KALESSIN OF ORWELL IS A 33FT WESTERLY STORM. IN 2006-8 WE SAILED HER DOWN TO PORTUGAL, INTO THE MED, AND HOME THROUGH THE FRENCH CANALS. IN 2011 WE EXPLORED BALTIC GERMANY AND DENMARK. AFTER SAM'S STROKE WE CRUISED GENTLY ON THE EAST COAST, THE NETHERLANDS AND BRITTANY, AND IN 2021 SAILED TO CORNWALL AND BACK. IN 2024, FOLLOWING SAM'S DEATH, CAMILLA COMPLETED A MEMORIAL ROUND-BRITAIN CRUISE

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Our presents were much less sailing-related this year than in many previous years. Perhaps that's because we already have a lot of what we need?

By special request, my present from the boys (although I do suspect Sam of organising it) was a purple ukulele. They are said to be the easiest instruments to learn and I thought it was about time I caught up with Sam and his Fender. A key attribute is that a ukulele is also small, light, tough and cheap, all ideal attributes for an istrument played on a boat. I can already play half a dozen chords. If you fancy playing a uke there are some great videos on YouTube (including one from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and an excellent training site written by Pineapple Pete in Toronto.

I bought Sam an EcoBlast, a very loud horn for alerting French lock-keepers. Unlike most cheap horns which use gas canisters this one can be recharged with a bicycle pump or a garage air pump. The boys love it, because it's deafeningly loud (literally). I suspect there may not be much oomph left by the time we meet our first lock.

Sam also got a book, Sailing's Strangest Moments, which is good for dipping into when you want a slightly odd experience.

And I got Dee Caffari's Against the Flow. This is quite odd because in my current role at Aviva (who sponsor Dee) I've been publishing quite a bit about Dee on our global intranet, and the Ocean Racing website is coordinated a few feet from where I sit. When her mast fell down in a force 9 in the Bay of Biscay I was the only one in the office, so it was all down to me. I got a fair bit of stick from Sam for mentioning Aviva even more than usual when I got home... and it turns out he'd bought me this book anyway.

1 comment:

Paul said...

Hi Camilla

I've enjoyed catching up with your adventures; this particular post set me off on a wonderful nostalgic trail through Penguin Cafe Orchestra on YouTube.

How's the playing?

Paul x

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