When the crew is told that the Sea Stallion is to sail the next morning, everyone tries to get to bed suitably early. For safety reasons, we have a total alcohol ban on board the Sea Stallion, both in harbour and while sailing. We also have a rule about turning up well-rested at the time of sailing.
The anchor watch rotates between the rooms. That means there is always at least one person awake on board or around the Sea Stallion the whole day. It is the job of the anchor watch to ensure that the anchor tackle holds and the anchor lantern is alight. If we are lying in port then the moorings must be inspected throughout the day, and one must be ready to talk to interested people in the harbour who want to know more about the project. In the morning, the anchor watch must make porridge and warm water at 08.00.
When we sleep in our six large land tents, they must be packed away and transported to the ship. We pack our personal stuff in at least two different, watertight haversacks. One haversack has belongings (sleeping bag, change of clothes, etc.) that we don’t need when we sail; that is packed at the bottom of the ship. The other haversack, which is easily available while we are sailing, contains woollen underclothes, cap, gloves, thick socks, rainwear, etc. The wet suit is packed separately uppermost on the floor, where we can get to it quickly.
Once all the baggage has been packed and the provisions and water have been stowed away, we are ready to sail. The skipper and coxswain agree which watch will take the first turn, whether it is the starboard or the port watch. Everyone helps to row the ship out of the harbour and raise the sail. After this, half of the crew is off duty. Unless they have to help with a reef or two extraordinarily, or row, all they have to do is to rest so they are fresh to take over four hours later. During the day, most of those off duty are awake at the start of a longer stint. But if we have sailed for more than 24 hours then they need to sleep during all of their off-duty hours.
The watches last four hours and are as follows:
- 08.00 – 12.00
- 12.00 – 16.00
- 16.00 – 18.00
- 18.00 – 20.00
- 20.00 – 24.00
- 24.00 – 04.00
- 04.00 – 08.00
Because of the two short watch periods at 16.00 – 18.00 and 18.00 - 20.00, the rhythm of the watches changes.
At lunch, each room has a box with bread and sliced meats, which they eat when it suits the sailing, but often at 12.00 between two watches. In addition, the two cooks in the galley heat water for tea and coffee. At about 16.00 all rooms send a person responsible for the provisions to help the cooks prepare the evening meal, depending on what is on the menu.
An example of the ingredients for an evening meal could be: 13 kg of meat and 13 kg of potatoes or rice. The foreship crew eat considerably more, because the foreship is the coldest and wettest place on the Sea Stallion. When the aftership crew are sitting in thin sweaters while sailing, the crew up front is wearing woollen underclothes and rainwear. As a rule, it is also the foreship crew that is hardest hit by seasickness. If there is a heavy sea and it is difficult to prepare food, then we get dry frozen food that just has to be stirred into boiling water. This contains all the vitamins and minerals, calories, etc. that we need. It’s quick and easy to eat and satisfies well.
The watch changes again at 20.00. If the weather is a little raw, we can reef the sail so the ship is quieter and we can meet the night with serenity of mind. There should preferably be hot water for the watch changes at 24.00 and 04.00. Here it can be quite cold, so we usually wear gloves and cap. If you feel very cold, you go to the midship section and ask to sit a little at the bilge pumps, so you can get warm again. If you are off duty, you should try to sleep wearing all your warm clothing, life vest, possibly rainwear, a woollen blanket and, if it is raining, a tarpaulin. The sleeping places are distributed so those off duty have somewhere to sit or lie down where they are not in way of the people sailing the ship.
For the night watches, we have a ‘night box’ in each room. This consists of coffee powder, cocoa powder, various powdered soups, biscuits, liquorice, chocolate, dried fruit and other goodies.
When the sun rises, the warmth returns and there is porridge at 08.00. Last year we ate about a ton of porridge for breakfast over nine weeks. After a portion of porridge and a cup of coffee, we are ready for yet another day on the water with the Sea Stallion.