REVELATIONS

Contents:

• Editorial
• News
• "Mayday, Mayday!"
• "High hopes, high seas and soggy bunks"
• Thought for the quarter

EDITORIAL

Welcome to this new edition of Revelations. The big news at the moment is Morning Star’s participation in the trans-Atlantic Tall Ships Race. I therefore make no apologies for it filling most of this newsletter.

If you have not yet planned your holidays this summer, then why not go sailing in Scotland, the Norfolk Broads or on Eagles Wings? Read on for details of the vacancies that are available, and give the office a call to find out more.

As ever, thank you to those who have contributed to this issue. If you are off sailing over the summer then do please consider preparing a contribution (story, picture, thought, poem, etc) for inclusion in Revelations. Please can you send anything for the next issue to the office by 1 September 2000.

Will

Contents

NEWS

Tim writes...

New look Revelations list - TS2K The story so far - Sea water and electrics - The internet age - All crews filled - Tiger Moon - Alternative Programme news - Volunteer news - Office news - Financial news

New look Revelations list

Many thanks to all those who indicated that they wish to go on receiving this quarterly newsletter. Though a good number have fallen by the wayside, we are encouraged that so many are still in touch and want to hear news from us. If you know of anyone who meant to respond but forgot, it is not too late as we have not actually eliminated the details from our database yet. Special thanks to Jill for producing and distributing in my absence.

TS2K - The story so far

We are all very excited at what Morning Star has achieved. As I write, she is in Bermuda, with the crew having a well deserved "whale of a time" in the heat after their thirty day passage from Cadiz. That she has made it in good order across 3000+ miles of open ocean is achievement enough, but actually that is only the beginning of the list:

• Second in Class (very nearly first) on the Southampton to Cadiz leg.
• Coped with repeated force 9 headwinds in the Channel and Bay of Biscay when several of the boats retired into port within the first few hours of the race.
• Second in Class again in the Bermuda race, having caught up from way behind following the initial week of calms out of Cadiz.
• Very few real problems with the boat (see below).
• A real sense of God’s presence and protection.

News is reaching me in the form of cryptic messages by Inmarsat C satellite communications. Here is an example:

to+sailing@morningstar.org.uk
test
I hve reset inmarsat to W-Atl Navarea 4
Hope it all works
Boat well Lvly days sl ystdy
m

As you can see, not exactly conducive to a full picture of life on board. It will be a while before the whole stories filter back, but there can be little doubt that both crews so far have done very well indeed. Meanwhile two of the first crew have written accounts of their trip, so I hope and expect Will will find space for at least extracts from these later on.

Sea water and electrics

Virtually all of the problems that the boat has had have resulted from the well known situation of sea water meeting electrical components. Much of this in turn is attributable to the total soaking that the boat had in the gales on the first leg. The radar got water in its cable and stopped working. The Navtex aerial filled with water and was destroyed. And so on.... The vast majority of this was fixed in Cadiz or will be fixed when I get to Bermuda. The water maker is a great success and makes "very nice" water. However, its sea water inlet turns out to be too near to the surface, so that air often gets in which is tedious to get rid of. I am taking parts out to Bermuda which should solve this one. Apart from some chaffed sheets, the sails and rig have done magnificently, with no reported problems.

The internet age

Many people have been following Morning Star’s progress by e-mail and the internet. This has generated a real sense of togetherness and support for the boat, and certainly raised the profile of electronic communications where we are concerned. My only worry is that those who, from choice or for no fault of their own, do not have this access, may come to feel themselves to be second class citizens. After this I don't think that we will go back again, and e-comms will become more and more the method we use. At the same time we promise to continue with paper and snail mail (like this) for as long as it serves a purpose. So if you can get on line, do. If not don’t worry, you will not be forgotten.

All crews filled

Tiger Moon

It’s a long way to Plymouth, but it’s worth it. Tiger Moon is a lovely boat and I have very much enjoyed sailing her. This has been mainly with the group from Oundle School who are using her for their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award gold expedition. So far we have done a Day Skipper course and two practice expeditions together. They are a great bunch, five strong and competent 17 year olds. At Easter we explored the lovely West Country ports both ways from Plymouth. Last week saw a Friday night dash across the Channel in a force 6 to St Peter Port in Guernsey, then home again via a night in Alderney (seas breaking over the harbour wall).

The homeward passage included 13 hours close hauled on one tack in force 4 to 5, finally reaching Plymouth at 3 am on the Tuesday morning. Phew! Just gave me time to turn the boat around and lay in the food for a group of girls from Walderslade. This time we stuck to the Cornish Coast, visiting Fowey and Mevagissey in weather that became increasingly damp and foggy. For me it was all a great joy and privilege to visit places where I had not been for many years. The sparkling sail from St Peter Port to Alderney, surfing down the big waves in the afternoon sunshine, will remain in my memory.

Alternative Programme news

If you were still thinking of joining Tiger Moon for one of the "TM" trips in the brochure, you may be out of luck. If you move fast there is currently one place on TM3 (17-21 July), or check for any cancellations. Otherwise all places are taken for this very special series of smaller boat cruises. However, we can still offer places on the Broads, 1-8 July, and on Scottish Adventures, 22-29 July and 29 July - 5 August. If the cost is a real problem, do call and chat to Jill in the office, we may still be able to help.

Volunteer news

Camilla is in Bermuda just now as one of those who have been on board since the boat left Chatham. She is back next week and will then be involved in all the alternative activities. In between she will be seen here from time to time and will also be fitting in time for a well deserved holiday for all her hard work before and during the race series. She finishes at the end of August and her place will be taken by Tim Smith. Tim has just graduated (Physics) from Swansea and is giving us the year before going on to teacher training. He is a useful man as he is already a Coastal Skipper (having taken the exam with Jamie on Eagles Wings last Autumn) and is into Christian youth work and so on already. he visited here this week and is looking forward to joining us as are we. His family live in Biggin Hill, but by coincidence he has a sister who lives in Albert Road, Rochester! so that is where he will be living. As with Camilla, he will be our only full time volunteer, though if the right individual appeared (sailor, Christian, partly own funding) appeared, we would seriously consider taking on a second vol for the coming year.

Office news

Jill is well settled in her part time Administrator job. The whole place (including the kitchen and the loo) is much cleaner than for a long time. She has a grip on all the routine admin, and is well on top of the computer accounting, so much so that I am now rapidly forgetting what I used to know about it. She will be holding the fort on her own over the next five weeks, and I have no doubt that she will do that very well. If you contact the office for any reason, bear in mind that she is not here for the whole of any day. Most often she is here in the morning, sometimes the afternoon and she may even have the occasional day off! Phone messages or e-mail will be acted on.

Financial news

As you know, our policy is only to pay salaries out of regular committed giving to the Trust by individual supporters. This "pot" currently supports Camilla, Jill and myself. In practice I get what is left each month when the other needs have been met. The target set by the committee for my "salary" (actually a charter fee for the use of Morning Star) is £20,000 pa. At the moment I am getting around £13,000 pa. the committee have decided to appeal for the regular giving to be increased. While this is mainly aimed at full Trust members, there may be Morning Star Association members who ought to be involved. If that's you, do please contact the office for a standing order and Gift Aid declaration (remember that once you have signed one of these forms for us, any gift of any size at any time now qualifies for tax relief). Also remember that pay roll giving now attracts even more recovered tax. Thanks for your support. We could sort of struggle on as we are, but believe God would have us do better than that!

"Mayday, Mayday!"

Pete Rankin

"Mayday, Mayday!" I sat up in my bunk thought for a second, forced a grin, and went straight back to sleep. "Mayday, Mayday!" My waking this time was assisted by an external source. An alarm clock had been dispatched from the fore-cabin to aft, and she was leaving instructions to hurry through. On the other side of the hull, the sea was on suspiciously good behaviour. Morning Star was lying still, silent and I definitely was not on watch. "Mayday, Mayday!" I could have got ready quicker, it was only T-shirt, shorts and sandals. The salty oilskins and harness were left to one side with the wellies - they were wet. "Mayday, Mayday!" I could not work out the urgency. Why the hurry - what was disrupting the calm? On the upper side of the hatch, the sun was effortlessly hot from above, and the anchor chain dipped from the bow to below. Music and lively banter were turned on loud in the main cabin. "Mayday, Mayday!" Then it all became clear. It had drifted upwards; the skipper was cooking pancakes.

My delay had cost me a fair breakfast, but it did not matter, this was a particularly special May Day. Not only was it May the 1st and therefore a holiday, but also it was the crew’s first day off in 15 days of sea. the first leg had finished, and race control had said we were first in class. the mood was good.

The port was Sines, a palm-treed mini-Monaco of winding streets on the Portuguese coast. Morning Star had crept in at dusk the night before and anchored in the sandy bay. A long, bar-filled beach separated us from the drowsy town, propped on the edge of a hill. The houses were shaped from concrete, and coated in a suspect paint-work which seemed comfortably familiar. The novelty of a motionless terrain, showers, shops ice-cold drinks, phone-calls, papers and the new element of choice had prompted people to dig for their buried wallets and head for the different civilisation. There had been talk of luxuries for some time now; it had become standard conversation on watches since day one. Rowing the inflatable dingy to shore, we viewed our boat from a strange new detached angle, and on to the town, which was rather quiet. In fact, almost dead. May Day - the shops are shut.

Following an extended trek, the exercise turned out as hoped for and we found a supermarket for fresh food. During the race we had caught an anchovy sized mackerel, the expensive consequence of a £25 investment in a fishing line, it must have been an appetiser as fish was the order of the day. And the day was our own. We rested, washed, swam, played volleyball, smirked a little, visited a castle and drank cool beer on the hot sand, gazing out at a gaff ketch under an enormous sail of drying clothes in the bay. We had done it. (Hmmm.)

There had been no escaping the last two weeks, but non one had wanted to either. Every type of sea had visited us more than once, yet the crew was getting stronger every day. Bad weather had its benefits. Slightly damp birthday cake arrived almost a week early, while the night watch brought the phosphorescence and crazy conversations. A common accord had developed, turning us into a troop of deck monkeys, sleeping between boom and sail, swinging on ropes, lounging around and rummaging for food.

May Day on the firm ground of Sines prompted an appreciation of the race as having a long lasting effect. The contrast of port-life is an essential part full of the sailing deal. While life on the water, with its simplicity and relaxation is a welcome break form the increasing rush of the world, we would not leave port forever. Out time on Morning Star was nearly over, but the experience had only just started, Perhaps you do not have to be on a boat to be sailing forever.

"High hopes, high seas and soggy bunks"

TS2000 Leg 1 from the skipper’s bunk

Colin Rettie

Tall Ships Race 1, day 1 and the new skipper welcomes his crew aboard in sparking sunshine with cheesy grins all around.....

Well not quite, said skipper had one eye looking east and one west after all night on a coach. The crew arrived while 2 ISTA inspectors were digging industriously in the saloon lockers distributing flares and harnesses all over the bunks and the sparkling sunshine had gone south for the winter. That rather set the tone for the start of race 1, frantic and very wet.

We had one brief respite from chaos when Mike Mac, crew members from other legs, and Trust supporters came aboard to dedicate the voyage and pray together. Apart from that essential and lovely interlude lunacy reigned but we managed to extract food, water and a nearly full crew from Southampton.

The parade of sail started in sunshine and calm with an easterly wind building, so after the parade, we turned back down the Solent for a glorious sail through the Needles, the last fair wind for 10 days. Overnight the wind came right ahead and the crew slowly turned green, We sheltered in Dartmouth to check up on Emily who had mild concussion after falling out of bed (remember your leeboards folks). Once there we found that most of the fleet was in shelter somewhere and the start would be delayed. Next day with Emily back and OK, fresh water and food inside us we left for Plymouth on the evening tide, the moon was out and the wind down a bit, perhaps sailing is not the most miserable activity on the planet.

The start went very well, good teamwork and sharp tacking set us over the line first, 10 seconds after the gun, soon we were thrashing to windward in rain squalls and a freshening wind. My diary for the next period has one entry, a few scribbled lines blotched with damp bits, record 6 days of windward thumping, the wettest and least comfortable week in my life to date. Every forecast brought more SW winds, the first variation was flat calm for 12 hours. Throughout the whole period Morning Star got on with the job beautifully, we the crew might have found it tough but we gained great confidence in the boat, "concrete rocks!!" In the worst of the thrashing we were first in the fleet. More to the point galley heroics meant that we had hot food every day.

Lucy’s watch had "High Hopes" in song roughly every 20 minutes all watch, Gary tried fishing at 7 knots for tuna with a hook like a kedge anchor, got a mackerel, Dan and his willpower conquered the galley, briefly, and Ollie was very proudly never sick, something to do with never being awake according to Camilla. Various lifejackets inflated themselves, Shona's twice, giving rise to Rob's description of "looking like a frilled lizard" (best said in Australian).

Just when we though that Biscay was over, we got one last blow, the hardest yet, this time the Sat C stopped talking to me, Emma's bunk gained a waterfall, the anchor pulled its cleat off the bowsprit and the starboard side light was washed away. This was the turning point, from then on the wind veered to NW and settled into a decent strength, we dug out topsails and mizzen staysail for two days of glorious reaching down the coast of Spain and Portugal. Andy tweaked away for best speed, crew members began to appear on deck with more than their noses visible and we managed to plug Emma's private shower. Claire and Emily, who had been ill alternately for days decided that the previous week was best forgotten but sailing could be fun.

The run down to Lisbon did not test such a hardened crew and we slipped back inside Jolie Brise into first in class. Dolphins played around the boat several times, jumping unbelievably close to us and blowing right under the bowsprit. In the middle of one of these visits the SART decided that it had had enough and caught fire. Not knowing quite where to put something scalding hot and spilling green slime the skipper took a decision for once and chucked it overboard before anything else could happen.

Just off Lisbon the wind deserted us and we flopped around for a day, never mind, it was at least sunny. Lucy and Shona dug out musical instruments, the fishing lines appeared and the remaining crew went horizontal on the deck.

Next day the race was finished early as more calm was coming, Jolie Brise were well West of us as we both converged on the next waypoint. At the finish we were 30 miles or so behind in a rapidly dying breeze, not quite close enough to win on handicap as it turned out though we were placed first to begin with. With one last rendering of "We've got high hopes" we wound up the engine and headed for the nearest port, Sines in Portugal. Then came 24 hours at anchor off the old town playing beach volleyball, well Rob, Pete Dan and Andy played athletic volleyball, Emma, Lucy and Gary belted the ball at all and sundry, the skipper dived in the sand a lot and everyone got a sun tan. Ollie set up a match with the Moonspray crew who had joined us in the night.

Monday was a bank holiday but we tracked down a supermarket so that Peter "Nick Nairn's Seafood" Rankin could produce fresh fish chowder, brilliant. We motor sailed on in the evening with very little wind and had a final peaceful sail to Cadiz, the last night at sea saw yet more superb cooking and a lovely sunset. We arrived in Cadiz in style beating up the bay into a freshening Easterly in glorious sunshine. Claire tacked us close past Lord Nelson with a film crew on board despite her voice going up two octaves when she felt a bit too close. We berthed outboard of Arethusa and Tall Ships chaos descended again.

Cadiz was all too short, Morning Star contributed to the party scene by cooking breakfast for the survivors at 3am. Scotch pancakes and coffee went down well except with those trying to sleep, sorry Mike. I left early in the hours of Saturday with a great sense of achievement and memories of a great team. Good luck and God bless the rest of the adventure.

Thought for the quarter

This thought occured to me last summer while sailing on Eagles Wings and has since been reinforced by something I heard very recently.

It was the end of a warm sunny July day as we left the Solent bound for the south west. However by dawn we were crossing Lyme Bay and things had totally changed, it was cold, wet, fairly rough, I was sick and it was just miserable sailing. I wondered why on earth I was putting myself through this, after all, this was my "summer holiday." At 8am that Monday morning I would gladly have been at work (only about 15 miles inland from where we were) where I would have been warm, dry and comfortable.

Two days later, we were sailing from Dartmouth on towards Plymouth. It was one of the best sails I have had, it was warm and sunny, there was a good amount of wind, we were sailing close in to the rocky shore, which added interest. It dawned on me that this was why I enjoy sailing. However in order to have got to that place, I had to put up with the not so comfortable sailing earlier in the trip.

I think that the Christian life can be like this. I know there have been times when I’ve wondered, "Why am I bothering with this Christianity thing, it just seems to be making my life difficult?" However, like the sailing, there are times of blessing and we have a faith which gives us a real hope that enduring the discomfort will be worth it.

Last week I was at a talk when the speaker said that even when things are going badly, the good news of the gospel does not change, the hope in which we put our trust stays the same. At these times, we need to keep hold of is just how good the good news is.

So like those fantastic sails that we get to enjoy now and again, we should hang on to the hope that we have in the Christian faith, when things aren’t going quite as we would like them to, that we will be blessed in some way.