Love Sailing

I had been stopped 3 nights in Fowey this season, their visitor mooring charge this year for Elektra £26.46 per night, which l think is expensive. I understand that the water taxi is £3.50 each way. Makes Fowey a very expensive stop! I am always on the lookout for free anchorage near by ports to avoid being charged.

With nothing better to do, l decided to look for some in around St Austell Bay and east as far as Looe. Pulling up Elektra’s anchor at 1050hrs, we would have the same problem today with the tide running against but with not far to go did it matter? Sailing north-northeast from Black Head until reached the mussel farm, so thrn tacking west, when we got to the end of the mussels farm, l rolled away her genoa and started her engine. Then motoring slowly north looking at various possibilities for anchorages until arrived off Charlestown, being about 2hrs before low water, l didn’t venture in too close for fear of running aground. So turned away with 1.2m under the keels at 1156hrs. From here l could sail again and set off along the north coast of St Austell Bay. It was then l noticed a NCI station up on top of the cliff, l thought l bet they don’t see many yachts in here, so gave them a little wave.

Sailing on passed Gull Island, Carlyon Bay and Par Docks before turning south towards Little Gibbin. Then southeast to round Gibbin Head. With very little wind, sailing east of Gibbin Head, l cut though between the head and Cannis Rock about 1230hrs, an hour and a half before low water springs, l was fairly happy about doing so because l had do before but not this close to low water. But not to worry in any case as Elektra had 3.5m under her keels. From there l sailed her towards Polridmouth Cove, and when Elektra lost the wind, l rolled away the genoa and motored her in. I was interested here because the chart shows a Rock in the entrance. But now very near low water springs, it still wasn’t showing itself. I thought l am going to anchor here sometime soon, it was really a very nice spot.

Turning around, l motored Elektra back out and set sail along the coast towards Looe, sailing was slow but while Elektra was still making 2kts SOG, l was happy to let her sail which would save diesel. When the wind dropped off to a northwest force 2 and Elektra had slowed to 1.2kts, l started her engine and motored the last 1.5nm. Turning north into Talland Bay for the first time, it looked lovely but the depth swallowed quickly and not wanting to touch bottom at low water because of the underlying swell. I dropped anchor at 1615hrs having logged 15nm in 5m of depth with the tide set to make another 3m before high water. This left Elektra quite a long way off shore.

After tidying away Elektra, l put on my dinner and ate. Afterwards going ashore in the dinghy for a walk, this was Talland Bay and the village/hamlet was called Porthallow. It always fine it amazing how many times the same place name turns up in Cornwall. My engineer comes from the village of Porthallow on the Lizard.

Back aboard, the night forecast was blowy, they were giving northerly force 3 gusting force 6 and the wind had already picked up in the early evening. But having checked my transits a few times and again before dark, l was happy Elektra wasn’t dragging.

The night sounded blowy with the anchor chain clonking now and then, but didn’t really keep me awake as l was quite tired from the days activities.

I had gone home on Sunday, l had some washing which needed doing and some phone calls to make and arrange appointments. I needed diesel and to refill the water tank, all of which l could have done in just one day. But with east winds forecast, they made getting back aboard difficult.

And so it was Thursday, those 3 days at home had dragged and l needed to get back aboard. Originally l had planned to get back aboard at 1430 as the tide was coming back in, but at home after breakfast, l don’t want to wait, so looked at the tides. If l was going before the tide went out, l needed to be at St Anthony by 1030hrs. The time then was 0900hrs, so l got my skates on and packed up the remaining cool bag, loaded the bags into the car, checked the house one last time, locked up and drove to St Anthony. It’s only about 2 miles but on narrow lanes. Part way there l met a visitor in her BMW who couldn’t reverse, to begin with l wasn’t going back! But then l thought about the tide going out! So l stuck the car in reverse and went back 200 yards to a passing place because the visitor couldn’t go back 50 yards. I said a few words under my breath.

Down at St Anthony, l launched the dinghy and loaded the bags, then went and parked the car. I stopped and talked to Stewart on the beach briefly, both of us watching the tide.

Out at Elektra l transferred the bags to her cockpit and climbed aboard, it was going to take me a while before l would be ready to leave, to stow the stores and to remake the bed. But by 1200hrs, l was just about done. Out in the cockpit l saw that Stewart had already left on his day sail aboard his Sadler 26. It was then l looked at the tides, the stream wouldn’t be going east until 1640hrs. I’m not waiting that long l thought. So got Elektra ready to leave the mooring.

I had been in contact with Crusader Sails about the mainsail and Paul the boss had given me a few pointers, so l planned to try some and also get a video of the sail in use to send to Paul at Crusader. With little or no wind, l thought it was an opportunity not to miss.

So casting off at 1300hrs having pulled up her mainsail, l motored her out slowly between Carcroc and Dennis Head, set the genoa and turned off the engine. Sailing north-northeast across Helford River entrance to pass behind another yacht coming out of Helford River, once we had past l set the chart plotter up for the Dodman Point 14nm away. This line would take Elektra though the racing yachts during Falmouth week. With the wind picking up, it pushed Elektra over and the sail luff started backing. It was at this point l realised the luff only backed when she was hard pressed and when reefed it didn’t. With it showing force 4 on the wind instrument, l pulled the first reef into the mainsail.

The wind was blowing northwest force 3 sometimes 4 and Elektra was making good progress into the tide stream going in the opposite direction. My main problem was balancing the sails so the tiller pilot could cope. Elektra was ploughing forward regardless. I hadn’t used the mainsail much this season because the luff backs but I feel maybe l had given up with it too early and with a bit of practice l could get it to work well.

By the end of the day l had sailed Elektra from Gillan to Polgwyn Cove almost entirely, only started the engine to get away from her mooring and to anchor in Polgwyn Cove. Elektra had averaged 3.8kts into the tide which was probably doing about 1kt in the opposite direction.

My sleep pattern has gone wrong! Having gone to bed early, l was hoping to sleep better, but l woke at 1130hrs and was awake until 0300hrs. Then l slept until 0940hrs! By the time l finished breakfast it was 1120hrs, this was crazy it was messing up the days!

I was lazy today, never went for a walk, just did a little cleaning and relaxing in the sunshine, with the day drifting on by. I felt peckish again quite early, so put my dinner on at 1700hrs. After dinner l relaxed in the cabin until dark when l closed up the companion way hatch, closed the curtains and switched on the cabin light. I wasn’t going to bed to early because that hadn’t worked last night!

Then a similar awake period durring the next night, but I didn’t wake up again in the morning until 0940hrs! Now Sunday I was going home today for new stores, diesel, water. I also had some phone called and apointments to make. There wasn’t any hurry to get going. The forecast gave no wind in the morning but picking up to a west-northwest force 4 in the afternoon, so I slowly got Elektra ready to leave.

Pulling up here anchor at 1200hrs, I motored her down river to St Mawes and set sail in a west-northwest force 2 at 1230hrs. Elektra covered the next 5nm to Gillan Harbour in 1hr 40mins, at times almost felt like she was at a standstill but having done so much motoring this season, I didn’t want to start her engine.

We bought Elektra (our Sadler 29 which was built in 1984) in November 2016, her sails had been replaced in 2003 by Jeckels, so were 13 years old. I knew in time they would need to be replaced again but there were other jobs which needed doing first.

We had ordered a new stack pack from Jeckels soon after the delivery passage in March 2017, it had taken Jeckels until August to delivery it and because of the delay the company had fallen out of favour with me.

Back in 2007 with our last yacht, l had Crusader Sails make a new mainsail for her and because of that great service l probably favored them. In 2022 l got quotes from 3 sail makers for a new set of sails. The quotes were very similar on price, and only because of the great service in the past did l go with Crusader Sails. The new Sails arrived the same day as Elektra was pulled out for the winter. The warranty was for 6 months, which they agreed to extend to 6 months from beginning of 2023 season.

During the winter 2022-23 Elektra had a major refit, new water tank, new black water tank, new solar frame and panels etc. So after Elektra was launched in 2023, with so much new to get used to, it took a while to properly look at the Sails, adding to this we quite often sail on just her genoa.

But l wasn’t impressed with the shape of the new mainsail, and said so to the chap in charge of sales. The modern computer designs put a wing shape into the sail, in principle it sounds great. But on our Sadler 29, the traveler is only as long as the companion way is wide. And heading into wind, the sail was so baggy, that the luff backs and there was no way of stopping it!

I tried to communicate this with Crusader Sails but they weren’t really interested in helping me to solve the problem. I don’t really complain, but l expect company’s to give good service but Crusader Sails didn’t.

Over the years, l have found don’t like looking at the sail, so much so, l almost never use it! As yacht owners we buy new Sails to replace old baggy Sails, but what Crusader Sails made a baggy sail to replace the old mainsail, which l think was better than the new one!

This season l have experimented and think l have found a way to make the sail work better, but this shouldn’t be needed!

It’s interesting that the Sadler 32s and 34s have travelers which are as wide as the cockpit

I slept between 0230-0800hrs and then got out and made breakfast. Then l emptied the cockpit locker looking for some stainless steel cleaner, l had looked home and it wasn’t there, so it must be aboard l thought. But after emptying l never found it. I did have some other cleaning products and tried different stuff until I found something which worked.

I was aware it was around high water and l wanted to go for another walk, so looked at my tide app. It was an hour before high water at which point l thought that the cleaning could wait. And so fitted the outboard on the dinghy and motored it down river to Place ferry landing pontoon, made the painter off and went walking again. I walked up the hill out of Place and joined the path to the coast path and headed for zone Point and St Anthony Head. It was approaching midday and the temperatures on land had risen.

I had done this walk before, but still lovely, walking on passed St Anthony Head, there aren’t many seats and the one’s which were free l made use of. Once back to the dinghy l popped over to St Mawes and the co-op for milk, before heading back to Elektra for a sit down at 1530hrs. It was too early for dinner but yet l was a bit peckish, l then grazed until 2000hrs, not eating properly, but just a bit of this and bit of that.

Going to bed before dark, l hoped to be able to sleep better 😴

My friend Robert suggested walking to Tresillan and have a “Mary’s Pasty” Having not slept well overnight, l was out early, had breakfast. To be fair Robert had said it wad about 45mins walk one way and he and Mandy normally come back on the bus to Truro.

But l left Elektra sometime probably to early in the morning for the walk, l don’t know because l didn’t take my smart phone which l had left on charge and didn’t think about until getting to the Malpas pontoon in the dinghy. But l wasn’t going back for it then! I had look at the OS map so knew roughly where l was going. So no Google maps, no time and no camera! But total peace. To a certain amount, l followed my noise to the end of the road in Malpas and then a footpath behind some houses and thought a wood. I knew from the OS map it was meant to go uphill across a field. The path came to a kissing gate which had a warning of bull in field.

This looks right l thought, the field was grazed off but there was a definite trodden path going uphill, at the top another kissing gate and another field. I knew l should join a road going downhill to the side of the creek.  But at the other end of the field was another gate into another field. All the cows and the bull were lying down just inside this gate. But l wasn’t worried as years ago l had kept cattle and so just walked around them, a few stood up but l was soon over to the next gate which came onto a lane downhill beside another field. At the bottom another kissing gate onto a tarmac lane, which came to a crossroads, still following my noise l turned right and the country lane went downhill to the side of the creek. I was expecting a tarmac lane along beside the creek, but it was an unmade lane/pathway.

From there it was level going all the way to Tresillan which came out at the Truro end of the village, the pasty shop wad near the other end. Still with no idea of the time l bought my pasty and a drink. Walking back the way I came, eating my pasty ad l went, l eventually found a seat which l sat and finish eating, and had the drink. Afterwards I felt a bit bloated and thought l should walk back. Halfway back down the creek side path someone gave me the time, it was just gone 1200hrs. I thought no wonder l felt bloated, l had breakfast and a pasty before lunchtime! Good job l was still walking and not going back on the bus! I got back to Malpas and dinghy back to Elektra by 1300hrs.

At 1330hrs l pulled up Elektra’s anchor and motored her back down the Truro and Fal Rivers to Turnaware and set sail from there towards St Mawes. It was good sailing south to St Just, but then the wind died away and so l started her engine again and motored into the Precuil River dropping anchor at 1500hrs.

By then l was very sleepy, but l forced myself to do all the tidying jobs before going for a sleep on the fore bunk. I slept and l slept and didn’t wake up until 2000hrs! Getting out, l thought about dinner, but couldn’t be bothered and l wasn’t hungry anyway. I sat and listened to the radio and went to bed again at midnight, but it didn’t help, l still didn’t go to sleep until after 0230hrs.

Came back Monday, was home on Tuesday for family event and home shopping. I cut the grass on Wednesday morning and l was getting stuff ready for going back aboard by midmorning. I needed to leave St Anthony beach before 1430hrs. But l was earlier than that. The forecast was showing strong northwest winds and l was thinking l might have stayed on her mooring overnight but, it didn’t seem too bad as l stowed the gear away.

So having got ready, l decided to go and dropped her mooring at 1305hrs. I only thought to use her genoa as the wind was meant to be strong! It wasn’t, with westerly force 2-3 off the Helford River. There was a spell half way across Falmouth Bay when the wind got up to force 4 but it died away again afterwards. I got too close to Pendennis Point at 1415hrs and lost the wind having logged 4nm.

Going north up Carrick Roads into the out going tide, the wind direction was very variable and strength anywhere between force 3 and 5 gusting 6. I enjoyed the sailing very much! It was only when very close to the lea shore, nearly to Turnaware Point when l thought l should start her engine and motor away from the rocks. Going around Turnaware Point at 1515hrs having logged 9nm

I had planned to go into Channels Creek north of Turnaware Point. But getting there l decided to carry on up the Fal and Truro Rivers and drop anchor south on Malpas at 1550hrs having logged 12nm, l planned to walk to Tresillian tomorrow from Malpas.

After 2 days of rest, l needed to get home for a family thing on Tuesday, so l rearranged my home shopping for the end of Tuesday.

I had been in contact with a friend who was having a hard time. Jane had experience of sailing and so l suggested coming for days sailing. In turned into half a day and then just a few hours as Jane is a very busy person.

We had agreed to meet at Mylor at 1300hrs, l was running late because there wasn’t much wind, and so l picked Jane the pontoon at about 1325hrs. Jane hadn’t ever used a tiller before, the yachts she had sailed both wheels and the tiller was confusing to Jane but she was beaming from ear to ear to be out sailing again! There wasn’t much wind and we slowly tacked into the wind there was out to Black Rock before turning around. Once we had turned there didn’t seem to be any wind, so we motored back to Mylor. It had only been a few hours in almost no wind but Jane was very thankful to of being able to come out sailing. Dropping Jane off on the pontoon about 3hrs after l picked her up.

I motored Elektra back out of Mylor, still with very little wind, l continued to motor her south and south-southwest to Gillan. Picking up the mooring Elektra had logged 17nm.

Later Jane, texted me and thanked me for the days sailing.  I said it was a pity there wasn’t more wind! She said but being rusty, it was better for her that it wasn’t too windy.

After the passage back from Polgwyn Cove the day before, l had slept well and hadn’t got out early.

After breakfast l decided to go for a walk and refitted the outboard to the dinghy. On the way to the beach, l stopped at Gary’s motor boat for a chat. I had know Gary since 2009, back then he was the fork lift driver on St Mary’s harbour for the Scilly steam ship company. And a fellow owner of a Hurley 22. The day we met Phil B and myself had just sailed our H22s into St Mary’s harbour having crossed from the mainland that day.

Gary a self tought sailor, had bought his Hurley 22 in the channel islands earlier in 2009 and did his delivery passage over 2 days via Falmouth. Over following years Gary always impressed me with his travels! One year he left Scilly and went to Cork, hopping along the south coast of Ireland, crossing to Melford Haven, then Lundy and Padstow. From Padstow to Falmouth and then Salcombe before crossing to the channel islands. Crossing back from the Channel islands to the Yealm River, he had to leave his yacht there and go home by bus, train and ship to Scilly because of a relative funeral. Gary returned to his yacht afterwards and sailed her on back to Scilly via Falmouth.

Gary did many more similar trips in a number of different yachts over the years, moving to the mainland, somewhere near Falmouth in 2020 after the lockdown. He bought a bigger sailing yacht here, but with the hike in Falmouth mooring fees after Covid he sold his yacht again. And we lost touch until Gary was persuaded to buy a little Hurrwind motor launch which came with a mooring later in 2024, so since then have seen him from time to time.

After chatting with Gary, l headed on into the beach for my walk. There on the path was a footpath closed sign. But l headed in the opposite direction, l took a wrong turn and ended up on top of the hill, l was going to double back, but decided to find out where it came out. It had lovely views of the Precuil River, looking southeast.

After finding where the the path came out, l walked back down the main road to the path heading back along the creek. Of course l eventually came to the other end of the footpath closed sign, but just kept going around the barricade to the problem on the  path. There had been a landslide and the path had slipped into the creek, but it was obvious that folk had been crossing anyway. And it wasn’t any problem for me to also cross over. Back along the path to the dinghy and back out to Elektra.

Later on Robert came to visit, he was keen to find out what depth of water there was where Elektra was anchored. Elektra draft is about 1.2m and she had 0.6m under her at what was now, low water on spring tides, he was surprised there was as much as that. He stayed for a chat and a drink. We chatted for about an hour before he when off again to his wife Mandy aboard their yacht anchored off St Mawes.

After dinner l listened to the radio for a while and turned in at 2200hrs, l then slept like a log not waking before 0800hrs next morning. I got out for breakfast, Robert and Mandy invited me for coffee at 1100hrs, they are good company and l probably stayed longer than l should have, they were heading back over to their Falmouth mooring and then home.

I went back to Elektra and my own thoughts, that afternoon and evening dragged for some reason. And l ended up going to bed early, l slept for a bit but woke again at 2300hrs and was still awake at 0240hrs.

After a wonderful night at anchor in Polgwyn Cove, protected totally from the northwest winds. The tide wasn’t with me until 1115hrs but the wind of northwest force 3-4 would be helpful. Being in no hurry to leave, l had a leisurely breakfast and tidied things away. Before pulling Elektra’s anchor up at 0945hrs, thinking we would get blown out of the cove l didn’t start her engine, but the wind was coming over the cliff top and becoming a head wind into the cove. So l just started the engine to get Elektra out of the cove into the wind before stopping again a few 100 yards offshore.

Sailing south across Mevagissey Bay, it was almost a dead run to Chapel Point. I thought the Cruising Association would be having a heart attack looking at the number of  pot markers in Mevagissey Bay, there must have been at least 300, but l almost never touched the helm which the tiller pilot was in control of while sailing across the bay. Off Chapel Point there were even more, but l just steered between them. Heading south-southwest inside Gwineas Rocks towards the Dodman Point, passing Gorran Haven at 1050hrs having logged 3.75nm.

Another yacht under full sail had come out of Mevagissey, heading east and south of the Gwineas Rocks and well south of the Dodman Point, they were taking the long way round! I had only set Elektra’s genoa as l was fairly happy that once around the Dodman Point, that would be plenty of sail for Elektra. Passing very close in to the Dodman Point at 1118hrs, l knew once out of the shelter of the point Elektra would be hit by a blast of strong wind.

I was absolutely correct, once out from the shelter of the point, Elektra was hit by northwest force 6 very briefly before easing again. This blast of wind knocked her over on her ear, with water running along her side deck logging 6.5kts, she also rounded up until it eased. After that blast of wind Elektra was logging 5-6kts from Dodman Point to the Roseland, it was great sailing. The wind got very flucky of the Roseland and when l got to Zone Point at 1330hrs having logged 15nm l started her engine and motored her into the Precuil River, dropping anchor at 1400hrs having logged 17.5nm.