After 4 weeks without any rain, it looked good for a fortnight’s holiday out to Scilly. Fortnight’s! I can’t believe l am actually saying it, fortnight there l said it again! With my job, as much as l liked, it came with the tie of always getting back to work after only a week. So for 35 years my longest summer holiday had been a maximum of 10 days. That and with the need to load supplies and get ready for work again when we returned, often meant 8 days max with 2 days on passage only giving us 6 days max in Scilly, often into the mix came the weather, we may of had to leave for Scilly later because of the weather, or leave Scilly early before forecasted strong winds.
Over the years since starting cruising in 2006, our first visit was in 2009, passage out on the Tuesday and sailed home the following Saturday, so giving us 3 days on the islands. In 2010 we managed 6 days on the islands and our best ever holiday 😀. We went again in 2013, this time we got gale bound in Scilly, we went Saturday, the first gale came Wednesday night, then the wind stayed at about force 6 until the next gale came though Sunday night, Monday we made our escape back to Newlyn and the following day to Helford, that was our last visit with that yacht. We bought Elektra at the end of 2016 and went to Scilly in 2017 and 2018 for a week. The weather didn’t allow us to go in 2019 when we had the time. And with Covid in 2020 we weren’t allowed to go when we had the time. Our next visit was in 2021, seemed very strange in the aftermath of Covid we had our first meals out. And Scilly was so much busier than we had ever seen it before!
So now in 2023 having semi retired l was looking at a fortnight’s holiday, wow! Elektra had been gale bound in Carne Creek for the last 3 weeks due to strong east winds. East wind sounds great to go to Scilly but there is always that thought that we need to get home again. Having done the boat jobs, Elektra was ready, all we needed to do was load supplies, water, diesel. I had worked Monday to Thursday evening. Friday l was very busy out early to fill water tank and diesel tanks, once that was done it was off to our closest town for stuff and a haircut. Back home again, l had bought some dinghy folding wheels for Scilly, so l went to St Anthony to fit. Once back from doing that it was packing for holiday and loading pickup. We were going aboard Friday evening in order to stow everything without having to rush it in the morning. What we didn’t count on was the rain which decided to just as we left home. I grabbed a plastic gardening sheet before leaving. And we arrived down at St Anthony in heavy rain, sat in the pickup and waited for it to ease. After 10mins it did and l grabbed the sheet and some bags and headed out down the pontoon, using the sheet to cover the stores. I parked the pickup and then started loading the dinghy, Vicki said “we aren’t going to get it all in” l said “yes l am, l don’t want to come back again!” Anyway we did and the rain started again after leaving the pontoon, Vicki covered the stores and pulled the sheet over her head leaving me to get wet and we motored slowly towards Elektra. Out at Elektra the rain eased again and Vicki climbed aboard, l passed the stores aboard, we nearly lost a box of beer bottles as the box had gone to pulp with the wet. Then the rain stopped and it turned into a lovely evening.
After a good night sleep we awoke, Vicki cooked breakfast and l got things ready to leave, lifting the outboard onto it’s pushpit mounting, dropping Elektra’s stern mooring strop in order to lift dinghy onto her davits. We wouldn’t be able to leave Carne Creek until 1000hrs but the tide stream wasn’t with us until 1440hrs, the plan was to motor to The Lizard Point against the tide stream and sail from there with the tide. We managed to float off and get out of Carne at 0945hrs and out of Gillan at 0955hrs, l had pulled the mainsail up as we motored out though Gillan Harbour. We passed the Nare Point 10mins later and headed for Manacle Buoy. Visibility was about 3nm. We passed Manacle Buoy at 1040hrs and headed for our way point off Black Head, it was then that the fog descended anywhere between 1/2nm and 200 yards. I wasn’t to concerned this close into land but l was worried about crossing to Scilly with shipping about. Vicki and me chatted about anchoring off Mullion Cove. It was still bad at the Lizard Point but out to sea looking clear so we continued on passage. We passed the Lizard Point at 1225, still motoring, as we moved away from land the visibility increased to 8-10nm but the land was still covered in fog. Once 10nm west of the Lizard we could sail or motorsail, possibly would have sailed more but we didn’t want to arrive out in Scilly after dark. We arrived in St Mary’s Sound at 2000hrs and motored North across St Mary’s Road into the South end of New Grimsby Sound at around 1/2 tide and slowly motored in, the least depth we saw was 0.8m under keel, we anchored in Green Bay at 2100hrs having logged 62nm.
Sunday we just rested, never leaving Elektra, just enjoying the surroundings. After a week working and a day getting Elektra stowed and ready to go. Then followed by a long passage which l couldn’t rest, Sunday was the rest day.
Monday was for some shopping and pub lunch followed by a walk for me on Bryher, the afternoon turned into a beautiful sunny hot day for laziness in the cockpit.
Tuesday was more overcast but still warm, we enjoyed Green Bay and Bryher a little more.
On Wednesday we moved out around the North of Tresco, south down Old Grimsby Sound, east towards Tean Sound and anchored in The Neck of the Pool, south of St Martin’s. We quickly got ready and into the dinghy and ashore for a pub lunch at the Seven Stones Inn. Followed by a lovely afternoon in the sunshine aboard Elektra.
Just before dark l got out and took more pictures
The next day we fancied Fish&Chips from Adam’s on St Martin’s. I walked across the island to find out just where it was, decided after walk it would be to difficult for Vicki to manage. So we decided to motor Elektra around to Higher Town Bay and re anchor. For this we motored west out of anchorage, south and the southeast between the the rocks, least depth was 1m under keel before turning northeast into Higher Town Bay. There were 3 other yachts anchored there, we went a little closer in before dropping anchor. Within an hour all the other yachts had left and we were alone again. In the afternoon we went by dinghy over to the Eastern Isles to look at possible anchorages. OK by dinghy but having looked we don’t fancy going there to anchor, there’s lots of rocks, weed and looked very exposed compared to anchorages we normally use. Once back at Elektra, we hadn’t been there long and another 0⁰yacht came and anchored, they couldn’t of got much closer it they tried. I had booked take away for 2000hrs, Vicki came and sat on the beach, while l got the chips. It had been another wonderful day followed by a lovely evening.
Friday we got out at first light and motored Elektra back to Green Bay just after high water. With the forecast being poor weather we wanted good shelter and Bryher seemed the right place. We dropped anchor close in as possible this time and put up Elektra’s cockpit enclosure for the heavy rain. We had a little rain on the way but we’re happily anchored before the heavy rain arrived. We stayed put for the rest of that day.
Saturday was much improved and we for Showers on Bryher and went for pub lunch at the New Inn on Tresco and shopping before enjoying a nice afternoon
Sunday we decided to move to Porth Conger, St Agnes. When Elektra was floating we motored her slowly out of Green Bay and southeast down New Grimsby Sound at about mid tide, south down St Mary’s Road, when we arrived Porth Conger was full of yachts, we didn’t bother even trying to get in there. So we turned North and headed for St Mary’s, just then the heavens opened and started pouring with rain, Vicki got me a coat, while motoring north a bumble bee decided to sting me on the cheek! When we arrived at Porth Loo just north of St Mary’s Harbour, it appeared to be very rolly so we didn’t anchor there either. In the end the decision was made and we headed back to Green Bay! When we arrived back our spot had been taken. So we found another and dropped anchor having logged 8nm. Later on, not being happy with our position we moved and re anchored, the cockpit enclosure went up again and we settled down for the evening.
On Monday we decided to go to St Mary’s on the ferry, l phoned at 0830 to check times, the reply was only one leaving Bryher today at 0900hrs, so it was a quick get ready and go!
Once on St Mary’s, the ferry docked to the end of the pier and Vicki had long walk into town, we went into the first cafe we came to for hot drinks and a bite to eat. We needed shopping but there wasn’t any hurry, so we sat for a while in a small park and enjoyed the sunshine. Next was the weekly shopping at the co-op, cheaper groceries here because co-op subsidise the shipping prices, so same as mainland. Next we had a pub lunch in The Atlantic lnn, it’s getting to be a bit of a habit, we almost never go in pubs on the mainland but we are on holiday.
After the pub lunch we headed back to the pier, the ferry wasn’t due to leave until 1430hrs but Vicki was finding the walking to much and needed to keep stopping to rest by sitting on every bollard along the pier, eventually finding a seat by the harbour office. I liked watching the ferry and trip boats coming and going. Eventually our turn came and we boarded for the return trip £6.50 each way we thought was very reasonable. Once back at Elektra we both fell asleep and it was 1830hrs when l awoke again. We sat in the cockpit during the lovely evening until the sun went down at 2100hrs.
On Tuesday after a lazy brunch, l went walking again on Bryher, the weather was hot on land and very pleasant with a cooler breeze on the water. After my walk we sat in the cockpit until around 1900hrs before retiring below because of the cool breeze. Cold cuts for dinner with egg cheese and pickles. And scrabble with a bottle of red bought the day to an end.
By Wednesday we had decided to leave Scilly on Thursday. So the idea was just to relax and enjoy the surroundings. We went to the Fraggle Rock Pub on Bryher for lunch and a beer, then came back to Elektra and enjoyed the rest of the day, had drinks and chat with other sailing couple in Green Bay in the early evening. Lifted the engine from punt onto cockpit bracket and lifted then lifted the tender onto her davits before retiring below for cheese and biscuits.
On Thursday we were out at 0700hrs and weighed anchor by 0800hrs, we motored Elektra south out of New Grimsby and out though Crow Sound, south of Hat’s Buoy and on to a way point Crow entrance set coarse for Lizard Point 42nm away at 0850hrs. With no wind l set going the tiller pilot leaving Elektra to make her own way home while l just checked the course now and then. But l always keep an hourly written log in case of instrument failure. I can do navigation the old way in needed.
It was pretty boring motoring east on a mill pond, but it didn’t last as we approached the south bound shipping lane. This wasn’t our first time but l have got to say we had to deal with more shipping on this passage than all the other passages put together. First we slowed down to let a car transporter pass in front of us. Then a tanker passed our stern closer than l would have liked followed by a container ship and before we were out of the lane another ship was heading down the lane. Once across the lane l was much happier. We were quite close to Wolf Rock light house, about 700ft south as we passed by. Then we had 3 spaced out ships coming round the Lizard Point heading for the North bound shipping lane. This approach almost head on, they were doing 12-15kts, passing us to port between us and Lands End.
l found altering course by 10-20 degrees early to starboard seemed to ease the situation and ships past by without any problems. The last one was more of a problem, l altered early as with the others which meant we closed on another yacht going our way. But the other yacht didn’t bother altering and motored into the ships course. So the ship had to do a bigger turn to starboard to get around her.
The wind filled in a bit and the other yacht put up a cruising chute, that was the last we saw of her,she disappeared astern as we didn’t bother as there still wasn’t much wind and we continued motoring. We passed the Lizard at 1640hrs and turned northeast towards Black Head, the wind turned as well, so was still blowing from astern. At Black Head we turned more to port for Manacle Buoy, still not enough to sail by but with the boom out we gained another knot. Rounding Manacle Buoy the wind changed again to Northwesterly so on the nose! When we arrived in Gillan at 1900hrs dropped anchor, we were glad to turn off the engine after 11hrs motoring! Having logged 59nm.
We stayed aboard that night at anchor, l did some packing of gear for leaving Elektra tomorrow. But we mainly relaxed in the cockpit and cabin after a long day.
Next morning we packed up and motored Elektra out to her swing mooring, got ashore and home by 1100hrs. After a fortnight’s holiday it seemed strange to be driving again. I haven’t heard any news for the whole time, has anything happened?
Love Sailing 