Tiny Wannabe Sailor Girl

Today we put on some of the sails, which was pretty neat. They are wicked heavy and it took all six of us to carry them from the storage bins in the shipyard to the boat one at a time. We didn't get them all on, but we got a few! I learned a little bit about where things go and what different parts are called. Don't ask me to tell you now - I've forgotten. I've also learned that it is handy to carry my knife with me everywhere so as to cut things that need cutting, and that I need to tie a rope to it and fasten it to my pants so as not to lose it. Important things. I also learned that sometimes it's just better to let other people handle the heavy-lifting. Basically I'm really little to be trying to hoist sails and holding large pieces of canvas tight while someone else ties them down, and my knots don't stay because I can't tie them tight enough ... bummer. So I've been painting instead! Lots. Oiling this some more ... one more coat tomorrow makes five coats of Teak Oil on the main cabin. Sanding, priming, and painting this so that it's nice and white. As white as it will get. And trying my best to follow directions and hold onto things while the wind tries to rip them out of my tiny wannabe sailor girl hands. I would prefer petite, but let's just face it - I'm not a very big person. This makes a lot of things on a schooner difficult and cumbersome, but I just try to stay out of everyone else's way as best as I can.

I did, however, learn that I can keep a wood stove going! I started a fire in it all by myself this morning and kept it going all day! This is just the beginning. Tomorrow we paint the stove ... why? Because it looks pretty that way. Funny, you say ... yes, I agree. It's a blessed wood stove named Bertha, but evidently she wants to look her best for the passengers, so I shall do my best to paint her since that's what I do best on this boat! Painting!!! Oh, and oiling too.

Here are some pictures of the Schooner Heritage ... it's not finished being re-painted/oiled/etc for the passengers, but she's a pretty boat!

This is the side of the boat ... Keith, one of the deck hands painted the name on the side.

One of the smalls boats that we carry along with us ... I don't remember her name.

The top of the main cabin - the galley is pretty much directly below this - and I've oiled the heck out of this thing ... one more coat tomorrow!!!

These are the steep ladder-like steps that I climb up and down to get to where I'm sleeping. Fun!