I needed to get to Elektra’s winter mooring by 0600hrs, so l was up early. Having driven down to Carne, l climbed into the dinghy and pushed off, the momentum was enough to get me out to Elektra without having to sit down and row. At Elektra, climbed aboard at the tied the dinghy amidships, keeping it clear of the lines.
I fitted Elektra’s chart plotter and switched on the instruments and stared her engine. Then l made the lines ready to let go. I let go the starboard stern line first then walking forward to let the bow lines go. Then back to the cockpit to pull Elektra out to the channel by her port stern line, dropping it over the side when reaching the chain.
I checked the depth sounder, she had 1.4m under her keels as l put the engine into forward. I like to give a blast of powder here, then drop out of gear as she floats over the stern lines of the other moored boats. Once passed the other boats, putting engine into forward again and slowly followed the channel out to Gillan Harbour.
Once into Gillan Harbour, it was too early to dry Elektra out on St Anthony beach. So l motored her on out into Helford River entrance to check engine and instruments, an hour or so later motored her back into the Harbour and slowly eased her speed to almost 0, so her keels slowly grounded on St Anthony beach, the putting the engine forward again to hold her there. When she stopped rocking, l stopped her engine. Locking up the cabin and climbed out into the dinghy and to the shore and pulled up.
Then walk back to Carne for the car, l got my ladders from the woods and loaded in the car, then drove to St Anthony, l left the ladders in the dinghy and drove home for breakfast at 0900hrs.
After breakfast, l loaded up the car with the cruising gear and drove back to St Anthony and loaded the gear aboard Elektra. Once done l lifted the petrol generator out of Elektra and into the car along with the ladders and a few other bits, l also set the keg anchor out astern to allow me to pull her out into deeper water later. Then drove home again and unloaded.
After a coffee l took my wheel barrow (l used to do this with my pickup, but l sold it about 10 days ago) back down to Carne. This time to remove the winter mooring for cleaning and checking before next winter. The joys of a cheap winter mooring is it normally costs time instead of money! About 1.5hrs later l was back home with the 2x 15kg Bruce anchors, 2x anchor chains and 6x lines in the wheel borrow saying, l’m not doing that again! It had been harder than l thought pushing the wheel barrow back loaded.
After that l had a 2hr rest, before driving back to St Anthony to wait until Elektra floated off again. Once floating, l motored her back into Carne Creek, just above the narrows and dropped anchor, back in the dinghy to St Anthony and drove home,walking in the door at 1900hrs.
Love Sailing 