Awhile back, I did a post on Iron Lady’s booms and their authorized and unauthorized uses. We now have one use that falls in the “never again” category. Enroute to Suva, Deb encouraged this bird that had been hanging about to take up residence on one of the booms.
It obliged and settled in for the night.
When morning arrived 120 nautical mile later, our feathered friend was still there.
Well everybody knows what birds do – I just didn’t realize that birds do it at night while sleeping as well. And this was a rather large bird so his do do was – well – substantial. He had managed to coat the boom and the deck area under the boom. When I saw the mess, I started to rattle the lines to send our friend on his way. He refused and then proceeded to poop on Deb who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He finally yawned, stretched his wings and took off leaving us to deal with his poop.
Once at anchor, Steve put his training on the yards on square riggers to good use and washed off the rest of the poop on the boom.
Going forward, birds will be strictly prohibited from taking up residence on the booms (or any where else on the boat).