Emergency Plumbing - Murvi Morello Aug 2015

West Country Tour 2015
Fixing a Leak - Murvi Morello Aug 2015

We could hear the water pump running - for no apparent reason!
Having ruled out the easier possibilities and discovered a 'wet patch', we figured the water leak must be from around the calorifier area - only accessible by taking the corner bench seat out.

So, out came the tools and off came the corner bench and then side access panel - to reveal a serious drip from the brass elbow on top of the hot water tank.
I took the section off, stripped it down and walked down into St.Ives to get a replacement.
Fortunately, the diy local shop had just the bits needed.

It was soon fitted and back to 'dry' operation.
The carpet is also dry now in the warm weather!!

Access to the calorifier through the side panel - newspaper down to soak up some water!

Taking advantage of good weather to dry off the corner bench

The top section is the old.

The lower section shows a new brass 90 degree elbow, new olives and a new jubilee clip

Job completed and re-assembled

Barbara Hepworth Museum - St.Ives Aug 2015

West Country Tour 2015
Barbara Hepworth Museum Aug 2015

We know we won't be down this way for a while, so took the opportunity of a sunny day to visit this interesting Museum. Part of the Tate Gallery, it gives an insight into her work and her working studio. As a student when at the University of Exeter, I was familiar with some of her work in the university grounds - it very much has good memories of time in the West Country.

Many of the exhibits represent her 'signature style' - though there were other, rather different works.
Here are a selection of those we were allowed to photograph.

A classic Hepworth - called 'Form with inner form' !

This is another classic design, with the smooth 'egg-shape' with hole

A view into the studio - just as she left it when she died?

Here, plaster castes are prepared that presumably become moulds for bronze casting

I think this large sculpture is called 'mother and chid'?

Chris showing the size of a piece of granite awaiting carving

 

These shapes are called 'Six forms'!!

 

Called the god 'Apollo' - this is an unusual figure for a Hepworth

An array of granite blocks - in waiting in posterity ... 

One of my favourite's - called 'Three flowing forms'

A magical and peaceful visit

Clutch, Camping and Culdrose - St.Ives July 2015

West Country Tour 2015
Clutch, Camping and Culdrose - St.Ives July

It's been somewhat of a roller coaster stay at St.Ives - weather wise, motorvan wise and holidaying wise!

Having got off the Isles of Scilly ferry, collected our luggage, gone and got the motorvan, loaded and then stopped in Tesco for some food - it was quite late as we arrived at the Caravan and Camping Temporary Holiday Site at St.Ives Rugby Club.
This is extremely well run and friendly, with easy access into the busy holiday seaside town of St.Ives. We unloaded our camping stuff (necessary to get the bed out to sleep) and covered it with a groundsheet - no rain was expected. 

In the morning sun!

We subsequently put up our old tent to store things.

 

The next week, we set out for a trip to Truro. All was going well - when a loud bang signalled that failure of the clutch. As it happened, we were just on the rise of a roundabout (in rush hour with a motorist helpfully hooting!) going no-where. Chris jumped out and managed to push the motorvan over the rise and we coasted onto the Cornwall Council approach road!

 

It was terminal and the RAC sorted out a wagon to take us on - but to where?!

With a broken van - and nowhere to go - of course we had all our camping needs on board and a full load of food as well.

The Cornwall Council Receptionist was exceptionally helpful and arranged for us to get transported to a garage outside Truro where we could sleep the night (2 nights as it happened!) 

 

Getting loaded onto the transporter

 

The lady takes a lift from a nice RAC man!

It turned out the plastic clutch pedal had snapped  - possibly due to a corroded/snagging clutch cable. These were duly ordered though to fit the new pedal, the pedal assembly needed to come off, in turn needing to remove the steering column and associated wiring.

When is was all put back, the motorvan wouldn't start as the ECU (engine computer) was disabled!! After another night we got it sorted with an

Emergency Start Up Code though all the warning lights remained on! 

We had had a severe storm overnight which had basically finished off the old tent - RIP 

 

This tent has done us well, starting with us in Abersoch in 2003. Here is the first of it's three trips to the Isles of Scilly. We went to get a new tent for Daniel and Poppy!!

On a return visit to the garage to rectify a brake light problem and fuses - we stopped at the delightful Trelissick National Trust property for tea and cake. We walked around to the newly opened house. This wonderful Gothic Tower is, in fact, the garden water tower!

Later that week, Dan, Poppy and I went over to the RNAS Culdrose Air Day - it was a beautiful day for flying and we saw a range of heritage and modern aircraft.

As a Naval Base, they train up the next generation of aircraft carrier flight deck crew on a mock deck - here with the amazing Sea Harrier FA2 which is only allowed to taxi

Here two of RNAS Yeovilton's AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2 face off.

They give an anti-surface attack capability

The Italian Freece Tricolori were a star turn - as good as the Red Arrows - and gave a wonderfully colourful display

There were 10 Aermachi MB-339 PAN jet trainers in the display.

In a rather nice touch, having re-fuelled, one of the pilots set off back to Italy as his wife was soon to deliver their baby!

The awesome sight of the RNAS Culdrose helicopters arrive in formation

 

Three of the Sea King HU Mk5 of 771 Naval Air Search and Rescue Squadron.

They are shortly to be disbanded in favour of the civilian Bristows in 2016

This is the operational Sea King Mk7 ASaC - Airborne Survelliance

The Chinook is well known - but we've never seen it 'dance' like this!

Granddaughter and Granddad

Dan and Poppy finished their holiday with a lovely meal at Pizza Express, down by the harbour - the sweet was LARGE!

Son and Father

 

The older generation

Family!

A look across the harbour as the evening descents and Poppy and Dan say goodbye

 

 

 

Farewell to the Isles of Scilly July 2015

West Country Tour 2015
Leaving the Isles of Scilly - July

Our month long camp on the lovely St.Martins Island has come to an end and we took the island ferry back to St.Mary's Harbour for the last time.
We know we won't be back here for quite a while now!

The harbour was busy as ever with boats - though our Passenger Ferry back to Penzance was already in and loading.

Scillonian III docked ready for the 16.30 sailing to Penzance

 

Motor Tug Polmear from Jenkins Marine, Poole is on charter during the new quay extension works. She appears to be 'on stand-by' to assist craft in maneuvering in the close quarters around the works. MT Polmear is a 48', 880hp twin screw tug of 10 knots

The Cargo Freight Lyonesse sets off with more supplies for the 'off-islands' 

This photo is taken from the stern deck of the Scillonian - down to the new quay extension.

Here the concrete base blocks are beginning to show - precast in Falmouth and brought over by barge, they apparently interlock and are pegged together and to the sea bed

A last farewell to the beach at St.Martins where we camped for the month - our 3rd time now

Last view of the Eastern Isles

Passing the Isles Freight Ship - Gry Maritha

This is the THV Galatea at anchor outside Penzance Harbour. She is a Trinity House multi-function support vessel, named by the Queen in October 2007. At 2569 gross tonnes, 277ft long with diesel-electric powered twin screws and 2 bow thrusters -  she can make 12.5 knots. Her role is wrecking marking, dealing with buoys, towing and survey work under contract. There is a foredeck helipad.

She was later seen off St.Ives working on sea trials of electronic and cabling systems

St.Mary's Harbour - Isles of Scilly July 2015

West Country Tour 2015
Visit to St.Mary's Harbour

[We've struggled with both charging and 3-dongle signal on the islands - so the blog is running behind!]

Being camped on the 'off-island' of St.Martins, we had several trips over on the island ferry to the main Isles of Scilly Island of St.Mary's.
There were many boats to see in and around the harbour - here are some pictures.

Passing the freight Isles of Scilly supply vessel - the Gry Maritha was built in Norway in 1981 and came into service here in 1989. At around 40m (127ft) and 590 gross tons, she provides the islands with all their bulk cargo needs using fuel containers and pallets of cargo

 Lyonesse Lady, built 1991, is the inter-island freight vessel.

It has an hydraulic hoist which off-loads pallets and the camping trailers.

It can come stern-end to shore for a roll off ramp for tractors/cars etc

On our way across we sighted the large cruise ship, the Cruise and Maritime Voyagers Magellan, recently commissioned this year at 49000grtons.

It has 1250 passengers - many came ashore to St.Mary's

RNLB Severn Class 17-11 The Whiteheads anchored in the harbour

A view of the Kier Construction platform and diving pontoon.

They are extending the quay for larger vessels

The RMV Scillonian III docked at St.Mary's Quay. Purpose built in 1977 to replace the earlier Isles of Scilly passenger ferry, she has been re-fitted on at least two occasions, the last being in 2012/13 to extend it's 'life' to 2018.

At 233ft and 1255tons, she can carry 600 passengers with 18 crew - uniquely she is designed with a shallow depth at 9.5ft to allow passage at all tides and with a flat bottom can sit on the sand bottom if needed. This makes her unstable in heavy sea conditions and she has fitted a 'Flume' antiroll stabiliser system!

 

Oh dear!

A fine 2-masted boat - beached for maintenance?

This is one of the half a dozen trip boats that operate from St.Mary's harbour.

We took this out to the Western Isles of Annet to see the puffins and seals.

I think they might be old lifeboats from ocean liners?

A local crabbing/lobster boat comes in to re-fuel and land it's day's catch

There are boats of all shapes and sizes!

Passing a large yacht under mainsail as it heads for Tresco sound

Work done, this fine yacht is back on it's mooring buoy

The two tugs operating the working barge for the new pier.

 

 

Here working as evening comes

This coaster vessel came in to dock - there was much activity with loading going on from lorries arriving with heavy haulage bags

 

Through the night it loaded! It turned out to be the waste from the Isles rubbish tip and recycling. Remember that everything has to come in by sea and then be taken out again.

Here the pair of tugs are moving the working barge - on it's way back to Plymouth to get more pre-cast concrete blocks for the new pier