Research Should be such Fun!

I came across an amusing Tweet about research on Twitter a few days ago which, judging by the number of likes and retweets, struck a chord with many.
It made me smile and think about the fun one has and the interesting and useless facts one might learn which bear no relevance to the topic being researched.

Here's the Tweet From @MeredithIreland:- 'Researching for a book is like going to Target. It starts with laser precision and then an hour later you're looking at cat beds and you don't have a cat'

However, sometimes research can be just plain fun. I am writing a novella, which I plan to publish 'permafree' on Amazon. It involves pirates/smugglers and sailing ships.

Never having been on a sailing ship (can't even recall that I've been on a yacht) I was concerned about my ability to invoke the true atmosphere of such a vessel. It had not actually occurred to me that I could do something about this lack of experience (beyond googling my way happily through the Cyber-Target of the Internet) until my husband was researching things to do up north for our recent short holiday.
He rather fancied a day out on the R. Tucker Thompson, a replica schooner sailing out of Russell in the Bay of Islands.


Here's a couple of links -  http://tucker.co.nz/  or  http://tucker.co.nz/about-us/our-people/  just in case you want to try it for yourself.

The tourist day trips fund the youth development program run by the Trust that operates the ship.
And here's a shot of the R. Tucker Thompson in full sail, taken from a postcard.

Looks like the Pirate has taken over!

We had a beautiful day for our trip but we never got the topsails up. Nevertheless, it was a glorious experience. I also was able to check out the elegant woodwork and very close confines below deck. I wasn't keen to try sleeping in a bunk. There was definitely no room to sit up. But I was impressed with the compact arrangement of everything.
(Apologies for my inability to arrange these photos any better. They were not particularly cooperative!)

The Captain looks the part.
Plotting our course on his cellphone?

Steering was fun!

 

Bunks

Saloon. Cosy. 

Chynna in the galley.

Trying to imagine being up there in a storm!

Lots of rope on a sailing ship!

Battleship (Rock) ahead. Who gets right of
 way?  :)

Anchored at an island for lunch.

Fascinated by how you can see the weather out at sea.

Visitors capped off a perfect day.