Barcelona World Race 2014/15 – Part 2

Cheminees Poujoulat

Neutrogena

Gaes Centros Auditivos

One Planet, One Ocean / Pharmaton

 

Spirit of Hungary

Hugo Boss

Bernard Stamm and Jean Le Cam, aboard Cheminees Poujoulat, were the first to cross the finish line on 25^th March with a time of 84 days, 5 hours and 25 seconds. Neutrogena followed five days later, and third place was taken by Gaes Centros Auditivos.

I lost interest early in the race when Alex Thomson and Pepe Ribes retired after their yacht Hugo Boss lost her mast. I had high hopes that they would do well - even to win. Both boat and crew were well tested, and they consistently showed they had what it takes to win. Therefore, it was a big disappointment when tragedy struck, for they were out in front by a good margin.

They were my favourites to win, and my second favourites were Nandor Fa and Conrad Colman, racing Spirit of Hungary - not that I thought they would win, but I admired them for their enthusiasm and determination, despite the odds. Unlike the other competitors, they had no major sponsors. They knew they were the underdogs, but for them taking part and finishing the race was what it was all about.  I’m not surprised they are trailing behind the current leader, One Planet, One Ocean / Pharmaton, by 2,240 miles, but you can be sure that if they succeed in finishing, they will be elated by their achievement.

Links

Barcelona World Race

http://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/

Barcelona World Race – Part 1

 http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/barcelona-world-race-201415.html

Barcelona World Race - Departure Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVc_HjHxyDY#t=11

Barcelona World Race

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona_World_Race

Start of the Silly Season

£9 Boat

Boat again

Jamie, one of the rescued men 

Joff Strutt - Volunteer Lifeboat Man

We have a little bit of sunshine and people start behaving erratically. Motorcyclists weave in and out of traffic at phenomenal speeds; men and boys don shorts and bare their legs in public; plump, middle-aged women dress in tight-fitting Lycra bodysuits and they canter along pavements; kids go mad on their skateboards ………… You’ve got the picture!

This time of year heralds the beginning of the busy season for the RNLI and Her Majesty’s Coastguard.

Typically on a summer Bank Holiday weekend you can expect the RNLI to be in action, and on Monday, the Thames Coastguard were alerted by a distress call via the mobile phone of one of two amateur fishermen drifting offshore in a homemade boat. They were about 200 metres from the beach at Jaywick. Both of their oars had snapped as a result of the men’s efforts at trying to get back against the wind to the beach by the Martello Beach Holiday Park.

Clacton RNLI launched their D Class inshore lifeboat to rescue the men. Volunteer lifeboat man, Joff Strutt, said he had never seen such a craft before. It was made from loft insulation boards, scrap plywood, laminate flooring and wire coat hangers; much of it was held together with silicone adhesive. One of the men was a non-swimmer, and neither were wearing lifejackets.

They were taken aboard the lifeboat and put ashore at Clacton where they were given advice about safety at sea, and they agreed to have their £9 boat destroyed. One of the rescued men, 27-year old Jamie, said the boat that his companion had made was solid and stable. As far as he was concerned, the only thing that went wrong was the oars that had been bought. He declared the trip had been a success because they had caught some cod and crabs, but he was glad he had been assisted ashore.

I can only hope that both men have learnt a lesson, and if they go fishing again, they will go in a suitable boat, and be properly equipped and prepared.

Links

Clacton Fishermen rescued from £9 homemade boat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-32201995

Clacton Gazette – Two men rescued after drifting offshore …….. in £9 homemade boat

http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/

Clacton-on-Sea Lifeboat Station

http://www.clactonlifeboat.org.uk/

Clacton Lifeboat Station Rescue File 2015 (Kite Surfer)

http://www.clactonlifeboat.org.uk/lifeboat_pages/archives_rescue_2015.htm

Her Majesty’s Coastguard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_Majesty%27s_Coastguard

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritime_and_Coastguard_Agency

Southend Pier and Lifeboats

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/southend-pier-and-lifeboats.html

Captain Calamity – Stuart Hill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hill_(sailor)  

‘Hussar’ - Vertue No 21

Of the Laurent Giles designed yachts, I’ve always liked Vertues. A friend of mine built the very first Mark 11 GRP version. She was made from sheathed fibreglass planking formed on a male mould.  I had the privilege of crewing for him on a cruise from Canvey Island, Essex to Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. When I was skippering ‘Speedwell’* (Not ‘Speedwell of Hong Kong’***) at Brighton I was invited to look at a Cheoy Lee Vertue. The quality of workmanship was first-class.

The Vertue shown in the photo is ‘Hussar’ ** sailing on the River Crouch.

*’Speedwell’

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/speedwell.html

**’Hussar’ – Details of Laurent Giles Yacht

http://laurentgilesarchive.com/yacht-detail?id_no=116

Other Links

Maid of Tessa – Vertue 34

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/maid-of-tessa-vertue-34.html

Vertue Yachts – ‘Maid of Tessa’

http://vertueyachts.com/boats-14-110/v-34-maid-of-tesa/

Viking Boats (Yachts, Modern Classics, about the Vertue)

http://www.viking-boats.com/Pdf/Vertue.pdf

Vertue Yachts Homepage

http://vertueyachts.com/

Sailboat Data.com Vertue

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3588

An example of a Cheoy Lee Vertue

http://www.easternyachts.com/hoitak/

Cheoy Lee Vertue (Sold)

 http://www.woodenships.co.uk/sailing-yachts/laurent-giles-vertue/

‘Drumler’ – a Cheoy Lee Vertue

 http://drumler.com/about-drumler/ 

***'Speedwell of Hong Kong’ – The Log of a Junk Rigged Vertue

http://speedwelladventures.com/blog/

The Laurent Giles Archive

http://laurentgilesarchive.com/

‘Sumara of Weymouth’

http://www.sumaraofweymouth.co.uk/

Modern GRP Vertue 11 for Sale at £35,500

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/boats/s01813/s0813.htm

GRP Vertue for Sale at £21,385 (Italy)

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=257439&fx=GBP#contact

 

Vertue Yachts for Sale

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/classifieds/boats-for-sale/laurent-giles-vertue.html

The Audacity and Other Small Yachts Designed by Laurent Giles

Audacity for sale in Kent

An Audacity recently sold

'Trekka'

'Trekka' at Port Townsend

Once again, Alden has inspired me to jump on my surfboard - this time in search of the Laurent Giles designed Audacity. She’s a 21’ cold-moulded yacht based on Giles’s ‘Trekka’ that was sailed around the world by John Guzzwell between 1955 and 1959.* At that time she was the smallest yacht to do so, and great credit must be given to John for his achievement.

The Audacity was designed as a small, but able cruising yacht for a crew of two, also suitable for JOG events. Unlike ‘Trekka’ with her deep draught keel, Audacity had a lifting keel. Originally built in 1959 by Walter Lawrence and Son Ltd., a few are sailing today - indeed, one is for sale at Faversham, in Kent.**

Jack Laurent Giles designed several other small ocean going yachts, of which the Vertue is probably his most famous. Under Giles’s employ, Colin Moody, a young draughtsman at the time, was asked to draw up plans for a small blue water cruiser for Patrick Ellam who wanted to sail from the UK to New York via the Caribbean. Colin seized the opportunity of crewing for Patrick and they completed their 10,000 mile cruise with ‘Sopranino’.***

*’Trekka’

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/trekka.html

Links

**Audacity 21 for Sale £3,300

http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=252364

Cold-Moulded Laurent Giles Audacity for Sale at Faversham

http://intheboatshed.net/2007/12/17/laurent-giles-audacity-salaam-for-sale/

Details of the Above (PDF download)

http://intheboatshed.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/salaam-sales-details.pdf

Audacity Yacht (Sold)

http://www.quayboats.co.uk/sail26.htm

Audacity 21 (Sold) - same boat as above, but more good photos

http://plymouth.boatshed.com/audacity_21-boat-100751.html

Audacity (Laurent Giles)

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7373

Photos of ‘Trekka’

http://www.shortypen.com/sailboats/trip-to-trekka-round-the-world/

Other Small Yachts Designed by Laurent Giles

***’Sopranino’

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/sopranino.html

‘Hobbit’, a JOG Boat Designed by Laurent Giles

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/hobbit-jog-boat-designed-by-laurent.html

Sopranino/Barchetta

 http://www.laurentgilesarchive.com/yacht-detail?id_no=139  

Barchetta Class

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=7960

‘Maid of Tessa’ – Vertue 34

 http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/maid-of-tessa-vertue-34.html

The Laurent Giles Archive

http://www.laurentgilesarchive.com/

Sailboat Designs of Jack Laurent Giles

http://sailboatdata.com/view_designer.asp?DESIGNER_ID=123

Fairey Fulmar

I once owned a Fairey Fulmar, and I kept her on a mooring at Hullbridge. She remained afloat at all times, which was a bit unusual for that part of the River Crouch. There were two reasons for being able to remain afloat: her shallow draught when her keel was raised, and because the mooring was located in an ever present pool at low water.

Laying the mooring was a bit of hoot, because my meticulous plan didn’t quite work out as I hoped. The story goes as follows:

I had a child’s wooden wheelbarrow that I filled with concrete into which I inserted a loop of iron rod before it set - So far so good. The result was a nice mooring block conveniently placed in the wheelbarrow for transporting it to where I may want.

At low water I went to the spot of the proposed mooring, and I tried digging a hole in the mud which was about two feet under the surface of the water, but it proved to be very difficult. Eventually I was satisfied the hole was big enough, and at each of the four corners I inserted long canes as markers. Before the tide came, in I wheeled the barrow and its contents to the middle of the river, adjacent to the Up River Yacht Club’s slipway and buoyed it.

As planned, I found myself standing on the bow of my Fairey Fulmar an hour before high water hauling the rope which was tied to the mooring block. Because of the combined weight of me and the block, the prop almost came out of the water! To make matters worse, I could not at first remove the block from the wheelbarrow, because it was buoyant. To reduce the weight at the bow I kept the block submerged. Meanwhile the yacht was drifting out of control. By forcefully prodding the barrow with the boathook I was able to free it. I returned to the cockpit to gain control and to bring the yacht back to her designed waterline for the prop to have enough drive for making headway.

Approaching the wiggling canes, and about fifty yards away from them, I set an anchor from the stern so as to position the bow by the markers. By the time this was accomplished it was almost high water at the stand of tide with just enough current to keep the yacht by the markers. I cut the engine and went forward. Apprehensively I lowered the block between the four canes. A later inspection showed that the hole was not quite large enough for the block, but there was still enough depth at low water to keep my Fairey Fulmar clear.

She turned out to be a fine yacht for East Coast cruising, on account of her lifting keel, but care had to be taken when traversing swatchways because of her 5’ 9” draught when the keel was fully down. Winding it up and down took ages.  At 20’ LOA and with a beam of 7’ 9” and headroom of 5’ 5” she was a comfortable two berth cruiser. Despite her top-hamper, her performance to windward was exceptionally good. Her one big drawback was her inability to hold a course. Having to always steer by hand was a nightmare. The inboard engine situated under the cockpit floor was easy to get at.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos of her, and I can’t even remember her name. This is a shame, because I have not been able to include her in ‘Photos of Boats I Have Owned’: http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/photos-of-boats-i-have-owned-part-1.html

Links

Atalanta Owners Association

http://atalantaowners.ning.com/

 

Fairey Fulmar – 1960 – Picas Web

https://picasaweb.google.com/116493500049865636778/FaireyFulmar1960# 

Fairey Owners Club

http://www.faireyownersclub.co.uk/ 

Fairey Owners Club Forum

http://www.faireyownersclub.co.uk/forum/

 

Fulmar 20 (Fairey Marine)

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?CLASS_ID=5366

Fairey Marine Ltd

http://sailboatdata.com/view_builder.asp?builder_id=9

Fairey Marine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Marine_Ltd

Fairey Fulmar for Sale £1,750

http://www.luxuryatch.com/1961-fairey-fulmar/

Ebay Bidding for Blue Belle 20 May 2014 £760

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fairey-fulmar-Sailing-Boat-Yacht-trailer-sailer-21ft-Vetus-inboard-diesel-/221440830181

Atalanta 26

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/atalanta-26.html

Small Sailboats Additions

Birdwatcher

Tideway

Little Wing 15.5

Express Pirate

There is a separate page to this blog called ‘Small Sailboats’. A link to it can be found on the right-hand side, under the header photo. Today I added 25 new links featuring the following boats:

Cornish Crabber 24

Duck Punts

Etap 22

Houdini

IMB

Little Wing 15

Lucky Town 7

Lysander

Mystere Flyer 26

Ness Yawl

Pandora

Parker 21

Pioneer 9

Raptor 16

Sharpy 15

Signet

Silhouette

Sneak Box

Solway Dory Shearwater

Sopranino

Trident 24

Valiant 18

Vivacity 20

Westerly 22

Wing 25

Fin Keel Caprice?

Is this a fin keel Caprice Mk V? She looks about the same size, but her cabin top is more streamlined and her transom and associated coaming appear to have been modified. Whatever she is, she looks pretty able.

I would appreciate your input.

Links

Caprice 19 – A Robert Tucker Pocket Cruiser

 http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/caprice-19-robert-tucker-pocket-cruiser.html

Caprice – A Robert Tucker bilge keel yacht

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/caprice-robert-tucker-bilge-keel-yacht.html

Caprice Mk 1 ‘Shrimpy’

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/shrimpy.html

Caprice 19 - Sailboat Data.com

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=5348

Caprice ‘Capri’

http://www.coburgbrokers.com/capri.html

Robert Tucker

http://www.fortpiercecitymarinaflorida.com/penryn/ballerina/roberttucker.html

Twin-keeler – More on Caprices

http://twin-keeler.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/more-on-caprices.html

Twin-keeler – Caprice in Spain

http://twin-keeler.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/caprice-in-spain.html

Twin-keeler - Another Mystery Boat

http://twin-keeler.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/another-mystery-boat.html

Shrimpy: a 18 foot Robert Tucker designed boat that sailed around the world

http://www.fortpiercecitymarinaflorida.com/penryn/ballerina/shrimpy.html

Robert Tucker Caprice for sale on 19 July 2011 (Details and photos)

http://boatsforsalenow.com/BoatResultsDetail.php?RecNo=10447

Caprice (Yachting Monthly)

http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/uncategorized/caprice-10035

Robert Tucker Carpice - Sold

http://barcelona.boatshed.com/robert_tucker_caprice_19-boat-77252.html

Caprice - Sold

http://www.boatshed.com/caprice_caprice_19-boat-111355.html

Shane Acton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Acton

C. E. Clark (Cowes) Ltd.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?40674-C-E-CLARK-(COWES)-LTD

‘Galway Blazer 11’ renamed ‘Galway Blazer of Dart’

'Galway Blazer 11'

'Galway Blazer 11' again

Bill King at 100

Peter Crowther

See link***

Yesterday in the comments section, Alden Smith mentioned there was a similarity in appearance between Julian Mustoe’s ‘Harrier’ and Commander Bill King’s ‘Galway Blazer 11’. I met Julian when he was preparing ‘Harrier’ for his great adventure, and I remember him saying he had deliberately designed her to have similar characteristics, for strength, for reduction of wave impact, for water shedding qualities and increased buoyancy. The drawbacks of the cigar shape were more windage and the unfriendly, hazardous deck, as with ‘Galway Blazer 11’. However, ninety-nine percent of the time both yachts were handled from the security of the cabin.

After returning home in 1973 from sailing ‘Galway Blazer 11’ around the world, Commander Bill King put her up for sale. I met him at the West Mersea Yacht Club when he gave an illustrated lecture about his voyage, and he said he had enough sailing to last him a lifetime. I remember seeing his yacht at the London Boat Show where she was the star attraction. Peter Crowther bought her in 1974 for £10,000 and he entered her in the two-handed Round Britain Race that year. He invited me and my brother to have a look at her when she was at Plymouth before the start of the race.* Peter renamed the yacht, 'Galway Blazer of Dart' and he owned the Angus Primrose designed schooner for many years before she was lost in the 1996 Single-handed Transatlantic Race and he has written a book** about his experiences sailing her.

*Small Fry, Part 1 (With a mention of ‘Galway Blazer of Dart’)

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/small-fry-part-1.html

**Single-handed Sailing in Galway Blazer by Peter Crowther

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Single-Handed-Sailing-Galway-Blazer-Crowther/dp/1853109959/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427113217&sr=8-1&keywords=galway+blazer+crowther

***Capsize by Bill King – Hardcover 1969 for £14.98

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Capsize-Bill-King/dp/0245596380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427149882&sr=8-1&keywords=capsize+bill+king

Other Links

The Life and Times of Commander Bill King

http://9livesproductions.com/index.html

Hall of Fame - Bill King

http://www.junkrigassociation.org/Resources/Documents/Hall%20of%20Fame/Hall%20of%20Fame%20-%20Bill%20King%20L.pdf

Peter Crowther and ‘Galway Blazer 11’

http://www.junkrigassociation.org/Resources/Documents/Hall%20of%20Fame/Hall%20of%20Fame%20-%20Peter%20Crowther.pdf

Peter Crowther – Landlord of the Dragon

http://www.bythedart.co.uk/living-in-dartmouth/people/in-conversation-with-peter-crowther/

 

Golden Globe Sailor Celebrates His 100^th Birthday

http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/golden-globe-sailor-celebrates-100th-birthday-6761

Bill King (Royal Navy Officer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_King_(Royal_Navy_officer) 

In the Company of a True Hero – Commander Bill King

http://brenspeedie.blogspot.co.uk/2006/12/in-company-of-true-hero-commander-bill.html

Commander Bill King Obituary

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/naval-obituaries/9561339/Commander-Bill-King.html

Commander Bill King Obituary

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/07/commander-bill-king

Commander Bill King - Galway Blazer II – 1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-TWV4TbfxU

Commander Bill King - HMS Snapper - 1940

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8A2JDbMLEw

Commander Bill King - Interview - 2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-TWV4TbfxU

Commander Bill King Obituary - RTE News - 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QFcsx3DMt4

 

Commander Bill King - RTE Nationwide - 2002

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdRNJN-AaV8

Julian Mustoe and 'Harrier'

Julian

'Harrier'

'Zeta'

'Harrier of Down'

It was with great delight that I recently came across a reference to Julian Mustoe. He is the intrepid sailor who set out in his modified Folksong ‘Harrier’ to sail around the world in the wake of HMS Beagle, aboard which Charles Darwin, the naturalist, developed his extraordinary theory of evolution.

Julian’s voyage was of particular interest to me, because ‘Harrier’, formerly ‘Zeta’, in her original glory, was built by me from a basic bonded deck and hull to the design of Eric Berquist. Julian stripped her out completely, only wanting her for her hull and junk rig. She was well ballasted with a ton of lead and her hull had no seacocks. He built a new raised deck to provide increased headroom and for greater internal volume.

To cut a very long story short, Julian succeeded in following the wake of HMS Beagle, but not without suffering the loss of ‘Harrier’ when she was wrecked on the Brazilian coast. He subsequently fitted out another vessel that he named, ‘Harrier of Down’, and he continued his great adventure, finally returning home after eleven years, not all of them at sea, on account of spending time ashore in pursuit of his interests and adding to his income.

An enthusiastic supporter of Darwinian Theory Julian wanted to see things for himself and to present in a book his own observations in light of Darwin’s voyage and discoveries. Here’s what he says about the book, which has yet to be published, ‘for the person who seeks pleasure and enlightenment from a truthful and informative book, and who can respond to the lure of past times, the interest of a modern journey and to the prospect of distant horizons.’

I congratulate Julian on his achievement and wish him every success in his new endeavour in 2015 to sail ‘Harrier of Down’ to the Baltic Sea for carrying out another historically based cruise exploring the territory and activities of the Hanseatic League.

Links

*Julian Mustoe – Voyage of the Harrier

http://www.julian-mustoe.com/

Julian Mustoe in the Wake of Darwin’s Beagle

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?330003-Julian-Mustoe-in-the-wake-of-Darwins-beagle

‘Harrier’, a radically modified Folksong yacht

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/harrier-radically-modified-folksong.html

‘Zeta’ – Folksong

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/zeta-folksong.html

Second Voyage of HMS Beagle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_voyage_of_HMS_Beagle

Charles Darwin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin

Personal View of Evolution

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/personal-view-of-evolution.html

Creation

http://bills-log.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/creation.html

Hanseatic League

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League

Eclipse of the Sun, 20th March 2015

Yesterday, along with millions of TV viewers, I had the privilege of watching the eclipse of the sun. Cloud cover where I live in Essex prevented me from seeing it firsthand.  I thought the BBC produced and presented their programme very well. With great technical skill they showed live footage of the eclipse from different parts of the UK and from the Faroe Islands.

The moon’s shadow first passed over S W England at Newlyn.  From there it progressed in a northerly direction over England and Scotland. Perhaps the trickiest part of filming was from an aircraft in flight north of the Faroes from where it was possible to film a full eclipse. Liz Bonnin was the commentator.  Elsewhere in the UK the eclipse was only partial. The further north you were, the fuller was the eclipse.

The 20^th March 2015 also coincided with the Spring Equinox, the first day of the year when there are twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness for those at the equator. Coincidentally, the Moon happens to be in perigee; that’s when it is closest to the earth while travelling on its elliptical orbit. Because the sun, earth and moon are lined up, it is also a time when the difference between high and low tide is at its maximum – a time when tidal streams run at their fastest.

Links

‘Breathtaking’ solar eclipse witnessed by millions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31965456

Solar Eclipse Photos from Europe

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/first-pictures-of-the-solar-eclipse/ss-BBitoxz

UK’s First Glimpse of Solar Eclipse

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/uks-first-glimpse-of-solar-eclipse/vi-BBitouD

Solar eclipse: amazing picture from International Space Station was photoshopped

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11484849/Solar-eclipse-amazing-picture-from-International-Space-Station-was-photoshopped.html

Solar Eclipse 2015: LIVE updates as the eclipse happens across the UK

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/solar-eclipse-2015-live-updates-5364900

Eclipse – Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse

Faroe Islands

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faroe_Islands

Freaky Friday: Solar eclipse, Supermoon, spring equinox

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/03/18/solar-eclipse/24970217/

Not just a solar eclipse! Today sees THREE astronomical phenomena take place as the supermoon and spring equinox align

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3004075/Not-just-solar-eclipse-Today-sees-THREE-astronomical-phenomena-place-supermoon-spring-equinox-align.html

Total solar eclipse, supermoon, equinox: Friday’s celestial triple play

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/03/20/total-solar-eclipse-supermoon-equinox-fridays-celestial-triple-play/

Southend Tide Tables for March 2015 (Highest tide 2 days after the equinox.)

https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/southend-on-sea-tide-times

Liz Bonnin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_Bonnin