Obituary - Dave Sewart

Dave Sewart, one of the founding members of the Arthur Ransome Society (TARS), and one of Arthur Ransome's Literary Executors, passed away while gardening on May 8th.

As a founding member of TARS, he was very active in setting it up, and particularly in assisting with its publications, either as an editor or as an Apple Mac "guru" to other, struggling editors. More recently, as a Literary Executor, he had been working on the reissue of the "Swallows and Amazons" books. In paying tribute to him today, Peter Willis, Chairman of the Nancy Blackett Trust, said "he was always a good and supportive friend to Nancy."

Our condolences go to his family, and it is anticipated that he will be honoured at this month's TARS AGM.

Postscript – Important Information re Nancy Access & Sailing

Nancy is now at the National Maritime Museum (NMM), Falmouth. She has a space on the secure museum pontoon. This is inside the high security area which means that we can only get to her by going through the main museum entrance when the museum is open. Opening hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm.

The NMM pontoon has no water or toilet facilities and no access to the shore. This means skippers arriving to board Nancy must do so before 4.30pm at the latest to get a visitors/guests badge from reception, sign in, and to get the (usually) locked doors to the pontoon opened. After this time you will not be able to reach Nancy except by dinghy. Arrive early! There is very limited local parking.

If day-sailing Nancy must be back and tidied up for crew to leave, ready for her to sail the next day, by 4.30pm. The museum pontoon is free. Our only alternative is a mooring at the Pendennis Marina (next to the NMM) or the Town Quay pontoons about 200 yards upstream. Both cost circa £20 per night.

Nancy is on display at the NMM until a few days after the TARS IAGM over the late May Bank Holiday weekend so when leaving her on the NMM pontoon she must be tidy and clean with her display board on the outside cabin roof. Allow time for this before the 4.30pm leaving deadline. At the date of writing she is fully watered, fuelled and both headsails are bent on. Nancy is ready to step aboard and go sailing. The new engine has had its 100 hour service and should not need any attention until the next service at 200 hours.

The NMM pontoon is hard to find from the river. Note carefully on the way out where it is hidden! Also, at low tide springs, there is a bar about 20 yards from the pontoon on which we may touch. If in any doubt contact Bryan on 07711 129 780 well beforehand.

Swallows and Amazons for Ever!

Posted by BLB aboard Nancy Blackett, Falmouth

Falmouth – Coil Down! The Last Post...

Nancy is berthed safely at Falmouth at the National Maritime Museum. Bob Hull was acting skipper, Roger Sturge was Navigator and Frank Martin was crew for this stage of the voyage. As his first act as skipper Bob appointed Bryan Bonser as ship's cat ("What's the name of the kitten" asked Bridget from the foredeck").

Having set out to go to Dartmouth we didn't mean to go to Falmouth but we grabbed a chance and we are not sorry for a might have been. After sending our last message from south of Start Point the wind finally arrived with a Force 3 easterly and under jib alone we motor-sailed until nearly dawn by which time the Force 3 had become an Force 4 – a Force 5 really, with very big seas from astern. We arrived off Falmouth at 06:00 and berthed at 07:04 opposite the museum. By this time we were glad to have made the decision to press on as the Force 6 arrived soon after we did.

We look forward to putting Nancy on display tomorrow and to this crew returning home.

Posted from aboard Nancy in Falmouth harbour enjoying breakfast, showers and stable ground under our feet, by BLB, FM, RS and BH.

From Nancy Blackett... at Sea

We are slightly surprised to be sending this report on our final passage to Falmouth at this time. Nancy left Weymouth at 10:25 this morning, as planned, having already had a number of admiring visitors. We had spent a comfortable night rafted up in Weymouth opposite the Harbour office. The forecast was for easterly or south-easterly winds, Force 4/5, but motoring along Portland Harbour there was no wind, just bright warm sunshine. There was heavy gunfire noise from a big grey funnel line ship, out to sea and east of us, just visible in the light mist. At the Bill we took the inshore passage, passing about 50 yards from the lighthouse. This saved about 1 hour on the passage plan and we set course 255 for Dartmouth.

Since then we have sailed in clear blue skies in a rolling Atlantic swell averaging 6 knots with the tide, with almost no wind. Half way across Lyme Bay, after discussing the options, we decided to grab the chance of an overnight passage direct to Falmouth. Course was altered to 245 and we now find ourselves off Start Point as the sun goes down. This must be the first "at sea" message via the web from Nancy. Start Point is about 1 mile north. We are at N50.09.00 W003.44.50 and looking forward to reaching Falmouth about noon tomorrow. We still have no wind.

Posted at sea aboard Nancy south of Start Point by BH, RS, FM and BLB

Weymouth

Today's 05:20 forecast was for Force 4 or 5 winds, with occasionally Force 6 later from the east or north-east. We filled up with water at 10:30, diesel at 10:45, and departed Yarmouth at 11:00. Frank Martin was acting skipper, Bob Hull was navigator, Roger Sturge was crew and Bryan Bonser reverted to his famous roll of ship's drunk. Nancy motored down the Needles channel and out into the sea in an Force 2 easterly. Another duff forecast!

The day was bright, sunny and warm. Great progress was made at over 6 knots over the ground, sailing under headsails alone. By 14:00 we had a Force 4/5, but there was no sign of a Force 6. However, the English Channel had a good swell which made Nancy roll very uncomfortably. As cooking, resting and living in the cabin was difficult we ruled out the overnight to Dartmouth and tied up in Weymouth at 18:15. Tomorrow Dartmouth, if the easterly holds at the forecast Force 4.

Posted from aboard Nancy in Weymouth harbour by BLB

A Set-back

Just as we were about to leave Yarmouth at 10:00 this morning, in steady rain and with the aim of reaching Dartmouth tomorrow night, we luckily discovered that a bolt had sheared attaching the alternator to the engine. Had this broken on the journey here from Dover, or later today, it would have been disastrous. That's lucky. As it was we succeeded in finding an engineer (on Bank Holiday Monday!) who was finally able to extract the broken portion of the bolt from the engine block, fit a new bolt, and test everything OK. But all too late for us to catch the 11:00 turn of the tide to take us out past the Needles. We sail again tomorrow at 11:30 with 24 hours' delay, hopefully to reach Dartmouth by late Wednesday afternoon.

Posted from aboard Nancy in Yarmouth harbour IOW by BH and BLB

Nancy Half Way!

From a pontoon in the harbour at Yarmouth...

Nancy arrived here on the Isle of Wight today at 12:05, having left Dover yesterday at 10:00. Bob Hull arrived on Friday evening to make the already strong team of Bryan, Frank and Roger even stronger. The wind on departure was a Force 2 south-westerly, so we motored until 16:00 when it became possible to turn off the engine and Nancy sailed close inshore along the coast. The wind died at 18:00 and we motor-sailed through the night, arriving off the Nab Tower at 06:00 this morning. Cowes was passed at 10.30 and we were swept down to Yarmouth by the tide.

On the overnight passage, watches were 3 hours on and 3 hours off from 21:00 to 09:00, otherwise we rotated the helm in 30-minute sessions. Dawn today was cold and gloomy but improved by a modified "force 4" breakfast – sausages in omelette between thick slices of bread and butter.

Tomorrow, Monday, we sail at 09:00 in the direction of Falmouth, planning to stop on Tuesday afternoon at Dartmouth. Another day-night-day passage. The weather looks good, and if the wind remains easterly or south-easterly we hope to try for the River Fal on Wednesday. The crew is in good spirits, mainly Brandy and Aberlour, consumed to celebrate arrival, and is looking forward to a good night's sleep tonight.

Posted from aboard Nancy in the harbour at Yarmouth IOW by BH, RS, FM and BLB, to whom it was dictated by a mutinous crew.

Swallows and Amazons In Falmouth

The Swallows and Amazons exhibition opened today at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Running until July 11th, the display offers a "literary journey" through Arthur Ransome's life and works. Nancy Blackett is, of course, hoped to be available for viewing and visiting at the museum's pontoon by the end of the month.

In conjuction with the exhibition, the film "Swallows and Amazons" is due to be shown during the afternoon of May 18th as part of the museum's Family Film Programme. For more details click here.

A Trip to France

We are still in Dover Harbour. Yesterday the winds remained as Force 6 south-westerly, with many white horses in the Channel. Frank stayed aboard and worked on Nancy. Roger and I took the Sea France ferry as foot passengers to Calais - £6 return fare. Frank had a very relaxing day. We walked a long way, but enjoyed the ride and our visit to the town. On the outward passage water was breaking over the bows and we were glad to be warm and dry. There were no sails out to be seen but we often had 15 or more Very Large Crude Carriers in sight – a reminder of how busy the shipping lanes are hereabouts.

In the evening the wind reduced to a Force 4 south-westerly and we had a pub meal in the Flagship. The forecast keeps offering south-easterly Force 3/4, but there is no sign of this as I write. Roger is visiting London today and Bob Hull joins this evening. Earlier today we saw a Hurricane and a Spitfire flying over Dover Castle heading for France.

We expect to sail early tomorrow, Saturday, for a day-night-day passage towards the Solent.

Posted aboard Nancy on B pontoon, Dover Marina, by BLB and FM.

Nancy Takes to the Stage

Theatre company the Eastern Angles will perform a play of Arthur Ransome's "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" in Ipswich in July, as part of Ip-Art, Ipswich Borough Council's summer arts festival.

The adaptation will premiere in a special marquee in Ipswich Docks from July 3rd to 6th, before going on tour throughout the counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, with the final performance being in Woodbridge on August 2nd.

In a press release issued by the Eastern Angles, its Artistic Director, Ivan Cutting, said: "We are all really excited about staging an adaptation of We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea – this Arthur Ransome book is a real hidden treasure with loads of theatrical possibilities and a story that is firmly rooted in Suffolk. We are especially looking forward to performing the show in the nautical atmosphere of Ipswich’s thriving Waterfront area as part of the Ip-Art festival."

Venues and dates can be seen and bookings can be made here.