Leaving Falmouth

The internet is a strange and wonderful thing. Through one of my sisters-in-law, Shelagh, who lives in Vermont, who is something of a Facebook Fiend, I discovered that Andrew Halcrow, a yachtsman from the Shetland was coming to Falmouth in October to prepare for his second attempt at a solo (non-stop?) circumnavigation of the globe. Are you still with me? The Facebook page had been set up by someone who isn’t known to Andrew, his wife or family. Not just that, but the page has acquired more and more followers by the day.

However, Shelagh found out contact details for me (I was away at the time, not being lazy), so I was able to interview Andrew and his wife just before Andrew left Falmouth on November 4th.

Andrew’s first attempt at sailing round the world single handedly was interrupted in 2006 when his appendix burst. He was taken by container ship to hospital in Australia and had to leave his beloved boat, the Elsi Arrub, adrift some 300 miles off Australia. Months later, when he was back in Shetland, he had a phone call to say that the yacht had been found afloat.

You can imagine his joy, as he built this boat 26 years ago and she is now part of the family. “I know her inside and out,” he said fondly. After a good scrub up and hose down, repairs made, “she looked all dressed up and ready to go,” so his wife suggested he should have another go at sailing round the world.

And on Monday 4th November he slipped out of Falmouth. It was overcast with little wind at that point, but I wish him all the very best. You can too, for the website will be up and running soon – www.elsiarrub.co.uk - and read about it in January's Cornwall Today.