Starting with the frustrations...
Here's Bonny pinned to the outside of the pontoons at Falmouth Haven Marina which we came into yesterday after anchoring in Falmouth Harbour on Friday evening. We did so to make provisioning easier. It did make life easier in that respect but I didn't anticipate that the strong North Westerly wind, that could blow us to Brest (being our maybe, possibly, anticipated next stop) would keep us prisoner in the Marina. It's blowing straight across us and there's no way that Bonny can turn against it from a standing start. The likelihood of us smashing the boats in front or behind us should we try, is just too awful to contemplate. The wind is due to moderate this evening but the issue is whether, if we leave then, we would carry reasonable winds to Brest or face a lengthy spell of motoring or beating.
Why Brest, given our delcared intention to head for Madeira? Well, there is currently 0 prospect of even remotely fair winds to get us across Biscay during the next week or so.
The other major frustration - now overtaken by the weather - was the delay in getting the Yellowbrick tracker back from refurbishment. It was due on Saturday but never materialised, nor did it yesterday but today it finally did. Then I had to spend an hour or so on the phone to get it set up. Finally that was achieved and it is now functioning as it should.
Before that I had to make yet another trip up the mast because on our trip round from Plymouth on Friday the wretched main halyard once again parted from the head of the mainsail undoing in an instant the hours of work with Bill a few weeks ago to re-reeve it after the initial failure last year. I can only blame myself but I was convinced I had remade the attachment securely. I can't splice so I stitched and whipped an eye in the end of the line - clearly it is not a reliable method! I didn't even try and re-reeve it this time because I knew, given previous experience that it would take ages and so this time I simply attached a spare block at the top of the mast and used that. The halyard is now attached with a bowline with the end whipped down so in theory at least it cannot work lose🤞
While I was up there I removed the latest AIS antenna which we have now mounted on the stern. The instrument still says it's not working even though it clearly is transmitting some sort of signal because it's being picked up on Marine Traffic. Back to the need for some real world testing.
Another frustration is our continuing inability to get our two satalite devices to talk to eachother for the purpose of downloading weather information whilst at sea! More faffing about lies ahead on that score!
On a brighter note, as we approached Falmouth on Friday evening, I picked up my good pal George (whom I first met in 2019 whilst undertaking the Jester Baltimore Challenge in Arctic Smoke) on AIS. George sails a beautiful wooden boat 'Good Report' and was awarded the Ocean Cruising Club's Seamanship medal last year in recognition of his efforts in going to the aid of a fellow Jester in the Jester Azores Challenge in 2021. He helped his rudderless fellow Challenger some 300+ miles from mid ocean to the port of Pria da Vitoria, Terceria, Azores, by towing him under sail (often having to deal with gale force winds) when he could make no progress without his rudder.
So George and his faithfull dog Kelpie joined us on board for a hearty dinner of Pasta Carbonara, cooked by Mick. We caught with eachother's news and swapped sailing yarns and generally had a thoroughly enjoyabe eveing.
On Saturday the wind howled and the rain pissed down all day and so we stayed put at Anchor. I also made contact with old sailing friends Steffanie and Peter whom I met for the first time in Albufeira when I bought Bonny in 2020. So on Monday after we had moved into the Marina they visited from their new home in Truro and we once again had a great time. Unfortunately I neglected to take any photos to mark the occasion. Steff very kindly bought Cornish Pasties for all of us for lunch.
Later, after yet more boat jobs, Mick and I went out with George and Kelpie for an excellent Fish and Chip supper.
Today, there's been more jobs and provisioning and now we're waiting for the wind to abate sufficiently to enable us to get off this dam pontoon and possibly head for Brest!
Stoppress: we have just left Falmouth and hope to cross Biscay but may have to divert to the French Brittany coast. Tracker is on 6 hour intervals.
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