Well then...

I'm back. Really, empathically did not want to leave, but there was no space on the next voyage... so trudged home. The ground still moves funnily under my feet. I want to go back to the ship and never get off again, I think.

More coherent stories will probably follow at some point when it is all a little less huge in my mind.

Suffices to say I had a tremendously fun time, climbed all the way up the mast, did all the fun things that involve sailing a squarerigger...

Like being out on the yards in all weather, seeing dolphins, hauling on lines, easing out others, coiling and putting up falls, helmed, stood lookout, stowed and unstowed the sails, raided the pantry fridge during the 0-4 nightwatch, never got seasick, shouted "two six HEAVE", manned the yards when we went into port and coordinated everybody to do a mexican wave to the watching crowd... and a lot more.

Arrow marks the spot where I touched the flag ;-)