In addition to her daily Journal entries, Jessica filled several notebooks with imaginative stories which she illustrated in full color and which served to keep us all entertained. One series in particular afforded us great pleasure—her “Creatures,” complete from A (the Alphabetabobbical Beast) to Z (the Znerrouch). The latter always left his feelings lying about in a tangled web where they were inevitably stepped on.
The worse the weather and the higher the waves the more fantastic (and friendly) became the mythical creatures who had become Jessica’s closest friends. She and Barbara were good companions as they shared work in the galley or bent together over the day’s lessons, but when Barbara—tired out after a sleepless night or just in need of an hour or two alone—retired behind the curtains of her bunk, Jessica was never at a loss. She kept herself busy and amused with reading, writing, and studying, and when the weather got too rough to continue normal activities, she quietly crawled into her bunk “to keep Mi-ke warm.” Sometimes, at night, I would pass through the dark cabin and flash a light in her direction to find her lying quiet, wide awake. She would smile and wave, and I would go about my duties, immeasurably cheered.
These days our lives as well as our outlook were regulated by one major influence: the weather. When the going was bad, we dug in and held on. When the barometer rose, our spirits rose with it and we expanded accordingly.
The great weather cycles, which flowed down out of the northwest, carried us along with them for a few days and then gradually left us behind, only to be replaced by the next. These cycles of alternating barometric highs and lows lasted roughly a week each, and their nature can best be described by brief excerpts from the log. One can begin anywhere in the cycle:
11/23. Last night under full lowers, when heavy squall hit at 1930. Kept on, after 1½ hours hard work changing sails, under mizzen, trysail and storm jib. Continued so all night. Frontal passage at 0749, with sharp squall, heavy rain, and wind shift from SE to NW. Jibed and continued E under same sails. Rain squalls passing at intervals. Barometer rising at 0600.
11/24. Good run last night, with a slowly rising barometer and slowly falling wind and sea—also good sleeping ... jib clew cringle broken.
11/25. A fine run last night—very slowly rising barometer, with wind decreasing very slowly. Under mizzen, mainsail and foresail.... All day, fast-moving, low wind clouds have been pouring out of NW, keeping the wind up, with now and then a scattered short squall. Now under all five lowers.
11/25 (Number Two). Another good run last night, barometer continuing its slow rise. Last night’s Thanksgiving dinner great success, socially and gastronomically. Menu: suimono, baked ham with raisin sauce, mashed pot., candied sweet pot., creamed mixed veg., corn bread, pumpkin pie, ripe olives, grape juice, port wine, mixed candies. Tonight another Thanksgiving dinner (since we crossed date line yesterday, through the excellent timing of the Skipper), but can hardly expect it to come up to last night’s splendor.
11/26. At 0700, wind shifted to NNE, all night a series of squalls have poured out of NW....
11/27. Same pattern as previous night ... low, fast-moving clouds, each with a rush of wind that keeps the helmsman busy—sometimes with rain. The seas are building ... the ship rides well. At 1000 put reef in mizzen and 2nd reef in main. Changed course to 100° compass. Barometer falling.