Messing About in Boats: The Amazing Adventure of Bob Manry

Tinkerbelle Sails the Atlantic

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  • Filmed & Narrated by: Robert Manry
  • Animated Sequence by: M. Patrick Hintz
  • Date: 1965
  • Program Length: 52:30 min.

View the complete video or watch it in shorter segments below .

Segment Descriptions:

Part I - (00:01-04:06)
Introduction, scenes of Manry on front porch with sextant and navigational charts, Manry preparing sail, Manry in garage working on Tinkerbelle (also shown are family cat and dog), Manry laying out equipment on front porch in preparation for departure.
Part II - (04:06-08:07)
Continued views of equipment preparation, family and friends leaving Manry's Willowick house (including Manry's mother, Margaret Manry, Manry's brother-in-law (Virginia's brother) John Place, Manry, Manry's son, Douglas, two friends of the family, Manry's daughter, Robin, and Manry's wife, Virginia) and looking over Tinkerbelle, Manry leaving their Willowick home with Virginia and Virginia's brother, John, towing Tinkerbelle to Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Part III - (08:07-12:07)
Lowering Tinkerbelle into the water at Falmouth, Massachusetts, Falmouth Harbor, Manry raising Tinkerbelle's mast, Manry paddling Tinkerbelle over to a nearby dock, sunset on last night in Falmouth, Massachuetts, leaving Falmouth Harbor.

Of special note: The man at the controls lowering the boat is Steven McKee, who at the time was in the Air Force and worked part time for Falmouth Harbor Boat Sales. According to Mr. McKee, "The week that followed the launch was interesting as I sold Mr Manry many items that did not normally sell to boaters who were just running around the local area. In reading the account of the trip in Harpers some of the things that he talked about seeing could be explained by sights that he was exposed to during his week at our dock."
Part IV - (12:07-16:14)
Trawler seen along the way, rough waters, sunset, calm, storm, drying clothes on board Tinkerbelle, compass, other ships along the way, navigational charts.
Part V - (16:14-20:21)
Continuation of navigational charts, rough waters, submarine encountered, ships, sea anchor bucket, Manry and sextant, storm.
Part VI - (20:21-24:24)
Food preparation, cooking, eating, drying clothes, sunset, interior of Tinkerbelle.
Part VII - (24:24-28:41)
Continued interior of Tinkerbelle, watches, rough waves, hallucinations (dream sequence).
Part VIII - (28:41-32:53)
Continuation of hallucinations (dream sequence), Manry aboard Tinkerbelle, Manry with sextant, Manry charting course.
Part IX - (32:53-36:51)
Manry sailing Tinkerbelle, ships encountered along the way, broken rudder, preparing and eating plum pudding (at halfway point), navigational chart.
Part X - (36:51-40:57)
Sunset, rough waters, sea anchor bucket, Manry, second broken rudder, Portuguese man-of war, storm petrels, Manry in pith helmet, more Portuguese man-of-war.
Part XI - (40:57-45:06)
Floating light bulb, trawler, letter in a bottle thrown into Atlantic Ocean, letter found in Portugal, sent to Manry in Willowick, Ohio, navigational chart progress, Manry writing in log book, ships along the way, food received from captain of ship Belgulf Glory, message received from Royal Air Force, sunset, Manry going to sleep.
Part XII - (45:06-49:06)
More of Manry going to sleep, arrival of trawler with Bill Jorgenson and Walter Glendenning aboard, fly over of Royal Air Force, canisters dropped by Royal Air Force, note from Virginia Manry, sailing toward Falmouth, England, progress on navigational chart, trawler encounter, second trawler with Virginia Manry and Plain Dealer employees on board, Virginia Manry aboard Tinkerbelle with Robert Manry, Manry alone again, heading towards Falmouth, England.
Part XIII - (49:06-52:32)
Approaching Falmouth, England, Manry family aboard trawler coming out to greet Manry prior to his arrival in Falmouth, boats filled with people out to greet Manry upon his arrival into the harbor at Falmouth, England, arrival at Falmouth, England, press, greeting from Mayor Hooper of Falmouth, England, Manry family departing Falmouth harbor in automobiles.