The watchsystem

24 April 2013

Written by Alice: “The watch system of the crew differs from ours. The crew is divided in two groups and work for 6 hours and then they rest for 6 and so on. We, the trainees are divided into three groups and we follow the so called ‘Swedish’ model. This means that between 8PM and 8AM there are three watches of four hours and during daytime two watches of six hours.
During our watch we do whatever there is there to do on a historic sailing shop. You need someone to steer the ship, to set and adjust the sails (and someone that makes fresh coffee once in a while). Besides the sail handling and steering there is of course a lot of maintenance. This is only possible if the ship is a bit stable. Wietske, Kirstin and I took turns on repairing two sails. There is always something to paint and if it rains there is work to do in the engine room. During our ocean crossing of more than a month you also produce a lot of waste. This has to be sorted out and made as small as possible. We rinse the plastic and cut it up into small pieces, we smash cans with a hammer and then we stow it away in garbage bags. The food remains we throw overboard.
Sometimes there are also special chores like checking the lights on the life jackets.  And I am sowing a new cover for the anchor bell. But during your watch it is also possible that you only sit and wait on standby with a good book.
Another consequence of the changing watches you sleep and wake up on different times and all sense of time is gone. For that matter we also have no idea about what is going on in the world. For now I don’t mind at all but I am looking forward to seeing my loved ones again in a few days.”