Looked like we could go sailing on Friday but would have to return later on Saturday as Sunday was looking wet!
The forecast for Friday was southeast force 4-5, we thought we would have a lovely sail across Falmouth Bay, there was meant to be a southerly vearing south-westerly blow during the night into Saturday. Our plan was to go to the Precuil River, which isn’t the best in southwest winds but we hoped to be OK if we layed Elektra’s anchor set for the southwest winds she would hold.
If seemed windy on Elektra’s mooring but once out in Falmouth Bay there wasn’t any! I started the engine and motored about 1/4nm before sailing again. The wind increased and we had a good sail across the bay, getting faster all the way. We sailed up to the moorings in St Mawes before starting the engine again. I rolled the genoa and pulled the mainsail down as Vicki motored Elektra up the Precuil River, being near low water Vicki had to keep her in the channel. At the anchorage our friend Kevin Mitchell aboard his Sadler 26 “Serena” was already at anchor.
After getting packed away and having lunch, l lowered the dinghy and row over to see Kevin for a beer and a chat. Vicki slept aboard Elektra while we chatted. I came back later and slept in the sunshine.
Kevin texted me, said he would be going to Gillan on Saturday for the southwest blow coming early next week and asked what time we would be leaving, l said not until late because the tide was out until 1900hrs. Kevin had planned to go earlier but hadn’t thought of the tide high. So he decided to leave later too. I suggested sailing together to get some sailing photos and Kevin agreed.
Then followed a windy night but l slept though most of it, only when the wind moved into the southwest did l awake because the motion of the yacht changed, for about 30mins l listened to the wind and to Elektra until I was satisfied she wasn’t dragging. When l awoke again the wind had blown out.
On Saturday with no need to move quickly, we started with a lazy brunch. I had agreed with Kevin to leave about 1400hrs and that’s what we did. “Serena” motored out first and Elektra followed. The racing yachts were getting ready to start racing and we had to dodge around them off St Mawes but once out into the Carrick Roads we could start sailing. Soon afterwards we started closing up for photos and headed for Falmouth Bay.
A few photos we’re taken of each others yachts as we sailed south out of the Carrick Roads, we both got very close to the rocks off St Anthony light house and needed to commit to sailing away from them and we ended up on opposite tacks, Serena going west and Elektra going south. Kevin got on the VHF and we regrouped. By which time my smartphone went flat and l had to start using my camera which has a zoom so was still able to take some photos.
Out in Falmouth Bay the chop didn’t suit Elektra on the southern tack so we sailed west towards Meanporth and Serena continued south. Over Meanporth l shock out the reef in the mainsail and we tacked towards Helford River. I thought we were going to get some more photos on a cross tack but Serena tacked and went the other way. We didn’t get another option after that for more photos. Kevin said afterwards that he would have sailed about in the entrance to the Helford for more photos but we just went into Gillan and moored up.
Love Sailing 