Audaciter - Blessing for Voyage

Gordon's yachtmaster companion Gareth has finally begun his ocean odyssey ~ Audaciter slipped her moorings early this morning.

Audaciter had been 'up the valley' in Mylor for the last week alongside 'Salmo Salar' the wooden prototype to my father's Moody 40 Delfin Salar . You can just see Salmo at the edge of the photo. It is curious how weavings of history seem to happen - this sailing history which is a strong part of our family DNA.

Audaciter's rudder was being renewed. The tradewind 39, also, has a new mast, rigging and sails after dismasting at the beginning of her trip last year. She has been delayed by 12 months.


But this has given us an opportunity to become acquainted with her and to get to know her new owners and crew - Gareth, Phil and Dicken.

While awaiting launching it was possible to pray blessings for her and her crew - for a safe voyage and pilgrimage. May the Lord bless them all ~

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ
The light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ to you.

We will be following her blog with interest.

Afloat

Ivor's Lawley Tender


She sits neatly on the water, and has a grace that arises from both craftsmanship and design.
Her owners have named her Zephyr - a light Easterly wind. Appropriate name for a tiny vessel that glides almost effortlessly over the water.

Bless this Boat

Two years of training at the IYRS in Newport RI has finally come to fruition. Patience in abundance, hours of fun and loads of new skills have been honed. Today this pretty Lawley Tender has been blessed and launched. Ivor and his current workmate Beattie have put in four or five hundred hours from March to today.



Her intricate design has been augmented with beautiful finishing touches - inset brass fittings, hand made screws and layers and layers of varnish add to the overall beauty.

A good day to launch with some family - to celebrate good friends around along with a bottle of champagne and a laurel wreath courtesy of the owners! Bless this boat and all her journeying.

Fog and No Papers - Saturday

The papers did not arrive on the island today. The reason given - the fog across. It seems the Ben My Chree was turned back from Heysham last night, having approached the harbour, and waited for the fog to lift. Instead of lifting the fog worsened, so the Ben returned to her home port, Douglas (without papers, I guess).

We've had a truly beautiful day here, with clouds hovering along the horizon and over the mountains. Without the papers to distract, it has been lovely to be able to potter, get on with things and to think and pray.


Update ~ Sunday arrived and so did two lots of papers. Hubby almost swamped by newsprint!



http://www.shipsofmann.org.uk/Ben-My-Chree%20VI%20First%20Ten%20Years.htm

Under Construction

There has been the first fall of snow out in Newport, which has melted, but there will be more soon. It's heads down in IYRS. The first years are working on their Beetlecats, here is Ivor and Matts boat they built last year.
The Chris Craft, one of the second year restoration projects, is coming along and you can follow the progress on the IYRS blog at http://iyrs.org/EducationalPrograms/InsideIYRSBlog/tabid/552/Default.aspx

Newport is a long way from home, and although I found it very challenging to let my youngest son go to school so very far away, I was sure that IYRS would be crucial in his education. This has been borne out in his commitment and achievements in boatbuilding. He may have many GCSE's and three A levels, but he is finding his hidden talent - he has always wanted to build boats.

Each one of us have inate gifts - it's important to find out what they are. Our education system sometimes enables that discovery, and sometimes misses it by miles. If you are dyslexic, your talents will often be broad, but sometimes hidden. One teacher I encountered as our boys were growing up, was a specialist dyslexic tutor. His belief was that dyslexics are very bright, some are brilliant, they just think in a different way. He had a saying - Dyslexics Change the World. They have an inate ability to think outside the box.

When I was at school, my dyslexia was unnamed. I was regarded as average, and the word blindness made it terrifying for me. Eventually as I left I was told to marry well, and advised that my limited achievements meant I shouldn't go onto further education. Twenty years later, when computers were an essential tool in the dyslexics armoury, I was accepted at Theological College! I had married well, raised a family and then with so much behind me I had courage to step out.

Self Skippering

While we are again being battered by the weather, Gordon and other yachtmaster tutees are out in Intuition of Boss in the Solent, a Westerly Fulmar. This time they are without a professional skipper and are in full charge of the vessel. Each on board will take the role of skipper to put hours on their logs.

Without much wind, they set out under engine power and waited for the wind to increase.

For Christmas, I've bought Gordon The Shell Channel Pilot and a number of charts for the region. I've sent down the two Solent charts for his use, but will hang onto the Pilot as it'll cost quite a bit to send. I must confess that I don't know that part of the south coast well. Using the Pilot, we can follow the journey. Last night was spent up the Medina River at the Folly Inn. Here, three pints were accompanied by whitebait, scampi, mash and peas. They tottered back on board along the legendary long narrow gangplank!

With Gordon at the helm, they slipped at 7.30 this morning and continued into the Solent. Later picking up a buoy in Portsmouth to clear up breakfast and change skipper. Much of today is about practising pilotage, and there's still not much wind.

http://www.pub-explorer.com/hampshire/pub/follywhippingham.htm
Picture from Westerly Owners Association site is of a Fulmar 32.

Where is your refuge?

Recently, I was asked where would be my place of refuge. Perhaps, it's an easy question to answer when we have the Tower of Refuge in Douglas Bay.

In around 1824, Sir William Hillary conceived the idea of a life boat service manned by a trained crew. This idea was the fore runner of our RNLI. The tower was built on Coniston Rock, after Hillary had been washed overboard from a lifeboat, when trying to save a Steam Packet vessel. He already knew the waters of the Irish Sea were dangerous and he discovered the distance to the shore was too far to swim. The tower gave shipwrecked survivors a refuge, equipped with fresh water and bread, while awaiting their rescue.

For someone brought up near the sea, and loving many kinds of boats, it's a classic sailing boat that I would consider my refuge. There is something comfy and purposeful about how some boats are laid out below decks. Secure accessible stowage is essential, everything has its own particular place, so that it won't go missing, get broken or cause damage if left lying about. I do remember going over an old folk boat, some years ago, which had its own tiny woodburning stove, very cosy.

It's also possible to batten down the hatches from below in inclement weather and if the weather is violent, then the sea anchors could be used. Although, the safest place to be in a boat in bad weather is, of course, in a harbour.

We have a Maritime Artist on the Island called Nicola Dixon, whose compositions are delightful, quirky and I love them. She also has connections with IYRS in Newport RI, as do we! With her permission - here is one of her pictures of the outer Castletown Harbour.

http://www.nicoladixon.com/

Delfin Salar

Inspiration of Boss is in East Cowes tonight. I think they left St Helier and moved to St Peter's Port before making the dash across the Channel.

One boat from my childhood was Delfin Salar, a Moody. The name Delfin was chosen because of the gracious way dophins glide through the water. As boats' names are registered it's important not to have duplicates. Dolphin was already used, and so the Spanish name was chosen. We had stayed in Delfin Playa Hotel in Majorca in the early 60's.

Delfin was the first Salar made of fibreglass and was in the Boat Show, at Earls Court in the 1966. One of her visitors to that show was Princess Margaret. Leaving her mark on the companionway with her stiletto. All who go on board know the importance of correct footwear. Perhaps that wasn't a priority then. I would love to know where Delfin is now.

First Encounter

I have been asked by the son at sea to record some of our nautical history.

One of my earliest sailing memories is of Acorn, here on the mud in Woolverstone. There was also a workboat called Pip, but I have yet to find any photos of her. Dad owned the boatyard and park at Woolverstone. As a tiny child Acorn seemed big, but she was dwarfed by all the barges on the river.

There was an old chap, who lived on one of the boats that was laid up in the yard, who was of great interest to little people. I think he gave us a drink and cake. Along with my sister and friends Dena, Dawn and Darrel we would visit him. Remarkably his companions were budgies!

Just found this ancient chart. I'll post some more images as I find them.

Just love the sea.
It is in the DNA.
One son doing his Yachtmaster, the second is crew on Fair Do's VII, a Far 46 racing yacht, which was in the British Team that won the Commodores' Cup last year, and the third is at IYRS Newport RI.

http://www.iwight.com/home/news/2008/june/commodores_cup/default.asp
http://www.fairdoscharters.co.uk/
http://www.iyrs.org/

Yachtmaster update

Yesterday afternoon I blogged that our elderst son was on his way across the channel. Well here is an update of his progress. Last night they were heading the tide down the Solent, and weren't getting anywhere. Before reaching The Needles they received a severe gale force warning, so they ducked into Yartmouth for the night.

This morning and went to catch the tide out, and the weather warning is again for gales so turned around and and into Lymington, they are now waiting for the gale to blow through might make a bolt for Alderney. He is onboard Sigma 38 Inspration of Boss (British Offshore Sailing School): http://www.boss-sail.co.uk/

Currently he's drinking tea and eating Jamaica Ginger Cake!

Enjoyment

Always been one who enjoys adventures. Taking the plunge earlier this week and launching this blog was exhilarating and nerve racking at the same time. I have found myself going back to the settings and changing and rearranging the material. Have been following a number of blogs and there are some that are quite awesome, others are a mixture of witty, funny, insightful, deep, light, political, artistic, satirical, beautiful, inspirational and much more.

This little girl enjoyed being on the water and loved that tangy salty air. She also enjoyed collecting things, but I can't remember what I'd put in my much loved basket. Whenever life has been tough, the seaside has been restorative and, as for collecting things, well ...