Wednesday, 8th October, came along. By now, l was thinking our sailing days were numbered. And l needed to get out sailing at every opportunity. With light winds forecast for the next few days, the time was now.
I had to go out to tidy and clean Elektra after the resent work, l was going to do that on Tuesday, but by the time the tide was high enough, l didn’t fancy going out to her. So, I decided to make a day of it on Wednesday.
So l was down to St. Anthony, before the tide went out, launched the dinghy and out to Elektra. The first thing l needed to do was re-stow gear and clean the cabin. It was nearly 1300hrs by the time l was finished. Then l started getting Elektra ready to go sailing. There, didn’t seem much wind, but just enough to swing Elektra off her mooring and with a little genoa turn her downwind and out past Carcroc Cardinal Buoy at about 1.5kts. Crossing Helford River entrance was slow going, Elektra never got above 2kts. But once north of Rosemullion Head, suddenly out of nowhere, it was blowing northwest 10-12kts, and Elektra took off across Falmouth Bay at, between 5-6kts on a calm sea. The wind strength varied across Falmouth bay, but generally quite good sailing on one port tack.
I tacked Elektra onto Starboard crossing tack, just south of St Mawes entrance, and we headed across the Carrick Roads Falmouth Harbour breakwater. Before tacking, heading north-northeast for St. Just in Roseland. Sailing Elektra right into the edge of the mooring before tacking. From here, l was watching the depth sounder as l knew we were 1.5 hours after low water springs, and my normal rule is to say in the channel north of St. Just 2 hours, either side of low water on spring tides. But as Elektra crossed over the flats north of Mylor, the lease l saw under her keels was 1.5 meters. I tacked Elektra again just before we reached an anchored yacht, this time heading for Turnaware point. Elektra then crosses the channel again and then runs parallel with the channel still over the shallows to just south of Turnaware. I put one final tack in back across the river and into shelter out of the wind.
I then started her engine for the first time today, hooked up the tiller pilot, and l packed away the mainsail. Then l turned Elektra around and headed south on just her genoa. Then it dawned on me, l hadn’t planned this sail very well, l had tacked Elektra north up the Carrick Roads, and now l was sailing against an incoming spring tide approaching the 3hr! Elektra was logging 4kts through the water, but only 2.5kts SOG. Needless to say, it took a while to cover the 4nm back to Pendennis Point. By which time it was getting late and l didn’t want to be late for dinner. So l motored Elektra back across Falmouth Bay, doing as many packing up jobs as l could while “Tilly” the tiller pilot steered Elektra for Gillan. Once moored up in Gillan, we had done 18.5nm in 5 hours. A few more packing up jobs and into the dinghy and home.
Love Sailing 