Crew Blog

Mother watch on Jamaica

06 December 2007

Woken up at 0700 by Bernard, my co-mother for the day. It’s eggs for breakfast. They’re kept in a cubby hole by the mast, and the first challenge of the day is to manoeuvre them through the heeling boat and into the galley. Ideally we’ll scramble them in the galley, rather than on the way. We try to feed the people coming off watch first, in the saloon, so they can go to sleep. The on-watch have theirs ‘alfresco’.

Washing up is done in salt-water, then rinsed in fresh. There’s an art to stacking the plastic crockery to drain, the position dependent on the relative tack. But we still struggle with ‘self-stacking bowls’, and mugs making a bid for freedom as the boat lurches. Before the washing up is done, there’s a call for hot drinks on deck. The request for mocha latte is met with a pointed reminder that this isn’t Costa Coffee. They can have a cup of builder’s tea like everyone else.

There’s cleaning that can be done now before lunch. We start with the heads and then move onto the living areas.

The menu plan says soup and bread for lunch. Bernard makes two loaves, but just as they’re put in the oven there’s a call for a sail change on deck. We get kitted up and go up to help the on-watch. Obviously get sent straight to the foredeck to help pull the sail down, and are soaking wet by the time we make it back to the galley. Lunch is delayed, but goes down well with the hungry crew. More washing up.

For an afternoon treat, we bake some Smartie cookies. Nothing like trying to buy friends. There’s another round of drinks on deck, followed by more washing up.

As a special treat for mothers, I get to wash my hair – the first time in 10 days. Bliss. Bernard doesn’t have any hair to wash.

Dinner preparations are made interesting by the 20-30 degree angle of the boat. Lamb curry and rice is fairly straight forward, until the boat lurches to starboard and a fair amount of curry disappears down the back of the hob. The idea of pineapple upside down cake isn’t one of my best. There’s no flat surface to put the uncooked mixture on, the baking oven isn’t on a gimble, and so very shortly there’s cake mixture all over the floor, my legs and up the side of the oven.

Just as we’re ready to serve, there’s a call for another sail change. This time we’re not needed as both watches are up, but dinner is delayed by almost an hour. Luckily the rice is still edible. Manage not to spill too much whilst serving up. Steep climb up from the galley to the saloon – one hand grabbing at railings, the other balancing a plate. Start a human chain so we don’t have to mobilise and balance food at the same time. Once the cake is hidden under custard is all gets eaten. The trick is to serve hot food to hungry crew – then they’ll eat anything.

The slops bucket is emptied over the side, the rubbish stowed in the lazarette, and, of course, the washing up done. A final round of drinks on deck, and at 2200 we’re off duty. The best treat of all is the promise of a whole night of unbroken sleep. Provided, of course, we’re not needed for anything…

Claire