Hi Barbara, yes I crew on the Spirit of New Zealand, 250 ton (GRT) Barquentine. I don't think we worry too much about pitch poling, but she did snap off her topmast once when she ran into the back of a rather large wave in a storm (I wasn't on board at the time).

By te way I suppose I should have defined "Bitter end" above or I'll have Kat after me again, stropping her claws on my jeans.

Bitter end = the ultimate / final bit, derives from the end of the line/warp/hawser made fast to the bitts, to stop it disappearing over the side.

Pete M