Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Sunday, 1 May 2016

It's almost time...............

Tomorrow.......2.30pm

One skipper,  one boat,   one ocean!

Yesterday we met the skippers and saw the boats..............
today we have aero acrobatic teams, wing walkers and the Red Devils Parachute team........
all to the background music of some fabulous jazz bands and performers

Wot's not to like eh?

We almost had a Mediterranean feel down the Barbican........

Strange cooking implements had appeared.........

Bunting and flags draped everywhere.....

Billboards with unknown sailor's profiles along the walkways

Adam Sweet live on stage proved popular with the gathering crowds


People had come for good music and to meet the intrepid sailors prepared to endure discomfort across 3500 miles of open ocean 


Local pubs were doing a trade.....

And then there were the boats
















But what most people had come to see were the skippers............

"so you are sure we have enough medals and gin bottles"


Gathering before being announced on stage


Catching the rays


Answering questions.........


Class 40 competitors..........in good cheer.....

Well most of them....some are more reflective......



"Remind me, which port are we racing to...?"

"Have you heard about the guy who is racing the transat in an old boat with self steering, no GPS or satnav and only a sextant for a companion?"


"It seemed such a good idea last year....."

"Well at least they turned out to wave us off..."

Brave adventurous and good humoured people
We were very privileged today to meet the 2016 Transat Skippers
We wish them all Bon Voyage and safe journeys and thank them for returning to our Ocean City after an eight year absence
Its good to have you all back

http://www.thetransat.com/news/view/a-warm-reception-for-the-transat-bakerly-skippers-in-plymouth

http://www.thetransat.com/news/view/the-ever-changeable-weather

http://www.thetransat.com/news/view/fleece-oilskin-mandatory-northerly-route-looking-quickest


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