Once back from our showers and Vicki was aboard, l removed the outboard from the dinghy onto the pushpit and then attached the davit lines before climbing aboard myself. I then pulled the dinghy up onto the davits. Removed the cockpit enclosure and stowed below. I started the engine and switched on the instrument. I was quite expecting it to be quite nasty out in Wembury Bay after the winds from the last 2 days. The wind was meant to die off to a southwest force 4, but l still thought it was going to be nasty getting out.
When we were ready, l went up on the bow to drop the mooring, and Vicki untied the tiller. Vicki motored Elektra out through the mooring until we turned towards the red can buoys marking the end of the bar. I then pointed out the 2 swimmers, which Vicki couldn’t see because she wasn’t wearing her glasses. So l took the helm from there. And l motored Elektra out between the swimmers to the red can buoys and out around the end of the bar. They ahead of us was the 23-foot yacht, which l had seen leaving about 10 minutes before us. Also coming in was a motor launch, so l moved to starboard to give him a chance to line up on the leading transit.
The chart plotter on the chart table was bleeping because of the incoming motor launch AIS. So l gave Vicki the helm again so l could turn the alarm off.
I got back into the cockpit and zoomed the chart plotter out so we could see the outer way point. But Vicki couldn’t see because she didn’t have her grasses, so l took the helm again. I think I would say Wembury Bay was rough but not as rough as l was expecting. We caught up and passed the 23 foot yacht and carried on towards our wat point off the Mew Stone. From there, l turned Elektra west towards Rame Head, still motoring. Once west of the Mew Stone, we could sail to Cawsands.
To start with, l only let out about half the genoa, but it soon proved not enough! So l let it all out. Out from Plymouth East Entrance came a tall ship under power (no sails) for a little while we were on a collision course. But l think that the ship could see we were heading for Cawsands and altered to pass us port to port (not exactly correct), but we would be close on the wind to Cawsands and l didn’t want to pass her to starboard.
After that, l altered the sail a bit, and Elektra picked up speed, logging 5kts SOG towards Cawsands. About halfway across, l stood up to see Cawsands better. Then l could see a tug towing an RN ship out to sea. They were passing across our bow. We were still south of Plymouth breakwater. It was then l noticed an RN ship north of the breakwater heading for sea. We would be crossing her bow! At the time, we were logging 5kts+, and l didn’t want to slow for her to pass in front of us! Before she turned south out of Plymouth, we had crossed her bow into Cawsands. Even then, it’s a little unnerving seeing her turned to port while Elektra was still in front of her! But she continued turning to port and passed behind us as we sailed into Cawsands.
We motored into Cawsands 1.5 hours after leaving the Yealm River mooring, having logged 7.5nm.
Love Sailing 