|
|
| The CCF RN ran 5 cruises - 3 pre-race trips, 2 races and one a "cruising in company". The last race also included returning the ship to the UK. The three legs shown here equate to our TS4, TS5 (cruising in company) and TS6 - returning to the UK on August 26th.See the TSR homepage for full details of ships past and present.
|  |
Reports direct from the yacht:TS1: now completed - boat safe alongside berth in Portsmouth - a spirited sail with a good crossing to Boulogne - the return journey somewhat different with winds of force 5 forecast but the boat experiencing force 7 to 8. The direction of the wind meant a change of plan and the boat headed for Dover, completing the trip to Portsmouth on Monday morning. A fair amount of greenness about the gills but all crew safely home. top TS2:Tuesday 6th - 10th July, now completed. The crew were all on board on Tuesday and spent the night alongside in Portsmouth. They provided host to a stream of visitors form the neighbouring Summer Camp on HMS Bristol and finally set sail for France at 0600 on Wednesday. They experienced a steady F4 Westerly wind and after some initial green faces, had a decent sail across the Channel and entered Cherbourg late that night. The crew enjoyed a full day and night in Cherbourg, setting sail for home 1230 on Friday. They experienced similar winds but from the East this time and entered Weymouth at 0215 on Saturday. Overall, a good sailing experience with a good spell of night sailing, the only real worry was that of cadets inflicting sunburn on themselves! Capella continues to perform well and gives cadets an excellent taste of adventurous training afloat. Personal report from Hugh Carter: I managed to have a great time with all the other lads, four out of the seven (inc. me) had just left school, and Freddie and Ollie were enthusiastic and keen. We went out for a meal one night (just the crew) and filled ourselves mightily - the weather was absolutely fantastic. The day after we arrived in Cherbourg we thought we'd go and practice some comp. crew stuff, but the wind was so feeble Peter and I rowed out in the dinghy (overtaking the yacht with its cruising chute) and took some pictures. We were all rather seasick on the outward leg, Ollie especially, but a few helpings of Stugeron sorted it out on the way back and made it a lot more enjoyable. The wind completely died on the way into Weymouth so we had to motor for quite a few hours, arriving at 2 in the morning. It was almost completely flat calm - a really scenic night approach. We moored up next to 'Jolie Brise' in the morning, a lovely old thing which I'm sure you know, doing much the same thing as Capella was, with a different crew each week. A fantastic few days I thought, even with the chronic sunburn taken into account. Makes me wish even more that I'd done more courses through the CCF. | |
 A determined Freddie Norton from TS2 |  |
 | The Channel sail legs of the CCF RN offshore campaign came to an end in Plymouth (15/7) with the completion of TS3, and its (almost) all-girl crew. James Bradley survived! Not the easiest legs where the weather was concerned. Mainly motoring to Guernsey, albeit in brilliant sunshine at least the crew got to the objective and a night approach to St Peter Port made for an interesting arrival although some cadets were surprised when both skipper and mate admitted that they had not done that before! |
| A good run ashore was had by all bar the skipper and mate as despite previous arrangements, no berth was available and anchoring in Havelet Bay was the order of the day. At 2000, Peter and David (S and M) did venture onto dry land but as Peter remarked, "Guernsey was a long way to go for a shower!". |  |
| The homeward trip did at least enjoy a stiff breeze but not from the desired direction. Plymouth was the aim but Dartmouth the result, followed by a motor through the night, arriving in the Cattewater (Plymouth Yacht Haven) at 0630 on 15/7. Breakfast and much needed showers all round. Now on offer was a short cut to Plymouth Station by water taxi and earlier trains but 'to a man' the crew stood fast and insisted on sailing the final leg to Jupiter Point. What a team! |  |
 |
RN transport from there did the transport run and TS3 was over. Goodbyes including to Kevin, the ship's rat (see below) who appeared in Guernsey and seemed to have taken to Capella Endeavour. He is apparently remaining until the end in Ramsgate (26/08). Well behaved, he has not so far, broached any food stocks. David Crees plays water bus (opposite) |
| TS4 - all crew joined 17/07 in good time (see berths for crew lists) and were eager and willing. A reasonable sail to St Malo on Sunday, arriving 2300 Monday 19/07 and locking in. "They looked as smart as paint" was the comment of the tall Ships' Race Director as they came in. Well Done Capella Endeavour. Now well into the festivities, the crew has so far won the Tug O' War competition with prizes to come. The traditions of the service are being well maintained in sight of the French! Race starts 23/07. Good Luck! See you in Greenock. |  Kevin |
 Skipper Ian Newton with his crew set for TS4 and Race One Crew member, Craig Fleming (left of Skipper) gives a firsthand report of TS4 below: |
|
| I have just completed race 1 in Capella Endeavour from St Malo to Greenock. One whole week at sea, it was tough going. We started the race in the top three and made good progress on the first day.
  Eventually on the third day the winds receded, allowing the rest of the crew to gain their sea legs and give us a rest!!! During the fourth night the gale came back and while I was helming the Yankie sheet snapped (that's the thickest rope on the boat!) , this problem was soon put right with a sheet bend knot. The problems we were experiencing were minor compared with other boats, one boat flooded its engine, another ripped all its sail , a jack-stay snapped on one boat, these weather conditions had caused about 30 out of the 83 starting boats to retire. The next incident was a tall ship had a close encounter with a submerged container, thankfully we managed to miss it.   Craig Fleming plus John, Gavin & Chris On the fourth day we were in the Irish sea, and there was not a puff of wind, blue skies all round and all we could do was sunbathe. We had whales swimming around the boat for an hour it was an amazing sight, another 14 boats retired due to lack of wind because there were not going to make the deadline of arrival at Greenock by 1200 Friday, so they started to motor. But we persisted and the wind came in the evening and gradually increased into the night giving us the highest recorded speed of the race of 10.2 knots over the ground. During the night at 3am, we had to make an emergency course alteration because I spotted a dark shadow in the water at the last minuite, it was a fishing trawler with no lights on!!!!!!!!!!!! It was too close for comfort and gave me a fright, we nearly had a head on collision.  Taken before the storm - hence all the smiles!   Cadets ready to party! Amy, Kate, Graham, Matt, John and Gavin plus Les Girls: Graham, John and Matt!! Cadets Keeping the RN CCF End Up - Winning the Games
The Tall Ships 99 is an experience never to be forgotten!!!
The fifth leg has now been completed and all the crew are safely in Lerwick, Shetlands. I spoke to Peter Harvey and some cadets this morning (Tuesday 10/8/99) and all is well. They had quite a frustrating cruise as the wind seemed keen to stay "on the nose" for a lot of the trip. A more detailed report is to follow tonight, plus, hopefully some photos hastily developed in Lerwick - probably at the same photo shop that sold me the digital camera for the Faroes98 trip!
 
Jenny & Matt
Stromness & Evening Sun around the Scottish Isles I have some sketchy reports from the yacht . . they had a very good start, being one of the first over the line but the weather became pretty dreadful and took them a fair way off course. The cadets became rather green as time went by and Peter Harvey decided to motorsail (hence retiring from this leg) to the destination. On the way they encountered a Belgian yacht without electricity or engine power and gave assistance with help from the Winston Churchill. They are now in Aalborg and I imagine enjoying the festivities (see the Danish site for the programme of festivities they have lined up!) with all greenness forgotten. There were lots of parties and general fraternisation - a fitting end to the TSR. They intend to sail away today (Sat) and begin the journey home. CCF HQ have received a brief "all's well" report and I expect a more detailed one tonight. Inmarsat FAX received Sunday 22nd: Final report from Peter Harvey:
25th August saw the arrival in Ramsgate of "Capella Endeavour" - one day
earlier than planned - and the completion of a highly successful Channel
Sail and Tall Ships' Race campaign. A 'first' for CCF(RN) but no doubt not
the last if cadet responses were anything to go by. 
Repairs were put in hand. (We needed a new rigging wire). Fuel ordered and most of all, showers indulged in! Danish pastries were not far behind in the scheme of things either. Now some days of R&R (if you can call wall to wall parties R&R) and the final, fantastic firework display, some of which was mounted on the bridge just above us. 
 "No Jonathan, we said fill the boat with water, not fill your boots!" The forecast was for this 'high' to remain, albeit veering but that was fine for us so we kept going, all the way to Ramsgate. And guess what? The next day, SW winds. Right on our nose, except we were HOME! We passed - and smelled - the container ship "Ever Decent" which was in collision with the Norwegian cruise liner. Didn't see it as it was misty that morning. Ramsgate welcomed us and the timing was just right for us to go straight into the marina. Showers next (why do these cadets shower so often? Is it their birthday or something?) and next in order of prority, a boat clean and then - A FISH SUPPER! We must be home. Two days now to relax, (stand fast further boat cleaning duties), have an afternoon on the beach and make goodbyes come Friday morning. So sad but all good things come to an end. So, as our boat sinks slowly in the west and the sun pulls away from the shore, we say farewell to "Capella Endeavour" and look forward to the next thrilling installment in the continuing story of CCF(RN) adventurous sail training. Come to Norway 2000. See the website for details. Buy now while stocks last. It's definitely NOT compo rations! That's all Folks. We would welcome any other first hand reports (Tomas ?) - especially any photos - email Steve Carter or phone 01761 463328.
|
|
