Night Watch

So it is 11:20 EST on Sunday. We passed into Quebec waters not long ago as we approach Gaspe. My cell phone has switched time zones and that is why that although my night watch does not start for another 40 minutes, I am typing out a blog post on my BlackBerry in my darkened cabin as I cuddle under the covers rather than catching a few more winks of sleep.
The wind calmed considerably this morning as did the seas so we set out from the friendly little marina of Richibucto around 9am. I was on first watch. The wind was light and on our nose so we motored. It was an uneventful day. We saw a few fishing vessels in the distance and the odd bird, but that was it. We were too far off land to even see that.
Jay and Owen tried their hand at fishing to occupy themselved. Of course the most caught was a few pieces of seaweed. The day was sunny and generally pleasant though we still needed layers of clothing. The Carribean it is not!
Earlier this evening I was to watch from 6 to 9pm AST. At 9, Owen had not yet appeared to relieve me so I called down to him. A few minutes later he arrived on deck and I went below to crawl into our bunk where Jay was already sleeping. I barely moved when Jay left the bunk for his turn at watch at 11:00pm AST. But a few minutes ago I was awoken from sleep, convinced Owen had been knocking on my door that I was overdue above.
I sat up with a start and grabbed my cell to see why my alarm had failed to go off. A message said a new time zone was detected. I clicked ok and tried to wipe the sleep from my fuzzy brain, leaping to the conclusion this is why my alarm failed. I droipped my phone and struggled to find my clothes and change out of my PJs. The overhead light refused to turn on so I scrambled in the dark, knowing that the light from the cabin is a signal to the person on watch that their relief is coming. Feeling badly I couldn't signal I was awake and knowing shouting was futile over the engine, I groped in the dark for my multiple layers. I contemplated sticking my head out to assure everyone I was awake, but I really don't know Owen well enough to appear before him in my pink long johns so I scrambled on.
After I was semi decent I opened the cabin door to find it dark. Owen was curled under his sleeping bag. I quickly identified the cause of the cabin light not working, the breaker had been flipped off. I opened the hatch to assure Jay I was coming. At which time he pointed out he had only been on watch an hour! Not two as I had assumed. I had only dreamed Owen waking me, he had been asleep for an hour!The time change had really tripped up my sleepy brain. Of course now I am awake. Soon it will be my turn on the helm under the starry night sky. A beautiful evening, yes, but I will still need my tuque. I wonder if Owen accounted for the time change when he set his alarm to replace me in a few hours?
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry