New perspectives on Thalmia

I do hope you all had a good year in 2022.

For Thalmia and I it has been a great year for sailing. Crossing the Channel in May to Guernsey, Sark, Jersey, St Malo and up the river Rance to Dinan. Then the Scillies in June where Ruth and I revisited many of our favourite spots over a lovely two week holiday on board Thalmia. We often move anchorages together but this year Ruth was happy for us to sail (or motor?) offshore outside St Agnes close to Annet in search of the puffins that roost there. In the event we only saw one!

It was a long dry summer but …..

In the school holidays family joined me on day trips. Mostly we stayed warm and dry – except when we took the dinghy ashore off Exmouth and got heavily ‘damp’ rowing (and being pushed by a swimming Rob) against breaking waves!

Then later in the year I turned left out of the Exe and met family in Poole including taking my nephew out for a lovely sail. He has been dipping his toes in this sailing passion! Maybe he will get truly immersed!

And then playtime! ….

On this trip I was able to “play” with a new drone for additional sailing footage. It’s quite OK flying it from land, although sending it far out over water was initially a bit daunting. The really nervous bit, though, was launching it from the boat at anchor and recovering it into my hand and not into the sea!!! So far it has worked! Next year I’ll have to decide if I’m brave (or silly!) enough to fly and recover it while sailing the boat single (or no) handed! Mmmmm!

Anyway, as well as the new drone I’m also getting quite technical with a free version of some professional video and sound editing software – DaVinci Resolve. As a way of learning the software (with lots of YouTube tutorials) I have reworked some of my existing videos from 2022 into a very short (9½ minute) highlight run through with some effects. I hope you enjoy it!

Having had the standing rigging (that’s the SS wires that hold the mast upright!) on Thalmia replaced when she was laid up in October I don’t have a lot of new work to do on her over winter. But there will be lots I will find to do as we get closer to Spring!

Wishing you all a happy new year with fair winds and following seas!