With more free time and good weather forecasted, we could have another week away, this time a little further away. The plan had been to sail to Fowey and from Fowey to Salcombe but the forecast was showing strong northerlies for Monday, where we normally anchor in Salcombe would be exposed to northerly wind, safe enough but we wouldn’t be able to get off Elektra safely.
So on Saturday 13th of May we sailed for Fowey, the tide was with us between 1000hrs and 1600hrs but by the time we were ready to leave it was already 1300hrs. Anyway we sailed out off Gillan under full sail with a forecast of NW force3-4. We were wondering why the wind seemed more like SE force3-4! Away still OK. We sailed on for 2hrs before the wind started to die off by which time we had logged 10.5nm. We had to start the engine before getting as far as the Dodman Point which we passed at 1600hrs. Having to continue to motor the rest of the way to Fowey, we picked up a mooring at 1730hrs having logged 24nm.
With the promised forecast, we decided to go to the Yealm River instead of Salcombe for a day and then on to Salcombe later. There wasn’t any need to get away early as the tide was with us between 1130hrs and 1730hrs. We dropped the mooring at 1100hrs and motored out of Fowey The forecast was again NW3-4. The wind started NW3 then NW2-3 then SE2-3 then Westerly 4-5, all of which made for difficult sailing. We sailed some, motorsailed some, motored some. Then later when the wind picked up from the west, l pulled down the main so we could go faster on just the genoa. We moored Elektra to the lower pontoon and 1615hrs having logged 24nm. We were very much alone as you can see from photo, not that we were worried but the harbour master seemed to be very worried that the season had started slowly.
Once there and settle, Vicki said “can we stay a few days, we can do Salcombe another time”. I was quite happy to do so, l have always liked the Yealm River, we had visited there almost every year from 2006 when we started cruising until 2018. In 2019 we went to the Avon River instead and then with the pandemic this was our first visit since 2018. So a few days holiday in the Yealm River followed. Lunch at the Ship Inn the following day after showers, a trip up to the top reaches of the Yealm River the following day. And a little shopping and a pint at another pub, you know holiday things 😀.
On Wednesday morning we left the Yealm River and headed over to Cawsands to anchor. Vicki cooked breakfast, sitting eating, it seemed Cawsands wasn’t as sheltered as we expected, so we decided to move on to our next destination earlier than planned.
Just after 1400hrs we left Cawsands for Polperro about 15nm to the west. With little or no wind we motored and motorsailed westward picking up a mooring in Polperro 3hrs later. We had visited Polperro before, around 2014, always said we would go back, but it had taken us longer than we thought. In Polperro you don’t want any Southerly swells, but good shelter we thought from the north. We were disappointed to find with strong northerly wind funnels down the valley, although safe was very blustery.
After 2 nights at Polperro we motored Elektra along the coast to Lantic Cove and and anchored, about 4nm to the west. This cove we had often looked at in passing by but never used. Having paid out money for moorings every night l was looking for a free night at anchor.
After dropping anchor, we wondered why hadn’t we ever anchored here before, it was a lovely spot. We were alone but not for long, by nightfall three other yachts had joined us in Lantic Cove. One of which was our friends Robert and Mandy, later they came over for a drink and a chat.
In the morning Robert and Mandy motored off to Fowey to a yacht rally. We would be heading back to Gillan but the tide wasn’t with us until 1040hrs so we weren’t in any hurry. The forecast said NE3-4 which would have been nice. At 1100hrs l lifted and stowed the anchor and we sailed off towards the Dodman Point, the wind seemed more like southeast and very little of it after 3/4hr we had logged 2nm so we started the engine. We tried sailing again a few more times during the passage but always started the motor again. We picked up our mooring in Gillan at 1520hrs having logged 24nm. That brought to an end our 2nd sailing holiday, l say sailing but l think we motored most of it! Still a nice holiday.
Love Sailing 