My last days at sea went by altogether too quickly. I did my best to appreciate every moment from sunrise through sunset and as much of the starry night that I was awake. And since I don’t sleep well aboard when the engine is running day after day, I was usually awake for two or three hours in the middle of the night. With the weather continuing to be hot and humid, finding a place to sleep on deck became quite competitive.
One night I was late going to claim my space on the cargo hatch; when I got there at 2030 it was already full. The Aloha deck was also fully occupied. The mate suggested that I sleep on the fo’c’sle head, so I squeezed into a space between the anchor chains, forward of the capstan, by lying diagonally across the deck. It was not the most comfortable place, but better than sleeping in the hot, stuffy salon. And in the morning I lay there watching a spectacularly beautiful sunrise that got better and better for about 45 minutes or longer, which I would not have seen if I had been sleeping midships. The next night I made sure I staked out my spot on the cargo hatch before 2000, and I woke up early enough to get my camera for the early morning sunrise show.
Daytime was mostly occupied with more sailmaking and other projects that involve the use of a sewing machine, such as re-upholstering a cushion for the Captain’s office and making a new Indonesia flag.
Our focus this week was on the new foresail. Working together on the quarterdeck with the sail strung up waist high on the port side, Susannah, Jill, Morgan and I stitched the wire rope onto each leech and the foot of the sail, followed by a canvas rope covering which we also stitched on. My sailmaker’s palm and pliers came in very handy for these projects.
We had our last two Rules of the Road classes on Monday and Tuesday, learning the last of the lights, shapes and sounds that are used by various vessels on international and inland waterways. After dinner we played backgammon or read or watched the amazing sunsets which seem to me to have been much better since we came into the Indian Ocean.
Wednesday, November 23rd was the ship’s official celebration of American Thanksgiving. Watches had to maintain their schedule for helm and lookout, of course, but we did not do ship’s work (no painting, sanding, ospho, rigging or sailmaking). However, we did have to “super clean” the ship in preparation for arriving in Bali. When domestics were finished in the common areas, each of us had to completely clean out our bunk. Meanwhile Joe cooked up a storm in the galley, serving a huge turkey dinner with all the fixings: stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, and more. For dessert we had apple, pumpkin and cherry pies that Brian had baked the night before, as well as strawberry shortcake which Andrea D. had requested for her birthday (Nov. 23). Nobody went hungry!
Thursday was my last day on board the ship. I spent the morning working with the sailmakers, stitching wire rope and canvas rope coverings onto the foresail. After lunch I went below to start packing my belongings for leaving the ship. I had already started the process the day before when we did the big cleaning of our bunks. Even so, it was a large undertaking and I was not nearly finished by the time we anchored in Benoa Harbor late that afternoon.
Making the Indonesian flag was a spontaneous project that arose just as we finished anchoring in Benoa Harbor. The mate realized that the Indonesian flag we had raised was rather tattered, beyond repair, and asked me to stitch up a new one. The flag is a simple design, the top half red and the lower half white, and we had the material on board. Considering all the activity on deck, I decided to set up the sewing machine in the Salon even though it was very hot and also a beehive of activity with people packing to go ashore. After several delays when we were all called on deck, first to fill in Customs cards, then for mail call…I was pleasantly surprised to receive letters and packages from home, including my favorite dark chocolate from Carl!!!...and, finally to hear an orientation to Bali, I finished sewing the flag around 1830. By 1845 I was climbing over the rail of the ship, into the skiff to go ashore.
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