It’s 1900 hours our time, our position is 49 degrees 55.9’, 005 degrees 19.7’, which is 5 miles SW of the Lizard. We just spent an hour doing sailing drills, tacking six times with four lowers plus foretopsail and main gaff topsail. Perfect conditions, breeze about 15 kt NNW, no sea. It was great fun, and I think everybody learned from the chance to repeat the same evolution several times in succession, with time to explain what was going on. We were tacking through 110 degrees, making about six degrees leeway, and over 6 kt boat speed, which is pretty good sailing close hauled.

We anchored last night in the Scilly Isles, at 49º 57.9’ N X 006º 20.4’W, between Tresco and Bryher Island in a very tight harbor, about two hundred yards from a castle that was built by Oliver Cromwell, after he deserted the now-ruined castle at the top of the hill that was built by King Charles, directly under Hangman Island where according to our tourist guide the resident monks in day beheaded 150 pirates in pursuit of their “zero tolerance” policy on piracy. The students had a good run on shore, and all returned with heads still attached.

Comments (0)