In case anybody is curious as to what my sister is up to...
http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/forum/main/topic.asp?topic=5051&topicpage=1&page=1&sort=5&order=1&search (http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/forum/main/topic.asp?topic=5051&topicpage=1&page=1&sort=5&order=1&search)
or try:
Fransbigadventure.com but that is still a work in progress....
Antony
Try this link too....................
http://www.fransbigadventure.com/ (http://www.fransbigadventure.com/)
The GPS tracker is now working too, so yes she is just sailing in to Rye.
At this rate she should be with you mid/late next week John, rather than dropping into Burton Wk!
Antony
I'm trying to remember anything the Laser guy said when i went to his talk earlier in the year... Avoid firing ranges, if i remember rightly he got shouted at Chesil beach, and injured by a RIB at one near Milford Haven, even though he had told the Coastguard where he was going. And watch out for Neds. But it sounds like there is a lot more shore support for this endeavour.
Fran left Lyme Regis today, heading for Brixham and hopefully Salcombe tomorrow.
She's fairly pegging it round under a combination of sail, motor and tow - I'd highly recommend reading her blog for the full story!
The sponsorship link is now up and running so get donating.
http://www.fransbigadventure.com/
Cheers
Sophie
ok... so that sounded a bit prescriptive, but I didn't mean it to. If you want to sponsor Fran that would be really really great.
Fran is raising money for the RNLI and Shining Life. The RNLI you will already know about, but Shining Life you may not. It's a childrens trust that runs projects in Sri lanka supporting disadvantaged children and families.
(apologies for earlier poorly formatted posts - I should know better than to paste text from word or web pages!)
Dear All,
Thank you for all the messages. They are appreciated!! Thank you Sophie for promoting the sponsorship side (and for your 4 fantastic days!)
The charity side of this event is now up and running. Many of you have been asking how to donate, and the easiest answer is to go onto fransbigadventure.com and click on the donate button.
It is for two excellent causes, the Shining Life Childrens Trust which supports disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka and the RNLI who I am hoping not to need but I seem to increasingly be talking to people who have been rescued by them and are eternally grateful for their assistance.
Anyway - its quite a big challenge, that is going very well so far, I type from Brixham having left from Waldringfield 11 days ago, if you would like to donate to my chosen charities then that would be great.
Thanks again to everyone that has been involved so far in providing me with accoms, coming out for a meal or drinks, coming sailing, offering their sailing skills etc....
Franny G
ex 3431 Zippy
Frantastic - leaving Salcombe on 27th May destination Newton Ferrers
Off South Sands - must be time for another San Miguel...............................................................
OK which practicle joker tied the big you know what to the top of Frans mast. (my money is on Brian!)
See the latest write-up on Yachts & Yachting at http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=152336 (http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=152336) and make sure you give it a five star vote!
Zooming along! We shall watch progress over the next week v carefully and then Ellie and I plan to go Fran hunting once school has broken up,
Mrs RM
Viper was galebound yesterday, but is back on the move again today. At this rate they are only a day or two from heading south.... two of the next crews up are (I believe) top 12 helms.
The other good news is that the new 'Fran Finder' is up and running:
http://www.zesttracking.co.uk/where-is-fran.asp (http://www.zesttracking.co.uk/where-is-fran.asp) for some reason you have to go down to the part of the page that (on my PC) looks all grey .. and then zoom out until you can see where she is.
Feel free to sponsor her, I was a little ambitious with what i suggested to the RNLI that she might raise.. we have a way to go yet!
https://www.charitiestrust.org/members_data/event/francesbigadventure/index.html (https://www.charitiestrust.org/members_data/event/francesbigadventure/index.html)
And, thanks to all those that have supported already.
Antony
N3348
Amazing progress! The girls are hoping to go Fran finding on Wednesday - at this rate they will be heading to Norfolk!
Jennie,
I did speak to her today, but I am not sure if Blakeney was the plan for Wednesday night or Thursday night.
The RNLI at Spurn Point are certainly expecting a visit, the only fully pro and permanent RNLI community in the UK. Weather permitting Viper may then do one of her 'big hops' straight across from there. For some reason Frances is not that excited by the idea of Skegness YC... although i thought their muddy creek looked rather nice.
At this rate it will be Waldringfield on Monday!
Antony
Jonno should make it for the first race at Hunstanton then!
Jennie to Ellie 'what should we take Fran and Jonno when we go to see them leave Brid tomorrow, it ought to be something tasty that sailors enjoy'
Ellie to Jennie 'Fruit Pastilles'
and so it shall be . . . . .
[face=Arial Unicode MS]Don’t take Fran fruit pastels.[/face]
As one of the most competitive people in the world ever, and an avid proponent of the ‘who can make a fruit pastel last the longest’ contest it would be completely unfair on Jonno. It would make a long trip down the east coats virtually unbearable. At least her brother won’t be there, a sure fire way to ratchet up the pastel eating tension anther notch.
having played this game with Fran on the road to a Bristol open I can concur that fruit pastels are a sure-fire way to ruin what could be a perfctly pleasant trip - and I haven't been able to eat one since... stay away from the fruit pastels!!!!
If you (not fair) are thinking of me I can tell you that I never liked that game and have refused to play since a trip to Tenby in 2006. I can see no fun in not enjoying something that is otherwise very pleasant. I have no idea how Frances managed to make hers last pretty much the whole of a slow drive from the Severn Crossing to Tenby ... mine died somewhere near Swansea (or was it Cardiff).....
Antony
apparently they have made it to Norfolk - a couple of days early though!
I am not sure there was ever a schedule in that sense, my post-it note at work (written on Monday) has her at Waldringfield on Sunday pm. If they get to Great Yarmouth today then that looks likely to be spot on, I think that Southwold is more than likely the destination tomorrow.
Anybody in Suffolk this weekend is very welcome to show up and see Viper come home.
Antony
If you haven't already heard, Fran finished yesterday - crewed by Antony, James and Rory.
Despite being a little disappointed that I will no longer be able to sit down with a coffee for my daily update, this is fantastic achievement - well done Fran!
Sophie
http://www.fransbigadventure.com/
Tremendous achievement. Well done indeed!
Kevin
Well done Fran - I wish I was there - all the way round!
Gavin
A brilliant achievement, and we are pleased to be able to report that the Almanac has been found! Am hoping to get to Brid this week to collect it, and will work out some way of getting it back to you.
J
Thank you so much everybody, for all your support throughout. And the sponsorship from you all! It was an amazing adventure for so many reasons but mainly the kindness and fun and meeting all the new and old friends along the way. The sailing bit seems incidental!
Jennie. That would be absolutely brilliant, I have been meaning to phone the RYYC. If you do get a chance to collect, that would be fantastic!! I'm sure there are easy ways and means of getting it back after that.... I even have a wedding in Yorkshire in late September so could swing by your neck of the woods, if no other earlier opportunities present themselves.
(And the fruit pastilles were perfect, and I didn't even make Jonno play who can keep it in their mouths for the longest!)
Thanks again everybody!!
Fran