Sea Trial

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S. Weaver
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Boat Name: SL Iona

Sea Trial

Post by S. Weaver » Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:39 am

SL IONA had her sea trials back in May this year, however, when the wind kicked up last week on Frenchmans Bay just north of Bar Harbor, Maine, USA, IONA experienced a different kind of "sea trial." We found ourselves hugging the lee side of the islands as made our way. This short clip, shot by my Very First Class Water Tender, shows IONA's sea-keeping abilities as we make our way back to Sorrento. Quartering the waves had her rolling right over them with no spray.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SxRzkjyoXSd5nvdx6

In the distance, one can see Bar Harbor with at least one cruise ship.
Steve
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PeteThePen1
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Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, Europe
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Re: Sea Trial

Post by PeteThePen1 » Sun Sep 11, 2022 1:09 pm

Hi Steve and friends

Thanks for that clip. Iona is clearly an excellent craft and seemed not at all bothered by the waves. Your camera person did well too keeping the horizon horizontal and giving us a real feel for the movement. Weatherwise, it looked a pretty pleasant day to be out in a launch.

Here in the UK we are slipping out of summer weather and into the cooler and damper days of Autumn. Happily for us, Wales has been blessed with occasional intervals of rain throughout the long sunny summer so everywhere remains pretty green. Back in England they have been having a torrid time with drought.

The passing of Queen Elizabeth has launched a tsunami of media concentration on all things royal with no let up in sight (the Funeral is due 19th September). I have been astonished by those small snippets I have been forced to consume. I had always thought that the British Thing included the Stiff Upper Lip and the avoidance of public emotion but that all seems to have been washed away. Those of us who are (British) Republicans have rather gone to ground for the moment as this is clearly not a safe time to be talking about democracy and constitutional reform despite it being just the right time logically. The death of Qeen Elizabeth represents the passing of the old Britain of colonialism and Empire. Perhaps this would be a good time to stop, reflect and ask how Britain wishes to act and be seen in the world. Sadly, there seems to be little chance of that just yet.

Regards

Pete
S. Weaver
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Boat Name: SL Iona

Re: Sea Trial

Post by S. Weaver » Sat Sep 17, 2022 6:56 pm

Thank you, Pete, for the kind comments. Though I have no plans to brave sea conditions like that on a regular basis, an assurance that the Very First Class Water Tender needed to hear, we were gratified to know that if we got caught, we had a good chance of getting back.

We came back from Maine - where we purposefully eschewed all media - into a groundswell of heartfelt emotional outpouring and airtime, where one could be excused for believing that we lost our monarch! I guess all of the recent unpleasantries surrounding George III were forgotten ... :D

Well, all things media have a certain half-life, so soon we'll back into our normal posture of scorn, and tarring and feathering of all things having to do with leadership. You will then be able to emerge safe from your constitutional republican burrow.
Steve
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