Many days are spent at sea, when off watch and not exhausted it is easy to get bored, or is it? Over the years I have taken up on various hobbies which require a few small tools and therefore occupy very little space on board and provide for many hours of pleasure and relaxation.
A hobby is an activity, interest or pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation. done during one’s own time“ (As defined by “Wikipedia”)
Once rig checks have been done and the watch handed over, at times there are six hours to kill until you next get called on deck. After lunch, especially on a fine day, why go back to your bunk? There is nearly always some small line around you can play with, and that is what we are doing. I am no expert, just a crew member with hands available, keen to do something different and learn something new…
A bracelet, a lanyard for a knife, covering an old knife handle with sennits, braid or any manner of string work.
The classic every schooner crew tries out is the “Turk’s Head” and who does not know a sailor with one on his wrist or ankle…
Many a person who has traveled to the southern hemispheres arrive in New Zealand, where they come across some of the most impressive and intricate bone carvings.
With practice it is another hobby requiring not too many tools, all small and can be worked on in stages.
I choose not to recreate the Maori carvings, but head to sea, and concentrate on improving my skills with Whales tails and other marine inspiration.
Over the years I have admired most things nautical and historical. I dreamt of whale teeth and scrimshaw, as done by the sailors onboard the great whalers of the 19th century fleets.
I also admired the amazing Napoleonic ship models displayed at the Greenwich Maritime Museum and thought to myself “This can’t be easy and it is hidden in a museum”.
Why not give it a go… as I did… just for the fun of it. This has become an on-off hobby, depending a lot on where I am and as ever on the time available to me.
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