Day twelve

Day twelve

We sailed all night I was on helm again and standby just the usual rotation throughout our watch period. There are four physical positions, helm, standby, lookout, and safety rounds. Helm is in charge of the ships course and we steer by an electronic compass. Standby helps the helmsman steer, in rough seas and heavy air the rudder can be quite difficult to handle and needs a second [air of hands its also nice to have someone to talk to while you’re back there :P  Lookouts’ job is just as it sounds he or she stands on the bow and watch’s the horizon for other boats, land, and any other dangers. To inform the helm of any obstacles there is a Sorlandet brass bell on the bow. One ring is for starboard, two for port, and three for dead ahead. After you ring the bell you are to stand in clear view and point with both arms at the obstacle until safety rounds acknowledges the ship or danger, with a corresponding ring from the aft Sorlandet bell. If safety rounds cannot identify the obstacle he will come up to the bow to converse with the lookout and find out what it is then report back to helm. ‘Safety rounds’ is pretty clear as well; their job is to check the ship for any dangers. The person on safety checks the ship twice every hour usually at quarter after and quarter too. ‘Safety rounds’ is also expected to keep track of time every four hours the bells reset. So every two watches since our watch’s are two hours long. The bell gets rung every half hour. So if the bell gets reset at midnight the midnight ring would be eight rings then 1230 would be one ring 1:00 two rings 1:30 three rings 2:00 four rings and so on … until 4:00 when its back to eight rings and the bell resets. When ringing the bell you ring in sets of two so 1:30 (three rings ) would be dingding … ding. The bell is also very loud so at night it takes a gentle touch or else you wake up the captain and other brew members who sleep directly below you.