVE! TWO-SIX, HEAVE!
BELAY THE ROPES!
I love my hammock! Can't wait to go to sleep. We're
now about 70 miles off shore when my eyes close.
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