Tea and Taxes

Aug 29
Ostinato left the Scillies this morning in strong winds and overcast skies. Because of tides, while today wasn't the best wind day, it was the best tide day if Ostinato and Alchemy (friends of Maxie) were going to make the run to Falmouth in daylight. We had big seas and wind between 25 and 35k the entire trip. At times, Ostinato screamed along at 12k thanks to a little help from the current. I heavily medicated to prepare for the trip and miraculously was not seasick.....too busy holding on.

Once in Falmouth harbor we found a spot to anchor hoping to sidestep the pricy mooring balls. First try, we ended up too close to another boat so decided to take another go at it. In pulling up our chain, we discovered it had become tangled with someone else's chain that had been left behind and lost our boat hook getting out of the mess. The 2nd one to take a dive since we left home. Once reanchored, a neighboring boat called over to advise us we would need to move by 6:30 a.m. as we, along with them, we're in the big ship channel. No rest for the weary.

Bright and early, King lassoed a mooring ball on the first try. While quite pleased with ourselves we had already decided it was time to fork over some hard cash for the mooring ball knitting needle thingy guaranteed to whip your lines through the tiny hole on the top of the mooring ball without loss of temper by captain or crew.

The next few days was spent sightseeing and looking for free wifi. The process requires us to have a cup of tea so we can get the wifi name and password to see if it matches any of those accessible from the boat. After 4 days of this King finally bit the bullet and purchased wifi. It was time to chat with the IRS since as good Americans we had procrastinated right up to the final days to file our income taxes (not that our departure gave any time to attend to mundane things like taxes).



Kingsley I

I've included a few pictures below.  The rainbow followed a downpour during our crossing from the Scillies.   Our final night in the anchorage the Tall Ship, Tecla from the Netherlands, anchored next to us. She had just won the Tall Ships race in Ireland. Also, the small Ferry is the "Kingsley II". I finally got a picture of her just before leaving. So here is Kingsley I and below is # II.

Sept 6
Left Falmouth late morning. What little wind there was, was on our nose so we motor sailed the short 20 miles to Fowey (pronounced Foy...beats me). So you ask, just how calm was it? We cranked up the washing machine and did laundry, arriving in Fowey with laundry hanging from the life lines and the sheets. Once in the harbor, King attached Ostinato onto a mooring ball the size of a tractor tire. We are talking a serious mooring ball. Our new super duper mooring ball grabber did its trick and we were off in a flash in search of fish and chips. Fowey's are currently runner up with the best still found at the pier in Baltimore. Lots more yet to sample.

Sept 7
Planned on leaving early this morning but awoke to find fog, requiring us to go back to bed. Today was once again a no wind day. Two more loads of laundry completed between Fowey and Plymouth. After tying up Ostinato to the Mayflower Marina (I would not make something like that up), we hopped the bus into downtown to do a quick tour.  Later that evening had a lovely dinner with Ellie and David who we met a few weeks ago at the marina in Cork. It was nice to reconnect.

Sept 8
Awoke this morning and decided we would be remiss if we didn't check out where King's relatives hopped on the Mayflower to sail to the U. S. (He doesn't talk about this much.) So, back on the bus in search of the "Hoe".... Yes, I kept thinking the same thing. Did I mention it was a double decker bus? My first. Anyway, we found the Mayflower Steps but no list of those aboard as was promised by the Rough Guide to England. The tourist office finally directed us to the side of a building that houses the ice cream shop. There it was, plastered on the outside wall. Not where I would of expected. Maybe they stopped for an ice cream on their way to the boat.
Ostinato was on her way again by 11:00. The sun continued to shine so the boat traffic was like an Atlanta freeway at 5:00 p.m.

No laundry today, we actually sailed a bit. By 4:30 Ostinato was attached to a mooring ball in the tiny picturesque village of Solcombe. There must be a thousand sailboats here and they all have people on them! That's what a few days of sunshine will do for ya.

We have snagged reservations in Southampton for the 14th so we are a boat with a mission. On to the east!

Ki

Netherland tallship, Telca, departs Plymouth

Pendennis Castle at Falmouth

Entering Fowey

Double Rainbow on crossing from the Scillies to Falmouth

Tall Ship Telca anchored next to us in Falmouth

 

The Kingsley II in Falmouth

Do you think we can hit one?

Falmouth Harbour

Fowey anchorage at sunrise