We love Scilly!

After a good night’s sleep l awoke on Tuesday to a dry overcast day. The first thing l did was row ashore for a walk on St Martin’s.

After a good walk l got back to the beach, the sun was trying to break though the clouds, it was looking like a nice day 😀

Then it was back to Elektra for cooked breakfast, after the washing up we lazed in the cockpit until evening when l fitted the outboard on the tender and once ready went to the Seven Stones lnn  for an evening meal. These days Vicki isn’t able to walk far unaided, so l motored the dinghy around the point to the Tean Sound slipway so she didn’t have to walk too far. The climb up to the pub was a lot for Vicki but we got there after a few stops to rest on the way.

After a lovely meal and a couple of drinks we made our way slowly back to the dinghy. Where l found l had just pulled the dinghy enough up the beach, the water was lapping its stern! Back to Elektra for a night cap before bed.

On Wednesday we moved Elektra to Green Bay, Bryher on the morning high water. 4.5nm, took an hour. With about 10 other yachts there we picked a spot dropped anchor and it dug in first time. We moved here because the forecast for Thursday was strong west-northwest winds and its best to move early to get a good place. By the end of the day another 6 yachts had arrived. I had a few boat jobs to do and with them and a little more laziness in the cockpit the day driffed by. In the evening we had some cold cuts and cheese for dinner and played Scrabble in the evening with a bottle of red.

And on Thursday morning more arrived, the anchorage was certainly getting busy. Just as Elektra started to dry out Vicki and l headed to The Fragle Rock pub on Bryher for a pint and lunch. Again l like to get Vicki as close by water as possible, this means motoring the dinghy north to Hangman’s lsland and landing in the cove below the pub. Once we had passed the slipway for the ferry boats the sea started to get lumpy and the yachts on the moorings in New Grimsby Sound were bouncing up and down a lot and the sea was crashing onto the rocks at the northern end of Bryher, we were glad that we had found better shelter for Elektra. Entering the little cove took us into shelter of Hangman’s Island and the reef between the lsland and Bryher, so was calm. I pulled the dinghy onto the shore and with the tide still falling left at the waters edge.

We walked up to Fragle Rock and had lunch. Afterwards was a little more tricky leaving, with it being around low water, there wasn’t any depth quite away out and Vicki had to paddle out before getting in the dinghy, l pulled it a bit further out before getting in myself. Then we were blown into a big patch of floating weed, rowing out of there was like trying to escape from a treacle tart! But we got out in the end, before l could start the engine l had to remove the 20ft long seaweed trailing from the prop! Once done, l started the engine and we motored back to Elektra trying to avoid other patches of floating weed on the way. Just after landing, it tipped down with rain, Vicki walked as fast as she could to Elektra to get some shelter and l followed pulling the dinghy over ground after putting the wheels on. Placing the dinghy underneath the ladder gives Vicki the additional height needed for her to get on the bottom rung, l can get on the rung from the ground. As soon as we were aboard the rain stopped!

I opened up the cabin Vicki got in and changed and l went back down to the ground to check the anchor. I like looking at anchors and seeing how well or not they have dug themselves in. And so once l was happy with Elektra’s anchor l strolled around looking at others. It wasn’t long before l had strolled over to my friend Adrian’s cat and we started chatting. Adrian offered me a beer and so l climbed aboard and continued our chat. Needless to say Vicki was wondering where l was! She had made herself a hot chocolate and drunk it and gone to sleep before l got back!

That evening once the tide had come back the wind had picked up quite a bit more and anchor chains were tight. The evening had turned very chilly and we shut up the cabin and started the cabin heater. Watching the yachts swinging around was a little worrying until it got dark. We played Scrabble that evening and opened a bottle of red. In the early hours of the morning Elektra went aground again, aways nice in strong winds as there isn’t any way of dragging anchor once aground! The wind blew out sometime during the night.

On Friday morning after Elektra floated again l went ashore for a walk, the weather wasn’t over warm but walking helps with that. I must have 1000s of photos of Scilly as we have sailed here in 2009, 10, 13, in our last yacht a Hurley 22. And since then 2017, 18, 21, 23 and now 24. But l still take photos on my walks around the islands. It’s such a special place and every time we get here, it never fails to disapoint. Once l was back aboard, Vicki cooked brunch and afterwards l washed up.

The rest of the day was spent laying in the cockpit sunshine. I had a little stroll around taking pictures of the anchors after the strong winds of the last 24hrs. In the evening after Elektra swung around and faced the Westerly breeze the sun disappeared behind the sprayhood so we moved into the cabin and opened a bottle of red 😀