Heather's Experiences of Crewing on a yacht

Rain and ZZZZZ`s

A deep sleeper I was back then.  We called it Rain Watch, as it typically rained a bit at night during the summer in the Virgin Islands. All the crew members rotated shifts, and it was my turn again. Damn! I needed a good night’s sleep.  I thought I just did it a couple of nights ago, I tried to reason, I tried to swap my shift, it didn’t work.  Night fell, I packed up my blankets and went on deck. I laid down and almost fell asleep when a faint drizzle started. The job of crew on rain watch duty was to close all the hatches to the guest rooms, as the hatches were typically above the beds of the guests and left open for ventilation.  I got up and closed the hatches, and just as I closed the last one, it stopped raining. Decisions, decisions, it was going to be one of those nights where the rain was on and off. I opened them all up again to give the guests some fresh air.  I laid down and tried to sleep, and awakened with rain on my face, swiftly I grabbed my blankets, threw them on the galley floor of the deckhouse, ran around to all hatches and closed them. I was the walking dead. Fighting to keep my eyes open, while it rained, I paced inside the deckhouse, knowing this rain was going to be temporary.  A half hour later, it stopped, happily I went around to all the hatches and quietly opened them. Thank you God, its finally time to sleep.  I eagerly arranged my blankets on the galley floor (I was supposed to be outside on the deck) but the deck was wet. Ok, I`m a girl, these things bother me, I would like at least a bit of comfort. I laid on my back with my feet uncovered sticking out the door. I told myself that I would wake up when I feltl the rain on my bare feet, yeah right !  You know what`s going to happen, you`re right, I got caught. There I was laying on my back, snoring to a symphony, my bare feet cold and soaked and being kicked by the Captain.  Caught!  'What are you doing in here it`s raining and I just shut all the hatches'.  He told me to go to bed and that he would do it.  I didn't argue, my bunk was waiting and I was a zombie.  Lucky for me, he didn`t bring it up the next day.  I hate rain watch.

Did I tell you about the time when I awoke at 3am to the sound of shouting , clanging anchor chains and feet running up and down the deck. I wasn`t on rain watch that night, thank God, but I was told that all the activity had been occurring for a half hour already before I got up and asked 'What`s happening' . The ship had moved, we were a mile from our original anchor. The winds were strong and the anchor did not hold and we dragged the anchor. I am so glad it wasn`t my rotation on rain watch that night. Yes, I am a deep sleeper, didn't I already mention that?