Getting to Falmouth

Well well well ………. the engine wasn’t terribly willing, and developed a raw water leak and a cooling problem, caused by a gasket failure, but simple enough to resolve, but not while under passage.

So we carried on sailing Infanta carefully, by which I mean attentively watching the wind speed and direction, making adjustments to the set of the sails accordingly. This is quite hard work on a 24 hour basis, but enormously satisfying and with Infanta it brings great reward. She sails so beautifully in light airs.

With 6 - 8 knots of breeze, which had now moved in to WSW and as such was on the port quarter, you would just not usually bother - putting on the donkey harnessed to the automatic pilot, and make a big lunch! But with Infanta, we boomed the #1 Yankee to windward, put a preventer on the main, set the mizzen staysail and dropped the mizzen (with the wind well aft, this assists in the set of the mizzen staysail), and she silently ghosted along at 4 - 5 knots.

As Wednesday afternoon came, the wind veered to the NNW, and we altered course straight for the Lizard. With the wind further foreward, up went the mizzen and the staysail, and Infanta was off - like a mutt on the scent of a cat - in just 9 knots of breeze

I went to bed at 2100, with all the lights visible of the Lizard, Lands End, Wolf Rock and Scillies. Coming back up at 0130, we were passed the Lizard Point and heading up the coast to Falmouth. The wind was N 6 knots. Simon had Infanta close hauled, and with the sea as flat as a seagulls instep, without any movent or heel, Infanta was making 4.75 knots under a canopy of stars, threading her way through anchored ships. We sailed into the Fal, and then along to the town, and at 0600 picked up a visitors mooring. After a quick tidy up round the deck, Simon Jane and I then watched the dawning of a new and sunny morn drinking rum and coffee liqueur at the cockpit table, making a lot of noise and generally celebrating our arrival from Vigo, and Infantas arrival home from the United States.

Well done everyone, and thank you to all the crew for helping with our travels.