# I sail on the morning tide, bound for the West Indies **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215 "2006-11-20T22:50:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/1 "2006-11-20T22:50:22Z")
I leave this week on a bit of an adventure. I’m going on a three-week sail-training trip on the [Picton Castle](http://www.picton-castle.com), a three-masted barque. We leave Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, on November 29th and sail to Grenada. I’ll be hauling sails, swabbing the deck, climbing the rigging and probably taking a turn at the helm; whatever it takes to sail a tall ship. They need us there a few days in advance to learn the ropes, literally. I’m flying out this Thursday, and I’ll have most of a day in Halifax if anyone can recommend some good restaurants or sights to see. Pictures and stories when I get back. To my poker and TAR friends, I’ll see you all in a month. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/2 "2006-11-21T01:22:16Z")
Sounds like a blast. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/3 "2006-11-21T01:44:42Z")
Have a blast RA! ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/4 "2006-11-21T01:49:53Z")
Fair winds and following seas. Always keep that camera at the ready. You just never know what you’ll see out there. ---
**Author:** ![Termite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@Termite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Termite)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/5 "2006-11-21T03:16:09Z")
As for Halifax, if you are interested in the history of the area, particularly in regards to sailing, fishing, and the Halifax Explosion (very interesting, albiet sad, story), you should check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - it’s very well done and the details about life on the water over the years really are facinating. Here’s the website - [http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/index.html](http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/index.html) - sorry I don’t know how to link to it. Sounds like a great adventure! Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/6 "2006-11-21T03:56:54Z")
Cool! I look forward to hearing about the trip. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/7 "2006-11-21T04:20:46Z")
[QUOTE=Robot Arm] They need us there a few days in advance to learn the ropes, literally. [/QUOTE] Learn the _lines_. There are no ropes on a ship or boat. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/8 "2006-11-21T04:22:13Z")
My envy meter just pegged. When you come back, teach us some sea chanties. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/9 "2006-11-21T05:42:13Z")
Whenever I hear “swabbing the deck,” I see some poor schlub who’s forced to clean the floor with Q-tips. Tell me it ain’t so! ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/10 "2006-11-21T05:54:57Z")
[QUOTE=Campion] Whenever I hear “swabbing the deck,” I see some poor schlub who’s forced to clean the floor with Q-tips. Tell me it ain’t so! [/QUOTE] Dunno about these days, but they used to use rocks. [http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.7710](http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conMediaFile.7710) ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/11 "2006-11-21T19:02:23Z")
Color me green with envy, not sea sickness. What a great experience you will have. Yes, pictures please. Are you going to sail it both there and back to NS? Or just one way? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/12 "2006-11-21T19:04:26Z")
Oh, and try to get a night trick on the helm and learn to steer by the stars. It is a great feeling and wonderful learning experience. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/13 "2006-11-21T19:28:49Z")
Thanks for all the tips and best wishes. **Geobabe**! haven’t heard from you in a long while. Hope you and the family are happy and healthy, and just generally wonderful. **tomndebb** , I know there are lines, and sheets, but doesn’t the phrase “learning the ropes” (or “showing someone the ropes”) come from sailing? [QUOTE=GusNSpot] Are you going to sail it both there and back to NS? Or just one way? [/QUOTE] Just one way. After Grenada, the ship is going to be sailing to different places in the Caribbean for a few months; possibly even through the Panama Canal and back. Some people may have signed on for the whole voyage, others for just individual legs like me. I wanted to do an ocean-sized, deep-water trip so this is just about perfect. The first few days are going to be a little chilly, though. I don’t know if I’ll get to do the whole a-tall-ship-and-a-star-to-steer-her-by thing, but the handbook they sent me said they shoot the sun with a sextant every morning and evening, so they know, and teach, traditional navigation. After the Caribbean trip, I think they’re doing a series of tall-ship festivals coming up the east coast next summer. All of which is still rather small change for them. Since the ship was outfitted for this type of sail training, they’ve done three trips around the world. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/14 "2006-11-21T19:59:06Z")
Give you joy sir! Watch out for the yellow jack and marthambles. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/15 "2006-11-22T13:20:12Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] Give you joy sir! Watch out for the yellow jack and marthambles. [/QUOTE] Hehe. And the obstinate gleets. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/16 "2006-11-22T13:58:50Z")
I’m jealous, too. I always wanted to do something like that. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/17 "2006-11-22T14:31:03Z")
“My wife’s gone to the West Indes” “Jamaica?” “No, she went of her own accord” ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/18 "2006-11-22T16:44:34Z")
Wow. That sounds like a great trip. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/19 "2006-11-30T23:49:50Z")
Just a quick check-in. One of my shipmates has a laptop and we found a hot spot in Lunenburg. I’ve been here for about a week. There’s so much to do to get the ship ready you can’t believe it. I’ve bailed the skiff, built framing and stacked food in the hold, painted the railings, cleaned the carpenter’s shop, learned my knots, mopped the salon and raised the anchor. And been up in the rigging. I’ve been to the upper topsail, which is only about halfway up the mast. The way it works is you climb up the lines from the rails of the ship, and then about 20 feet up there this overhang where you have to lean back, then climb out, up, and over. To get to the very top, you have to do it again. To go out on the yards, there’s just a rope that hangs about three feet below the yard; you put your feet on that and bend over the yard at the waist. And when you get where you’ll be for a while, you can clip in your safety belt. There aren’t many places in the world anymore where you’re just one slipped handhold away from plummeting to a bad end. I’ve got galley duty tomorrow, and we sail on Saturday, so I’ll read your replies around Christmas. Keep a good thought. I’m off to Grenada. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215/20 "2006-12-01T04:39:37Z")
[QUOTE=Robot Arm] **Geobabe**! haven’t heard from you in a long while. Hope you and the family are happy and healthy, and just generally wonderful. [/QUOTE] Every so often I think of emailing you and then forget to do it. I blame the children. Aside from a lingering cold, we’re all well. That climb into the rigging gave me the shivers, but still, such a grand adventure! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-sail-on-the-morning-tide-bound-for-the-west-indies/381215.md?page=2)