One of Falmouth Maritime Museums most popular boats,Falmouth Quay PuntCurlew, is now happily bobbing in the water off the Museum pontoon.

 Built in 1905 by RS Burt and designed to load and unload cargoes from ships moored in Falmouth harbour, Curlew should feel at home back on the water during the summer. Curlew, worked and was raced in Falmouth by Frank Jose until 1936 before changing hands a number of times.  In 1967 she was rescued from dereliction by Tim and Pauline Carr and together they became one of the world’s most celebrated blue-water sailing teams, spending ten years globetrotting, much of it in the South Atlantic. She was the first engine-less yacht to sail to Antarctica via Cape Horn.

 In recognition of their incredible and remarkable explorations at sea sailing Curlew, Tim and Pauline Carr have received many prestigious awards. These include the 1991 Blue Water Medal, from the Cruising Club of America, and both the 1997 Tilman Medal and 1992 Seamanship Medal, from the Royal Cruising Club which are all on long-term loan to the Maritime Museum. Other recognised sailors to receive the Blue Water Medal include Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Alec Rose.

 In 2003 the Museum purchased Curlew from the Carrs and shipped her back from South Georgia. Just before Christmas last year, Tim and Pauline Carr paid a short return visit to Britain from their Antarctic home of South Georgia, and couldn’t resist popping into the Museum to visit their beloved Curlew, which they had lived aboard for 30 years.