Kalinka1's Adventure: Newly to Falmouth #2

Newlyn to Falmouth. Learning how to Sail again part 2 or I pushed the wrong button!

Saturday May 11 2019.

0600. I’m up doing the usual getting the tea kettle on checking the weather and stuff. The kettle whissssssssstles steam rises, Sally gets up and by 0700 we’re underway on a clear bright morning with flat seas.

0950 We do what we havn’t done since last year! Nope not that or whatever else you might be thinking! We shut the engine off!! Whooooopie Sailing just plain old no engine sailing What a change! Just the sound of the sea gurgling by and the noise of the wind. Perfect just perfect.

We managed to sail all the way to Falmouth 40 miles in 4 and a bit hours.

We got a pontoon at the Falmouth Marina and spent 6 days there doing the touristy stuff checking out the sights took the train back to Penzance to see the pirates but there wer’nt any not even a pretend or stuffed one! Nice town though interesting architecture and stuff. I also replaced the bow navigation light as the old one had corroded into uselessness.

A fine sail no hassles no break downs. Just a perfect trip.

We entered the harbour and found a space on the visitors pontoon at the Town marina.

We spent six days in and around Falmouth. One afternoon at the marine museum where in the basement you can look out on the underwater scene in the harbour! There were also 2 very large over 100 footers being outfitted at the boatyard. We couldn’t get close enough to really see them but they were big. The booms were longer than Kalinka 1 and probably worth more! We also took the train back to Penzance as we wanted to see the pirates but no such luck. Also took the bus out to Newly to purchase a replacement bow light as the old one had self destructed from corrosion(chinese made). When we were in Ireland in Waterford I had checked all the Nav lights Mashead and deck everything worked. When I checked again at the boatyard the masthead wasn’t working! The day before we left Sean using the cherry picker checked out the light and changed the bulb no luck so a bad connection somewhere. The bow light was working so we left figuring we would get the mast head working on the way(no joy). We left Waterford for the crossing to the Scilly’s and of course at sunset when I turned on the lights nada, nothing, zip, no bow light! (&%$#_@#$!) Bahhh, Beegeebbbuss. Etc etc. So we continued with the steaming and stern light alone good thing for ais as it told anyone interested what our course was. Up to this point we had not seen another boat, As soon as we realized we were short a couple of lights there were other boats all over the place! Stress levels went up!

We bought a replacement in Newly returned to Falmouth where I replaced the light. Of course the new one was slightly different from the old so nothing fit the same! Sally went to do laundry or something. Maybe it was learning a new language? So got the light mounted. Didn’t work! So took it off and tested it below and it worked! Ha I figured a bad connection somewhere. I cut the wire at the next connections corroded changed still doesn’t work! Grrrrr! Went to the next. grrrrrrrrrrrrr@#$% and the next GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!@#@$%^%$. So then I went under the v berth rummaged around and couldn’t find enough wire to change it all Grrrrrr to the 10^th. Off to a chandlery bought a bunch of wire then spent a large portion of the day fishing the new wires into the pulpit. I guess I forgot to mention that all the wires were inside the pulpit tubes! Any how eventually got it all done and????????????????????????

It worked. Now of course since all that we haven’t sailed at night and haven’t needed lights!