Contents:
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the March issue of Revelations. In it you will find the latest goings on in the trust including details of the large amount of work that has been carried over the winter.
I would like to draw your attention to the many and varied opportunities to sail that exist this season, all around the country, including some vacancies for Tall Ships 2000, read on...
To find out more, give the office a call
As ever, thank you to all of you who have provided contributions for this issue. If you have anything (stories, pictures, thoughts, etc) for inclusion in the next issue, please can you send them to the office by 1 June 2000.
Contents
NEWS
Tim writes...
TS2K The Big Day approaches - The boat is good and ready - Follow the fleet - Still room for crew - New beginnings - New Administrator - Finances: The Way Ahead - The alternative programme - Domestic news
TS2K - The Big Day approaches
For nearly two years now we have been planning and working towards Morning Star's most ambitious venture ever, marking the Millennium by taking part in the Tall Ships 2000 event. On April 16 the boat leaves Southampton for the start of the first race to Cadiz. After that she goes on to Bermuda, then via a cruise up the US East coast to Boston. After a short race to Halifax in Nova Scotia, the fleet returns to Europe, to Amsterdam. Morning Star is finally due home here in Chatham on September 3.
The boat is good and ready
It has been a winter of hard work and the expenditure of a good deal of money. Camilla has worked untiringly, and she and I have been supported by many volunteers giving what time they can. It is dangerous to single people out, but we are specially grateful to Cliff for giving us all his Saturdays since Christmas.
We are now in the final flurry of endless last minute finishings. With the major work behind us, the main changes people will notice are the holding tank in the forecabin (disguised as a locker), the water maker in a galley cupboard (not yet commissioned as clean seawater is needed!), the "jib sheet proof" stanchions ahead of the main shrouds, the new shroud mounted boxes for the sidelights (Peter Wynn has made these and very smart they are too), new headlining and flooring down below, new forehatch (insisted on by our surveyor), a second liferaft mounted behind the mizzen mast and a host of smaller but significant improvements above and below decks. Add to this all the routine servicing, refurbishing and repainting (much of which usually tends not to get done until May or June), and you can see that we have not been idle. We think the result is worth it.
Follow the fleet
Look out for media coverage of the event, especially the UK section leaving Southampton on April 16 for the start of the race off Plymouth on April 18. Emma is in touch with a BBC unit who plan a programme for (we think) April 17. Morning Star (and Emma?!) may well feature. Be that as it may, you can follow the whole event on a day to day basis by visiting the TS2K website at www.tallships2000.com and our own website at www.morningstar.org.uk. If you cannot get to an internet terminal, do ring the office for news.
Still room for crew
Many of our crew for TS2K have raised large sums through their own efforts towards the cost of their place. Though we are only charging our standard prices, it soon mounts up, with some legs running for five weeks or more and some brave souls booking for more than one leg. Unfortunately one or two have found the financial challenge too much and have withdrawn. This means that we still have vacancies in crews for Southampton to Cadiz and for Cadiz to Bermuda, plus just one place for the final leg from Halifax to Amsterdam. Recognising the problems of funding such a venture at such short notice we are now offering substantial discounts for remaining places. For details, including dates and how much discount we can offer YOU or those you would like to encourage, ring or email the office SOON.
New beginnings
Two areas of our work, which we have always done but less so recently, are about to make a fresh start. They could not be more different from each other! We have a two day corporate training activity (since 1995 we have only undertaken one day entertainment trips). This time it looks promising for further business, we are already looking at using Tiger Moon in May and June for more of this work. The other area is with disadvantaged youngsters, and it is particularly exciting that a local church are bringing a group of boys "off the street" with whom they are working. This combination of Christian based work with those who are far away from faith is particularly suited to our overall aims. It will be an interesting weekend! Both these activities take place before Morning Star leaves Chatham for Southampton.
New Administrator
As you know, Emma has been running the office since last July. However, she leaves when Morning Star leaves as she is sailing for the whole of Tall Ships 2000 (though doing the last leg on Arethusa rather than Morning Star). We finally decided we could not hold her job open that long, so the hunt was on for a permanent replacement. We were reluctant to use "normal" means of advertising and recruiting as these have tended not to serve us well in the past. What has now happened does not perhaps class as a miracle, but is definitely an example of the provision from God that Morning Star has always relied on and experienced. Through a chance conversation Jill Hammond came to learn of our need. She is a member of our church, but Sara and I did not know her. She has a part time job as GP practice manager but was looking for additional work as her circumstances have changed. In brief, she starts officially on April 3rd but is already working her hours (and more) getting to know the job before I go away and she is left alone from April 5 until Easter. Jill is going to be a real asset, we are looking forward to a long association with her. We have even taken her sailing once already!
Finances - The Way Ahead
Of course, employing Jill will not be cheap, and we do need to go on building up the fund of regular giving from which we finance everything that classes as salaries. You may be aware that the mechanics of methods for giving to charities are changing considerably at this time. In particular, there will be no lower limit for amounts that qualify for Gift Aid, so any gift at all will be able to be made tax efficiently. It will become possible for this to be done by phone or online. If I have got this right, the old covenants will cease (once existing covenants expire), as it will be possible for a series of payments (eg monthly standing orders) to be covered by a single Gift Aid claim. Sorry to be a bit vague, but we hope to get on top of the details soon after Easter, once the pressure of work here eases following the departure of Morning Star.
In the meantime we are still waiting for details of how the Hammond Innes legacy fund will help us, but we should begin to derive some benefit this year.
The alternative programme
Of course, the start of TS2K is filling our thoughts just now, but our whole alternative programme is still there for this year and promises to be excellent. It actually starts before TS2K with the very first week of Tiger Moon sailing, for which I am going down to Plymouth. This is the first of three weeks with a group from Oundle School who are preparing for and taking their Duke of Edinburgh award gold expedition under sail. The summer activities in the brochure (Tiger Moon, Scottish Adventure, Norfolk Broads) all have places so do consider them, either for yourself or for others who would benefit and be interested.
Domestic news
Those who know Steve and Jemma will be delighted to learn that Henry Eddystone Stanley Morgan arrived on time in February and that all is well. Young Henry has already been afloat, travelling out by canoe to the Morgan's boat in Brightlingsea. He has even been on board Morning Star, but did not seem particularly impressed. However this was put down to being hungry at the time!
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EAGLES WINGS
ECLIPSE ADVENTURE
Southampton to Plymouth 25-31 July 1999
An account of this epic adventure written from entries in the log by the crew - Adrian, Will, Camilla and Carrie.
Sunday 25 July
It was a brilliantly sunny Sunday lunch time when we joined Eagles Wings at the Universal Shipyard in the River Hamble. The weather looked perfect for a leisurely week as we played our part in delivering the boat to Cornwall for the eclipse week.
We set off immediately, stopping only for water on our way out into the Solent. So as not to be battling against the tide through the Needles we decided to head for Wootton Rivers on the Isle of Wight and having negotiated a very dense and short lived fog bank - at least that's what Will was led to believe, we anchored close into the shore. We then swam to the Isle of Wight, went for a walk and picked as many blackberries as we could reach. Upon returning to EW we ate before setting off into the sunset on our way westwards.
Monday 26 July
That night we sailed along the south coast in pairs, around Portland Bill and into Lyme Bay as the cold, damp dawn turned into a cold, damp morning. The lumpy sea ensured that three quarters of us (Skipper and Mate included) wished that we were elsewhere, yes even at work on a Monday morning! As the red cliffs of Devon very gradually got nearer, conditions improved slightly and the sun put in an appearance.
Our entrance into Dartmouth in what was still a fairly large sea was an exercise in cranking, hammer blows and prayer. As the rocky cliffs which form the mouth of the River Dart closed in the problem which was to play a major part in the week manifested itself. The starter motor, which we knew to be troublesome, but would start with a strategically placed blow with the starting handle, would not start. Anyway, our prayers were answered, the motor spluttered into life just at the right time, and we moored alongside a pontoon off Dartmouth. We had just completed what had been a cracking twenty hour trip from the Isle of Wight, it was just a pity that it had turned into a miserable survival exercise. Still it made a good story.
Tuesday 27 July
Having made it most of the way to our destination with several days in hand, and with unfavourable weather forecasted beyond the shelter of the Dart Estuary we decided to spend the day exploring the River Dart. Having initially left Carrie behind in Dartmouth, as a not so subtle hint that we were ready to leave, we set off up river. Taking it in turns to sail and learn we "messed" around in the river searching (in vain) for a steady wind. The scenery on show was impressive, with little villages tucked up wooded valleys, which stretched down to the water's edge. We moored just off Dittisham for a spot of lunch while we waited for the tide to turn.
After lunch we found a wide lake like area in the river and tried to better each other by getting the highest speed reading on the log. After watching a seemingly constant stream of ferries disappearing up the river, towards Totnes, we decided to follow. The wind was variable, both in direction and strength - between not a lot and nothing. This ensured that our sail to Totnes was very leisurely as we wound our way around the many meanders in the river, navigating by a few buoys and a lot of echosounder. Once in Totnes, we moored up again outside the "Riverside Cafe" and rewarded ourselves with icecreams.
We then headed back to Dartmouth, again making very slow progress under sail and having to keep out of the way of the numerous ferries. Towards Dittisham we put up the No 1 genoa in an attempt to get back to Dartmouth that day. Off Dittisham, we ran into slight difficulties as the wind died completely and we drifted in towards the bank as the starter motor (yes you've guessed it) would not start. Some frantic cranking and fending off of trees later the engine spluttered into life and we motored back to Dartmouth for fish and chips.
Wednesday 28 July
After a hairy start from the mouth of the River Dart in "moderate" seas (not by our judgement) and a force five wind making some of the crew wish that they hadn't such a large portion of fish and chips the night before. Camilla and Carrie decided that the best place to be was down below laid out in the main cabin. Adrian and Will were left on deck to enjoy what turned into a excellent sail, in brilliant warm sunshine, close enough into the shore that we could see people walking along the cliff tops. Skirting a Royal Navy firing range (which was being used) we made our way into the River Yealm under sail. Having negotiated a foreign yacht under power, which was not giving way under any circumstance and a submerged sand bar we came into a sheltered mooring. We skilfully made our way through the crowded moorings, dropped the sails and picked up an empty mooring buoy.
Later that afternoon we ventured up river into Newton Ferrers by dingy to stock up on provisions, suncream and to buy icecreams. To save having to lug the shopping back to the dingy, Adrian went back and brought the dingy up the river to where we were. Having loaded up and cast off we discovered that the outboard would not start. All was not lost as Camilla gallantly volunteered to row the half-mile or so back to Eagles Wings, quite a feat as anyone who has tried to row a heavily laden inflatable will know. Oh yes, it was against the tide as well.
That evening's entertainment involved unsuccessful attempts to get a mobile phone signal, first from the deck, and then up the mast on the spreaders. The dingy also featured but that story is best left untold.
Thursday 29 July
After a leisurely breakfast, we slipped our mooring and sailed out of the River Yealm towards Plymouth Sound. The weather was absolutely glorious so as we were in no particular hurry to get anywhere, we dropped the anchor in Cawsand Bay for a bracing swim and lunch.
We then made our way into Plymouth Sound and up the River Tamar through the Devonport Dockyard. What with all the naval activity and various ferries there was plenty to make the trip interesting. Just short of Saltash, we turned left into the River Lynher and sailed up to Jupiter Point. Jupiter Point or HMS Raleigh was to be Eagle Wings' base for her stay in Cornwall. Having practised coming along side a pontoon, we made ourselves known before retracing our steps to Saltash. There we picked up a mooring buoy in the shadow of the two Saltash Bridges before retiring to the pub for a drink or two.
Friday 30 July
The starter motor spent most of the morning detached from the boat, in the care of a near by mechanic who pronounced that it had done all its starting. As if luck would have it, he was able to supply us with a new starter motor, which Adrian duly fitted. Then for about the first time that week we turned the key, pressed the button and hey presto the engine came to life and we motored off down river.
The weather in the week was getting hotter and the winds lighter and more fluky so there was nothing to it but to anchor off Barn Pool for another swim before lunch. Later in the afternoon we ambled across to the Mayflower Marina to fill up with diesel and water, and to make use of some very invigorating showers. Clean and refreshed we decided to make our way back up river to Jupiter Point. Whilst tacking up the river we encountered a sea bound submarine which was quite a sight with all the other boats escorting it. Once along side at Jupiter Point we ate and then went for a long moonlit walk to the nearby village and felt obliged to visit the pub.
Saturday 31 July
All that was left to do before handing over to the next crew and heading home was to clean the boat. This was duly completed and right on cue, the next crew arrived and we departed.
And finally...
We all had a thoroughly enjoyable week on Eagles Wings and would recommend sailing on her to anyone. So why not contact the MST Office to find out more about the opportunities for sailing on Eagles Wings this season.
Contents
POEM
In the stillness of the night,
Where lurk our deepest fears.
We look in vain for light
To ease away our tears.
When we are lonely, sad, afraid and reach out empty arms,
The Lord draws ever closer to take us in His arms.
In the stillness of the night,
Our failures hold us bound.
We won't look at the light
Our eyes look to the ground.
And softly in the dark that still small voice of calm,
Whispers, "I still love you, you will not come to harm."
In the stillness of the night,
The Lord breaks through our fear,
He is a blazing light,
That dries our every tear.
When all is dark and fearful, if we seem lost, alone,
The Lord who loves us dearly, will gently lead us home.
Sara Jayne Rettie (©2000)
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EXTRACTS FROM THE ALTERNATIVE LOG...
"77 tacks in one stint. going along the Veersemeer - one way of everyone learning all areas when tacking!"
(September 1999)
"I'm fed up with being mistaken for a skipper - I must shave of my beard."
(Tall Ships 1999)
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