Manning the decks were sailors...

[Maybo]

1. Manning the decks were sailors wearing spotless clothes and, squinting, the mariner could make out elaborate decorations covering the masts and railing. (Aladdin by Elizabeth Rudnick)

I don't understand the sentence structure. Is it "Sailors who wore spotless clothes manned the decks"?
And "squinting", is it referring to the mariner but not the sailors?



2. He adored waking at his leisure and doing what he wanted with the day, answering to no one but himself and his family. (Aladdin by Elizabeth Rudnick)

Does "the day" mean the present time? He enjoyed the present time?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

1. Manning the decks were sailors wearing spotless clothes and, squinting, the mariner could make out elaborate decorations covering the masts and railing. (Aladdin by Elizabeth Rudnick)

I don't understand the sentence structure. Is it "Sailors who wore spotless clothes manned the decks"?
And "squinting", is it referring to the mariner but not the sailors?

Yes, You do understand the sentence!

2. He adored waking at his leisure and doing what he wanted with the day, answering to no one but himself and his family. (Aladdin by Elizabeth Rudnick)

Does "the day" mean the present time? He enjoyed the present time?

It means he wanted to enjoy the day, starting when he woke up and continuing through the day. He liked getting up whenever he wanted to and doing whatever he wanted all day long.

The day means, literally, the day. The whole day. The entire day.

 

[Maybo]

Is #1 using inversion?
Is "with" a fix preposition in sentence #2? Can I replace it with "in"?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Is #1 using inversion?

Yes.

Is "with" a fixed preposition in sentence #2?

I don't know. Grammar is not my department.

Can I replace it with "in"?

No. We don't do things in our days. We do things with our days.

- You: What did you do with your day?

- Me: I spend the day confusing English students!

You can also say:

- What did you do today?
- How did you spend the day?