Fryderyck Chopin in Falmouth.

The Newlyn fishing boat Nova Spero hs just handed over the Fryderyck Chopin to a Falmouth Harbour tug. A picture reveals the extent of the damage to the tall ship's rigging.

Fryderyk Chopin update.

The picture earlier today tracking the Fryderyk Chopin off the Lizard on VesselTracker AIS.

Stormy enough at the Church of Storms.

 Winwaloe has seen it all before......

 as the surf pounds the beach........

 up on the headland at Mullion the old hotel that played host to Sinatra and many other stars in its heyday has seen it all before too......

 for the visitor a walk to the top of the cliff is tempting......

 while the church and the hotel as was looks on.......

the surf keeps coming - and a reminder that for nearly forty youngsters aboard the Fryderyk Chopin and still at sea, this is one educational trip they won't forget.

The tug Independence shelters off Porthleven.

Tug Independence anchored off Porthleven at 0800.

Picked up by VesselTracker's AIS, the tug Independence shelters off Portheleven after a stormy night escorting the Fryderyk Chopin from south of the Scillies in a south easterly gale. Latest news reports indicate that the sailing ship is still under tow by the fishing boat Nova Spero and headed for Falmouth and not Plymouth as first reported.

Tug Independence escorts the Fryederyck Chopin under tow passes south of the Scillies

Latest news: The Sennen Cove lifeboat is escorting the Fryderyck Chopin in a force 8 gale.

Great advantage of modern technology - without going outside and getting wet VesselTracker's AIS picks up the tug Independence with the Fryderyck Chopin under escort 20 miles south of the Isles of Scilly. According to a Polish news service they are intending to arrive in Falmouth on Sunday morning.

Hopefully the youngsters aboard the boat are in good spirits - they'll need to be as the current weather at the SevenStones lightship 25 miles to the North looks like this:

Station 62107
UK Met Office
Location: 50.103N 6.1W
Conditions as of:
Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:00:00 UTC
Winds: SSE (150°) at 26.0 kt
Significant Wave Height: 7.2 ft
Atmospheric Pressure: 29.19 in and falling
Air Temperature: 54.7 F
Dew Point: 51.3 F
Water Temperature: 55.4 F
Visibility: 2 nmi

With the wind on the starboard beam and the masts and rigging in the water one can only assume life is fairly uncomfortable for all hands on board - no doubt the hotel they are booked into in Plymouth on arrival will spoil them with hot showers!

Polish sail training ship Fryderyk Chopin & Nova Spero update.

The St Mary's RNLI lifeboat, The Whiteheads, under the command of Coxswain Peter Hicks, was launched at 3.06 yesterday afternoon (Friday 29 October) to go to the aid of the Polish tall ship, the Fryderyk Chopin, which was dismasted and drifting 93 miles south west of the Scilly Islands.

Of the 47 people on board the brig, 36 were teenage cadets.

The Newlyn registered fishing vessel, Nova Spero, managed to get a line on board and took the stricken vessel in tow.

Fly past.

 The big clean-up, one day later and all that's left is a few nets, a trawl and a pile of fish boxes looking for a new home......

 if its not the main its the genny.......

 another dazzling display over the Bay this morning......

 greeting the Scillonian III on what should be the last trip of the year to the islands.......

 a little later and another change in colour fills the harbour.......

 at this time of year St Ives sees most of its fleet move elsewhere owing to the dangerous weather conditions in the winter.......

boat builder John Moore will be none too pleased to see one of his creations looking weather beaten......

 no chance of shakes in the stem of the William, just rusted out plates instead, good to see the apprentice avoiding looking at the welding - he'd only get arc-eye once in his life to know better........

 who's the odd one out then?........

 off come the anodes having done their job.........

starlings give an early morning fly-past over Newlyn Green.