Love Sailing

With lots going on for Tuesday, it was time to head back on Monday, quite a different day, it was overcast. I either had to leave before low water or after low water. If l went early, l would have to wait in Gillan Harbour on Elektra’s mooring for the tide to come back in, but if l went later the forecast was for the wind to increase which make it hard sail across Falmouth Bay.

In the end l decided to leave early. So l got Elektra ready to leave and by 0930hrs l was pulling her anchor back up. Once l had stowed the anchor in it’s locker. l motored Elektra over to Innisfree and chatted with Keith before leaving. I motored Elektra back down river and out of the moorings off St Mawes before setting sail.

Now being a lone sailor, l had been experimenting this season with how little sail was needed to keep Elektra moving as fast as possible. I had found just using her genoa is a good way to go. But today, it was a beat and normally a mainsail is needed to sail into wind. But l was interested to know how well just the genoa would cope.

I found when starting out of the Carrick Roads in a westerly force 4 the genoa was working well with Elektra logging 5-6kts into wind and not too much healing. The tiller pilot could also cope well. The problem came as the wind eased to a wesrerly force 3, only then did she need more sail. But with only 1.5nm to go, l didn’t bothet pulling up the main, what l have gained would have been lost again packing the sail away again.

Once back on Elektra’s mooring. I had quite a bit of packing up to do. But getting ashore had to wait for 2hrs before the tide would be high enough to get to St Anthony beach with the dinghy.

Home for a shower, next day home shopping was arriving between 0930-1030hrs, followed by a meeting at 1130hrs and another at 1530hrs.

Sunday started a little hazy, but cleared to become hot and sunny, in hind sight l should have dabbed on the sun cream but l hadn’t seen much sun this year and it wasn’t until the end of the day l realised, l was sun burnt.

If Vicki was here, she would have made sure l applied sun cream, but now l am on my own, l will be making my own mistakes.

Later in the day another Sadler 29 “Innisfree” anchored close by, later after he looked as if he had done his jobs, l rowed over to say hello. The skipper Keith Overstall told me he was from Chester, he had been working himself west since the beginning of May hoping to get to Scilly. Of course as joint S29 owners we questioned each other are our yachts. Both built in 1984, even then they had lots of differents. In the evening Keith and Gary also anchored near by came over for a drink.

When l got out on Saturday morning while sorting out my breakfast, l found the water tank was empty, no pot of tea this morning then, so l poured myself a mug of milk to take my tablets.

Elektra went aground about 0830hrs and l contacted Robert to say suggest he arrives at 1215hrs to be able to row in and climb Elektra’s boarding ladder. Between 0830 and 1315hrs Elektra would be grounded and as she had swung around and was facing north she had grounded on mud, so there wasn’t anyway of getting off her until the tide came back. I was marooned!

What great weather, l might have been marooned, but the cockpit was a sun trap and l enjoyed being there to my own thoughts.

As the tide started to sweep in over the mud,l moved my dinghy over to the port cleat, so when Robert arrived the boarding ladder was clear. I had set up the mast ladder and things were ready for when Robert arrived. Right on time Robert arrived in his dinghy, Robert had anchored his yacht off St Mawes.

With Robert taking up the slack on the safety line, l climbed the mast ladder to the spreaders to rerun the signal lines. I didn’t tell Robert but l’m scared up any height these days, l lost my nerve after a fall of just 5ft in a tree during 2020, l used to climb trees and cut branches with a chainsaw, now l was clinging to the mast in fear! Lol 😆  l was glad once I was back down on the deck again.

By then Elektra was floating and Robert helped pack up the ladder again before heading off again back to Mandy his wife aboard his yacht. Then l got Elektra ready to leave and at 1340hrs pulled up her anchor and motored out passed St Mawes, l was going back to St Anthony and home for water cans.

I always find it amusing that when there isn’t any wind like today, there are 3x as many yachts trying to sail! There was about a southerly force 2, and because of it being a head wind l just continued to motor Elektra across Falmouth Bay. At 1450hrs l dropped anchor in St Anthony, quickly as possible l launched the dinghy, locked up and took a holdall of Vicki’s stuff and went home. An hour and half later l was back aboard Elektra and ready to move again. On the way out of Gillan l stopped to talk to Adrian another sailing friend on his cat “Swallow Tail” and tell him of Vicki’s passing. At 1650 l was heading back out of Gillan Harbour. I set all her sails to cross Falmouth Bay but after an hour had only logged 2nm at which point I  packed away her sails and started motoring, motoring in and up Precuil River, l  dropped anchor at 1830hrs having logged 12.5nm all day.

Before boat jobs, l put my dinner in the oven, then covered mainsail and launched dinghy.

After 10 days of wind and rain, a spell of nice weather is forecasted. A few days aboard would allow me to rest after looking after Vicki.

On Friday 12th June after sorting out some paperwork regarding Vicki’s finances in the morning. I planed to sail over to Place in the Precuil River. I had arranged with my friend Robert for him to hold the safety line while l go up the mast to fit new signal lines on Saturday morning. The tide times dictated when l had to go and the weather wasn’t looking very good.

The forecast for Friday was westerly force 4 gusting 6. I wanted to get into Place over high water which was about 1530hrs and l was down to St Anthony beach by 1330hrs, launched and loaded the dinghy. Out at Elektra, l transferred stores into her cockpit. Lifting the outboard from the dinghy onto Elektra’s pushpit and attached her davit lines, then climbed aboard. The wind was howling out of Gillan Harbour while l got Elektra ready to leave. Once ready l switched on her instruments and stared the engine. Walked up the the bow, where Elektra was keen to leave, held by the mooring strop swinging back and forth, casting was an effort for me. Before l got back into the cockpit Elektra gad already turned 90 degrees and drifted half the way towards the next moored yacht. I quickly engaged forward on engine control lever and turned her towards the sea. Motoring her out between Carcroc and Dennis Head, l set half her genoa and stopped the engine. I truly expected Elektra to take off across Falmouth Bay, but there just didn’t seem as much wind out on the water. It wasn’t long before l had let all her genoa out and Elektra was logging 5-6kts. It was a nice sail across the bay but nowhere near as lively as l was expecting. I started her engine again as we reached St Mawes moorings and motored her into Place 1.25hrs after casting of having logged 6nm.

Here in Place Elektra had 2m under her keels and would go aground around mid tide. I like Elektra to be aground when climbing the mast as wash from other boats passing by can  cause those who are up a mast to be flung around like being up a tree in gale! Other boaters, especially motor boaters don’t see the havoc they leave in their wake!

I worked out the tide times and relayed to Robert, he should be able to get aboard Elektra at about 1215hrs tomorrow.

In the anchorage was Gary in his Hurley motor boat. We had first met Gary in Scilly during our first visit to the islands back in 2009. At the time he lived in Scilly but when he retired moved to the mainland and now lives nr Falmouth. Over the years since we met, Gary had done huge distances in some very small yachts and is a very experienced sailor. Once l launched the dinghy, l went over for a chat.

Over the late afternoon evening l lounged around in the sunshine until the sun set over the hill, when l retired to the saloon.

My wife Vicki passed away in the early hours of Sunday 7th June. Although l am sad l was relieved Vicki wasn’t in pain anymore.

I was trying to keep myself busy, to avoid moping around the house. After tidying away some of Vicki’s clothes and had to drive over to the health centre to drop off her unused medication. On the way back l planned to pickup the outboard from St Anthony beach as the fuel system needed to to cleaned out. When l arrived at St Anthony the tide was in and l thought l should check out Elektra while l was down there.

So l launched the dinghy and set off out to Elektra’s swing mooring, l hadn’t gone far when the outboard gear selector broke. With no forward gear, l had to row from there, there was plenty of wind, so not much effort was needed. Out aboard Elektra, l started on my checks, no water anywhere forward, but water under the floor below the companion way hatch, not surprising considering the amount of rain we had over the last 10 days. Having baled out about half a bucket of fresh water, l was looking out at Falmouth Bay thinking l could go for a sail. This hadn’t been my plan and l was in two minds if to go or not.

But in the end l thought, why not. I just started the engine to get Elektra away from the moorings, but once clear stopped it again, there was plenty of wind, vearing from west to north the top of a force 5, l only set half of Elektra’s genoa and she was logging over 6kts quite a bit of the time. It was a little too much for the tiller pilot to cope, so l was helmingʻ most of the time. I sailed her into the Carrick Roads and north to St Just in Roseland before turning Elektra around. I was enjoying myself, and on the way south out of the Carrick Roads again, Elektra was logging 6.5-6.8kts. Back across Falmouth Bay to Gillan, it was great sailing and l hadn’t planned to go. I rolled away the genoa at Carcroc Cardinal Buoy and motored her slowly into her mooring, Elektra had logged 13nm over 2.5hrs.

I knew now, sailing was going to continue to be part of my life. When l first met Vicki in 2003 l was playing golf. We looked for something we could enjoy together, l suggested sailing as l had sailed dinghies from the age of 12. So we hired a sailing dinghy a few times though the early part of 2004 before buying a day sailer called “Acorn”. This we sailed for 18 months before buying “Gala” our Hurley 22 to go cruising. We sailed her for 11 seasons before buying Elektra. I think it’s fair to say l wouldn’t ever have gone cruising without meeting Vicki and the many cruising friends we have made over the last 22 years, wouldn’t ever have become friends.

I will miss Vicki

The idea of anchoring in the Truro River had worked well except looking at the Sunday bus times, didn’t look good so, by Saturday l had decided to head back after visiting Vicki.  South out of the Truro River, down the Carrick Roads and onto the Precuil River for one night. Then get back to Gillan Harbour and into Carne Creek for high water on Sunday, once home, l could then drive to see Vicki in the evening.

Once back aboard Saturday evening, l got Elektra ready to leave and pulled up her anchor 1730hrs, clean and stowed, then heading south on engine, l pasted Turnaware Point at 1800hrs, then unrolled the genoa and stopped engine, going over the shallows at about hour after low water the least depth l saw was 1.3m until the keel. Elektra was logging 4.5kts on almost a dead run but on a starboard tack. I kept her on this tack until just north of Falmouth entrance. And then gibed her on a port tack and headed towards the gap between Castle Point and Lugo Rock. Continued to sail into St Mawes up to the anchored yachts before rolling away the genoa and starting the engine at 1900hrs. From there l motored Elektra into the Precuil River and dropped anchor at 1915hrs having logged 7.5nm.

Sunday morning, summer had arrived and l was sun bathing whilst l waited for the tide. I would need high water to get Elektra into Carne Creek. The forecast was showing northeast force 3 and l pulled up Elektra’s anchor at 1100hrs and motored her back down the Precuil River to the sea. Once out of the moorings l set just the genoa and Elektra started slow but speeding up to 4kts in the entrance of the Carrick Roads. But once out into Falmouth Bay there wasn’t any wind and l started her engine again. Motoring into Gillan Harbour l was a little on the early side of high water but continued in slowly.

Part of being a skipper is to see problems before they happen. Gillan Harbour is a playground for holiday makers in the summer months, going towards the shallows l would be looking out for kayakers, paddle boarders and swimmers. Restricted by depth once entering Carne Creek l needed to keep Elektra in the channel which splits and runs up either side of the creek. With a paddle boarder and kayaker approaching the narrows from Carne Creek and l approaching the narrows from Gillan Harbour. I could see we might end up in the same place at the same time. Small craft tend to think of the edge of the creek as being out of the way but in Carne Creek, the edge is the channel! But this time they didn’t get into the channel before l turned Elektra to port across their path, l explained about the channel position as we passed in opposite directions. Motoring Elektra up the channel slowly with 1.4m down to 0.5m under her keels. When l turned across the level to anchor just 0.3m under her keels.

I packed up Elektra and go ready to leave, lowered the dinghy from it’s davits, refitted the outboard and locked up and motored back out of Carne Creek to St Anthony beach and l was home by 1400hrs.

It had been a suggestion of Patti, Vicki’s daughter to use Elektra to stay abroad near Truro to save the 2hrs driving and 65 miles round trip to Truro hospital every day. This got me thinking and l did my homework to find out where best to anchor for best access to Truro.

My cheapest option was to anchor just south of Malpas. I would have a dinghy trip to Malpas, about an hour nice walk to Truro bus station along the banks of the upper Truro River. Then using my bus pass a free bus trip to the hospital. Allowing for the anchoring fee l would be able to save about £12-14 per day.

This got me out of the house and doing things for Elektra again, thinking about cruising mode again even if the plan wasn’t to go far from home.

It was Wednesday 20th of May, home shopping arrived about 1030hrs and l was packing up the car and heading for St Anthony beach by 1100hrs with stores. I pushed the dinghy down to the shore and transferred the stores, out in the dinghy to Elektra before the tide went out. Out aboard Elektra there wasn’t any hurry to get away and l was in two minds as if to go today or not due to the forecast of southwest force 4 gusting 6! So l slowly got Elektra ready to leave, the tide would be better if l left later and looking at the forecast again, it looked better to leave in the evening. Just before leaving l removed the mooring strop from the bow roller and moved the anchor from the locker onto the bow roller for later.

I cast off the mooring at 1630hrs, just used the engine to get out of the moorings and out between Carcroc and Dennis Head before stopping. I was expecting Elektra to take off across Falmouth Bay so, had only set reefed genoa, but it turned out to be a dead run, more south-southwest. With a ship at anchor halfway across the bay, l didn’t want to get too close and by the time l reached her l had decided to gibe her onto a starboard tack behind the ship and head towards St Mawes to avoid being too close to the lea shore of Pendennis Point. Once happy l had given Elektra enough sea room, l gibed her back onto a port tack to go into the Carrick Roads between Pendennis Point and Black Rock.

At the entrance, the pilot boat “Arrow” came out of Falmouth heading across Elektra’s bow towards Black Rock, to give her a little more room l turned Elektra a little more to port, she was logging 6kts and Arrow passed between Black Rock and Elektra going south.

Elektra slowed a little going north up Carrick Roads, but still 5kts plus. At Turnaware Point l rolled away the genoa and started Elektra’s engine. Motored her north up the Fal River, waiting for the King Harry Ferry to cross and on North past HMS Argus laid up on the Fal River. Then north into the Truro River and anchored Elektra just south of the last mid stream visitors pontoon. Elektra had covered the 10.5nm in 2hrs.

Vicki had been reamitted to hospital yesterday, and I had been there well into the evening, so when Patti, Vicki’s daughter had offered to give me a day off visiting duties, I thanked her. I had spent the morning getting some washing done and going out to the builders suppliers for some sealent. Once I fixed the 2 new hand rails in the shower for Vicki when she get back home. After I finished I thought looks like a nice day for a sail and so looked at the tides and weather forecast, both of which looked good.

I got down to St Anthony beach at 1400hrs, refilled the outboard fuel tank launched the dinghy and pushed the dinghy out as I climbed aboard. The outboard started first pull, it had improved a lot since changing the fuel to E5 instead of the E10 I used last season, of course it takes a little while to clear the system completely. Once out aboard Elektra, I got her ready to leave. I made the dinghy painter off to the pickup buoy.

The forecast was north-northwest, top end of a force 4, but I had a feeling it was more just looking around at the trees blowing about. Elektra dosen’t need much wind and she gets unmanageable with too much sail up very quickly! She almost carries twice as much sail as her little sister a Sadler 26, which is only 3ft shorter. I have often thought she is tender but a friend who also owns a Sadler 29 likes to say she has a sporty rig!

So when I dropped the mooring over the side at 1500hrs, I had already decided only to use her genoa. I got her ready as I motored her slowly out of Gillan between Dennis Head and Carcrock. I had set just her genoa with one reef and when the wind took her, I shut the engine down. Elektra was soon logging 5-6kts in a north-northeast direction, this was obviously her right amount of sail, or so I thought until a gust put her side deck under the water. It always amazes me how well she points on just her genoa, here she was going though the waves into the wind, one reef in the genoa only and still logging over 6kts. there were other yachts out as well, all well reefed! At least with the reef in her tiller pilot could cope, we sort of did 50-50% of the helm while sailing. This is what I would call exciting sailing. Once into the entrance of Carrick Roads, I turned her around and headed back, now on a broad reach things seemed a lot cailmer but the wind was just as strong. I had let the reef out, but she seemed in danger of broching, so I pull the reef back in’ she was still logging the same sort of speed. once back in Gillan, Elektra had covered the 9nm in 1.5hrs.

Back at the mooring, my dinghy was gone! I motored out and could see a dinghy in against the rocks in the cove, west of the Nare Point. I contacted David J from the boat yard, who was out in Gillan Harbour in their work boat, and he went and got my dinghy for me, will I packed up Elektra. It was 1800hrs when I got back to St Anthony beach in the dinghy.