Unfortunately, all shipmates must end their tour of duty. Thus we are loosing our "cookie", Constance. Constance joined the Nina in Davenport, Iowa for a two month tour. It is my understanding that "Cookie" gained control of the galley immediately. One must remember, our galley is a spacious 4 x 8 ft., that is 32 square feet with a head clearance of 5 ft. at most. Constance has provisioned the ship with food supply every week, including all requested specials and menu requests.
Our daily routine begins at 6:30 am. with the brewing coffee always prepared by Constance. Her shipmates stagger awake to fresh coffee, ever changing breakfast and a warm "Good Morning!" by our Constance. All this accomplished in a 4 x 8 ft. space in a ship which has logged over 300,000 miles and built in the same dimensions and similar materials as the original Nina. While we attempt to present the Columbus ship as original as possible to the public, we would not enjoy hard tack biscuits soaked in contaminated water for a meal. Our menu of fried egg sandwiches, steak and eggs, hot oats, apple cider, orange juice, chipped beef on a shingle, hash, and other favorites suits our taste. We are then ready to scrub the deck, hose the ship, raise our flags, bring all lines taught, and prepare for the 1,500 visitors each day .
Many days Constance prepares a lunch which she is not required to prepare. Each evening meal is a treat. We rarely eat out and many evenings the two ships, Nina and Pinta, share a crew meal. This evening we will be treated to a crayfish and shrimp boil with all the sides. Each evening our meal is ready at 6:30 typically below deck on the Nina. A hungry crew of 5 sailors can consume large quantities in short order. We do share the dish duty in order to spare Constance additional labors. We do insist she has a reward of her favorite wine or other adult beverage.
Our Constance departs the Nina tomorrow and returns to her Minnesota. She has plans to store her sailboat, help others and return to the Nina in March after dry dock repairs. Our crew may reunion before the sail across the Gulf of Mexico in Spring of 2011. I imagine Constance will be our "Cookie" as well as our shipmate. Our Constance will be missed.
Happy sailing Cookie,
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