After our last Q&A people wanted to know more. Yesterday we received a few questions via satellite phone and email. Once again the crew sat down to give you answers.
Q. How much water did you take & what is your ration per day?
A. Our water tank holds 140 litres which we reserve mostly for cooking and washing up. We brought approximately 120 500ml bottles (60 litres) for drinking, and four 6 litre bottles to siphon from if those run out. We then carry another 60 litres on deck.
Q. Did our fisherman catch them tall in 1 day, i.e. going through a school, or does he like to catch 2 every day just to keep his hand in?
A. Thanks for the question Buster. I had a run of three days where I caught the majority (10) of my fish. Over the next ten days it has been very hit and miss and I've only managed four over that time span. My last catch was the biggest yet, a Mahi Mahi over a metre long and approximately twenty kilos that fought extremely hard. I generally keep one or two lines in the water all day and bring them in at night. For the past few days however we have been going through a lot of seaweed and I haven't had my lines out as they just get covered in it. Hopefully it will clear up soon and I'll be back to catching fish again.
Q. On cargo ships obviously balancing cargo is crucial. Did you have to plan storage carefully before setting off?
A. To a point. Both the diesel and water tanks are in the middle of the boat which keeps us quite trim. More importantly, we have to consider the amount of space on board as opposed to weight distribution. Luckily Haji has more than enough storage space for our needs.
Q. What skills do you each bring to the smooth running of the boat?
A. The Skipper is of course our leader. He brings the knowledge we need, is the most experienced, and does the navigation. Amy is second is command and is the organised one. In charge of provisioning, she's the one to go to if you need to know where something is, or how much of something is left... She devised the watch system we use and is tasked with remembering the names of other crews and boats we meet. The Bosun is tasked with the discipline and first aid on board. Whipping and amputations are his domain. He is also chief napper. Devin fixes things and is in charge of catching dinner should the food supply run out (14 fish and counting!). Our most important member of crew is Hans, the autohelm. He steers us where we are going and makes life on board much easier for the rest of us!
Q. Do you have a rota system to ensure equal division of labour?
A. We have a spectacular watch system. Day watches are four hours long and night watches are two hours. This means you get a minimum of six hours between watches, and every four days you get twelve hours without a watch! There is no rota for cooking. Three of us are very capable in the kitchen, while the Bosun prefers to wash up. Other things are shared tasks and we each chip in whenever is suits.
Thanks again for your questions everyone! We enjoyed answering them.
Haji Out